Every big idea starts as just an idea.

Send me the one you can't stop thinking about. In 3 business days you get The Signal, the digitally delivered product from Every Big Idea: the one clear, straight answer pulled out of all the noise. Whether it's worth pursuing, who would pay, what could kill it, and exactly what to do next. Even if the truth is "not this one."

Get your Signal  → See a sample Signal

3 business-day turnaround · One free revision, then a full refund if you're still not satisfied (request within 14 days of delivery).

Built by a technology-commercialization specialist Confidential by default Revise-or-refund guarantee

The problem

You don't need more opinions.
You need the truth.

You've asked friends (they're nice). You've searched Reddit (everyone's an expert). You've run it past ChatGPT (it flattered you). You still don't actually know if you should build it.

The trap of "maybe"

Months disappear while you circle the same questions. "Maybe" is the most expensive answer there is.

Nobody will be honest

The people who love you won't tell you the hard thing. Strangers online don't know your situation. You're flying blind.

The real risk isn't theft

Almost nobody executes. Your risk isn't someone stealing the idea. It's you spending a year building the wrong one.

How it works

From "I'm not sure" to a clear decision in 3 days.

1

Send your idea

Answer five short questions, plus four optional ones. Takes about five minutes. Completely confidential.

2

The system goes to work

My method scores your idea across 10 dimensions, maps the real buyer and the demand, ranks what could kill it, and runs an ownability check (patent, trademark, domain) plus a social handle check across the 10 major networks, using independent research on your market, buyers and competitors. It's measured against a rubric built on published research into why new businesses fail, and against the goal you set in your intake. Advanced AI runs the research and drafts the report; I review every Signal and approve the verdict before it ships.

3

You get The Signal

A clear, honest Signal in 3 business days. Pursue, reshape, or don't build, and exactly why.

4

You act

Follow the specific 30-day plan to get your first real proof, cheaply, before you build anything.

What you get

The signal through the noise.

That's literally where the name comes from. Every idea arrives buried in noise: the hype, the flattery, the endless "maybe," the advice that sounds smart but is just wrong. The Signal is the wisdom and the action worth taking, pulled clean out of all of it. A real assessment, not a pep talk. Each one scores your idea, names the buyer, backs it with real demand evidence, checks whether you can own it (patent, trademark, domain) and claim it (your handle across 10 major social networks), ranks what could kill it, lays out how to make money, delivers one brutal-truth paragraph most people won't say to your face, and ends with a 30-day action plan, and, when the answer is no, hands you 2 or 3 sharper ideas to build instead. Here's the shape of one:

See a full "yes" Signal → See a full "reshape" Signal →

Two complete sample Signals, researched like real ones: an invention worth building with changes, and an idea worth reshaping. Get your own →

About

Who built The Signal

Marty McCrea, founder of Every Big Idea

I'm Marty McCrea, founder of Every Big Idea.

I hold a Master of Science in Technology Commercialization from the University of Texas at Austin's McCombs School of Business, ranked #1 among U.S. public universities (and #2 in the U.S.) in Eduniversal's 2026 Best Masters ranking for entrepreneurship. That degree is, quite literally, the study of the one thing most people only guess at: whether a new idea can actually become a viable business.

Before that I earned a BA in Organizational Communication, and over the last decade I've spotted next-generation ideas and helped refine them into things that actually contribute. The whole time, one belief has driven me: every person deserves to have their idea heard, and to find out if it's the real thing.

During the MSTC program I started a venture called Vocal Media and won the school's Venture Labs competition with it. It still didn't make it in the end, and that is exactly the point. I've lived the thing you're afraid of: betting real time on an idea that looked like a sure win. That taught me more about why ideas live or die than any success could, and it's a big reason I do this now, so you can find out before you spend the year, not after.

That's why I built Every Big Idea. The Signal isn't a cheerleader, and it isn't a consultant who bills you for a year. It's a system I designed to pair deep research with the honest judgment I've spent a career developing, and it gives you the truth about your idea in three days, plus exactly what to do with it. Even when the truth is "not this one."

More about me, and the published research behind each of the 10 dimensions

MSTC, UT Austin McCombs #1 entrepreneurship master's, U.S. public (Eduniversal 2026) 10+ years spotting & refining ideas MSTC Venture Labs competition winner

How it compares

The Signal vs the alternatives

An honest look at how The Signal stacks up against the other ways people check an idea. It isn't the fastest or the cheapest, but it's the only option on this list that does all of it, including a patent check.

Compared October 2026; features change. Swipe the table sideways to compare every option →

The Signal AI validators ChatGPT Reddit & forums Consultant Research firm
Honest verdict, not a cheerleaderYesSomeNoSomeYesSome
Deep, sourced researchYesSomeSomeNoYesYes
Ownability check: patent, trademark & domainYesNoNoNoNoNo
Social handle check across 10 major networksYesNoNoNoNoNo
Real demand evidence (search + quotes)YesSomeSomeSomeYesYes
Shareable PDF to own, print, or forwardYesSomeSomeNoNoSome
Pivot ideas if it's a no (Idea Remix)YesNoNoNoSomeNo
Names your real buyer & willingness to payYesSomeSomeNoYesYes
Ranks what could kill itYesSomeSomeSomeYesSome
Specific 30-day action planYesSomeNoNoYesNo
Built by a commercialization expertYesNoNoNoYesSome
Turnaround3 daysMinutesInstantDaysWeeksWeeks
Typical price$99Free to $$FreeFree$$$$$$$$

Free AI tools are faster and cost nothing, and that's fine for a quick gut check. The Signal is for when you're about to spend real time or money and want the whole picture, including whether someone already patented it.

The elephant in the room

"Couldn't I just do this myself with AI?"

Honestly? Probably. Here's everything it would take.

The experience

A master's in technology commercialization, over a decade spotting and refining ideas, and a startup that won a competition and still failed. Years to earn the judgment that decides what actually matters.

The system

A 10-dimension scoring rubric built on published research into why new businesses fail, verified research, a patent, trademark, and domain ownability check, a social handle check across 10 major networks, real demand receipts, and the discipline to check every claim against its source before delivery. Months to build and test.

The plumbing

Intake, a research pipeline, the report engine, delivery, and a way to make it come out consistent every single time. Months more to wire together and actually trust.

The one thing you can't build

Distance from your own idea. You're too close to see it clearly, and a general AI is built to agree with you. The entire point is an outside read that tells you the truth, which you cannot give yourself.

And here's the real trap: AI is trained to sound convincing, not to be correct. Even experts get a mixed bag, some of it sharp, some of it confident nonsense wearing the same polished words. If you're not already an expert, how would you tell which is which? Separating what's real from what only sounds good is exactly the job The Signal does.

Or you skip all of it, send your idea over, and have the honest answer in three days for $99. That trade is kind of our whole thing.

Send it over  →

What people say

Honest work, in their words.

Every customer is asked for an honest review, good or bad. I publish every review, positive or negative, and remove only profanity, hate speech, off-topic content, or private information. Reviews from people who received a complimentary Signal are labeled.

Founding cohort, in progress.
Real, verified reviews will appear here as the first Signals land. Want to be one of them? Get your Signal →

Pricing

One honest Signal.
Two ways to get it.

Here's the comparison that matters. A strategy consultant would charge you $1,500 or more, and take weeks, to tell you what The Signal tells you in three days. But the price to watch isn't the one on this page. It's the year of your life, and the money, you'd pour into building the wrong thing before anyone was honest enough to stop you.

Ninety-nine dollars to know now, or a year to find out the hard way. You already know which one is expensive.

The Signal

$99
one idea · delivered in 3 business days
  • Full 10-dimension scorecard
  • Who would actually pay, and how much
  • The 3 things most likely to kill it
  • Competitors and your gap
  • Ownability check: patent, trademark & domain
  • Social handle check across 10 major networks
  • A real demand signal (search trends + complaints)
  • 2-3 realistic ways to make money
  • The brutal-truth section
  • Your 30-day action plan
  • Idea Remix: sharper ideas if the answer is no
Get The Signal

The Signal + Call

$199
everything above · plus a 45-min live call
  • Full 10-dimension scorecard
  • Who would actually pay, and how much
  • The 3 things most likely to kill it
  • Competitors and your gap
  • Ownability check: patent, trademark & domain
  • Social handle check across 10 major networks
  • A real demand signal (search trends + complaints)
  • 2-3 realistic ways to make money
  • The brutal-truth section
  • Your 30-day action plan
  • Idea Remix: sharper ideas if the answer is no
  • Plus, live on the call
  • A 45-minute strategy call with me
  • We pressure-test your reaction together
  • Your 30-day plan tailored live to your situation
  • Bring your follow-up questions
Get Signal + Call

Coming soon

The Big Idea Membership

One honest idea deep-dive every month, a private community, and live idea office hours, for $29/month. Not open yet. Join the waitlist and you'll be first in when it launches.

The guarantee

I'll make it right, or refund you.

If any part of your Signal is unclear or you think it missed something, tell me and I'll revise it once, free. If you're still not satisfied after that, I'll refund you in full. The guarantee covers the quality of the analysis, not whether the answer was the one you were hoping for.

Questions

The honest FAQ

Won't someone steal my idea?

Almost nobody executes, which is exactly why ideas are cheap and signals are valuable. Your real risk isn't theft, it's spending a year building the wrong thing. Every submission is confidential. It's never posted publicly or sold, it's shared only with the service providers that help me produce your Signal, and it's used only to produce your Signal. I learn from patterns across many Signals, but only in anonymized, combined form that can't identify you or your idea. That's in writing when you order.

What if the signal is "don't build it"?

Then I just saved you a year and thousands of dollars, and you get an Idea Remix: 2 or 3 sharper, adjacent ideas to build instead, plus exactly what would have to change for the original to work. It's covered by the same guarantee.

How is this different from asking ChatGPT?

A general AI chatbot is built to be agreeable, so it tends to tell you what you want to hear. The Signal also uses advanced AI, but inside a system built for the opposite. I designed the rubric and the research process; the AI runs your idea through a strict 10-dimension rubric built on published research into why new businesses fail, pulls real research, and names real competitors; and I review every Signal and approve the verdict, including "don't build this," before it ships. It's the difference between a chatbot that flatters you and a system built by someone trained in technology commercialization to tell you the truth.

What stage does my idea need to be at?

Any stage. A shower thought, a side project, or something you're already selling and want to gut-check before you go bigger. The intake questions adapt to where you are.

How fast will I get it?

Three business days for the Signal. If you choose Signal + Call, we'll book the call for after you've had time to read it.

What if I'm not happy?

Tell me what's unclear or what I missed, and I'll revise it once for free. If you're still not satisfied, I'll refund you in full, within 14 days, one refund per customer. See the guarantee above.

Start here

Pick your Signal, then tell me your idea.

It's a two-step, no back-and-forth. Choose your Signal and check out securely with Stripe. The moment payment clears, you'll land on a short form to send me your idea. Your Signal is delivered to you within 3 business days.

1

Check out. Pick The Signal or Signal + Call above and pay securely with Stripe.

2

Tell me your idea. Stripe sends you straight to a short idea form: five questions, plus four optional ones. That's it, your Signal is on the way.

Choose your Signal →

Your idea stays confidential. It is never posted, sold, or shared, except with the service providers that help me produce your Signal.

The fine print

Straight terms, in plain English

This is the plain-English summary. The full Terms of Service apply to every order.

What The Signal is. The Signal is independent analysis and opinion, delivered to help you make your own decision about your idea. It is not a guarantee of any business result, and it is not legal, financial, or investment advice. The decisions you make are your own.

About the ownability and demand checks. The patent, trademark, and domain checks use free, public tools and are preliminary, informational searches to flag obvious conflicts. They are not legal patent or trademark searches, a freedom-to-operate opinion, or clearance; domain status can change; and none of this is a substitute for a licensed attorney. The social handle check is a point-in-time look at public profile pages across the major networks, not a trademark or brand clearance, and a handle open today can be taken tomorrow. Demand evidence is drawn from public sources and is indicative, not a guarantee. Before you file, build, or invest, verify independently and consult the right professional.

Your idea stays yours. Anything you submit is confidential and is used only to produce your Signal. It's never posted publicly or sold, and it's shared only with the service providers that help me produce it (my AI, hosting, storage, and email tools), under their own confidentiality and security terms. I may use anonymized, combined insights from many Signals (for example, which kinds of ideas tend to struggle on pricing) to improve The Signal and to write general guides, but never in a way that identifies you or your idea. You keep all rights to your idea and your materials.

Similar ideas happen. I keep your submission confidential. But ideas themselves aren't secret from the world. Lots of people arrive at similar ideas independently, and I assess many ideas separately from yours. So while I keep what you send confidential as described above, I can't promise no one else will independently think of, build, launch, or trademark something like it, and I'm not responsible if they do. The Signal doesn't create, transfer, register, or protect any intellectual-property rights, and it isn't a confidentiality or non-disclosure agreement between us beyond the promise above.

What I can't assess. The Signal is for lawful business ideas. I don't evaluate anything built to harm people, illegal weapons, or hatred toward or incitement against any group, and I'll decline and refund those. And if you're in crisis or thinking about hurting yourself, please reach out to someone who can help right now. In the US you can call or text 988, any time. You deserve real support, not a business report.

The guarantee. If any part of your Signal is unclear or missed something, tell me and I'll revise it once for free. If you're still not satisfied, I'll refund you in full. Refund requests within 14 days of delivery, one refund per customer. The guarantee covers the quality of the analysis, not whether the answer was the one you hoped for.

Reviews. Every customer is asked for an honest review, good or bad, and no review is ever required in exchange for a Signal. I publish reviews whether they are positive or negative, and remove only profanity, hate speech, off-topic content, or private information. Reviews from people who received a complimentary Signal are labeled as such.

Simple terms. By purchasing or submitting your idea, you agree that The Signal is an informational deliverable, that results vary from idea to idea, and that I act as an independent analyst, not your agent, partner, broker, or fiduciary. Every Big Idea and Marty McCrea aren't liable for decisions you make based on The Signal, and to the fullest extent the law allows, total liability for any claim connected to The Signal is limited to the amount you paid for it. Have a question about any of this? Ask before you buy.

Who you're dealing with. Every Big Idea, a DBA of Synaptic Expansion Labs LLC. Business address: 5900 Balcones Drive, Ste 100, Austin, TX 78731. Questions? Email marty@everybigidea.com.

Get your Signal  →