ProofWall (working name)
Idea status: Idea stage · Target: an MRR ladder ($1k → $50k) instead of one fixed number · Verdict: No as described. Go only as Marketing Rule testimonials for small US investment advisers (RIAs), and only with access to advisers or their compliance consultants · Last updated: 30 Sept 2026
Start here → WHAT-TO-DO-AND-AVOID.md: odds at each MRR level (with conditions: $1k ~45–60%, $5k ~18–30%, $10k ~9–17%, $20k ~4–8%), 12 do's, 14 avoids, checkpoints.
Where this came from. This idea is row C7 ("Testimonial collection and 'wall of love' widget") in the 30 Sept 2026 micro-SaaS idea catalog. It was not a feature list supplied by a founder, so there's no stated team, price or traction. See analysis/09.
Name. "ProofWall" is a working name. Check trademark, domain and app-directory names before using it publicly. If the RIA wedge is chosen, a name that signals compliance (not "wall of love") will sell better to compliance officers.
The idea as catalogued: a testimonial collection tool with a "wall of love" widget. It collects text and video testimonials through a link or form, imports reviews from other sites, and provides embeddable widgets.
The idea as recommended: a testimonial tool for small SEC-registered investment advisers. Clients leave a testimonial through a link. The tool attaches the disclosures the SEC Marketing Rule requires, routes each one through the firm's compliance officer, displays it on the firm's own website with the disclosures next to it, and keeps an exam-ready record for 5 years. It also logs paid promoters and the $1,000 12-month threshold.
Research was run on 30 Sept 2026, with a confidence level on each claim. See research/10-verified-research.md.
Folder layout
proofwall/
├── WHAT-TO-DO-AND-AVOID.md ← final analysis and decision (read first)
├── README.md ← this index
├── analysis/ ← the investor-style assessment
│ ├── 00-one-page-brief.md
│ ├── 01-verdict.md
│ ├── 02-market-reality-check.md
│ ├── 03-feature-scrutiny.md
│ ├── 04-expanded-feature-catalog.md
│ ├── 05-pre-mortem.md
│ ├── 06-fundability.md
│ ├── 07-gaps.md
│ └── 09-assumptions-and-open-inputs.md
├── plans/ ← execution plans
│ ├── 08-90-day-plan.md
│ └── 11-24-month-gated-roadmap.md
└── research/ ← cited evidence
└── 10-verified-research.md
File numbers match the other ideas in this portfolio, so cross-references like "doc 08" work the same way.
Documents
| # | Document | What it answers |
|---|---|---|
| — | WHAT-TO-DO-AND-AVOID.md | Final decision: MRR ladder with odds, customer math, 12 do's, 14 avoids, checkpoints |
| 00 | analysis/00-one-page-brief.md | The whole assessment on one page |
| 01 | analysis/01-verdict.md | MRR ladder for 6 versions of the idea and 2 time commitments, Tier A/B, fundable yes/no |
| 02 | analysis/02-market-reality-check.md | Buyer segments, pain scores, generic and vertical competitors with verified prices, market size |
| 03 | analysis/03-feature-scrutiny.md | The 6 stated elements of the idea, classified, for the generic tool and for the RIA wedge |
| 04 | analysis/04-expanded-feature-catalog.md | About 40 features advisers, compliance officers and generic users ask for, classified and prioritised |
| 05 | analysis/05-pre-mortem.md | Top 3 causes of death, warning signs, fixable? |
| 06 | analysis/06-fundability.md | Invest?, the skeptic's questions, proof points, bootstrap vs raise |
| 07 | analysis/07-gaps.md | Gaps to pay, renew and refer, plus compliance, security and distribution |
| 08 | plans/08-90-day-plan.md | First 90 days, week by week |
| 09 | analysis/09-assumptions-and-open-inputs.md | Assumptions made, and the inputs that would change the verdict |
| 10 | research/10-verified-research.md | Cited research with confidence levels, corrections, and what's still unverified |
| 11 | plans/11-24-month-gated-roadmap.md | Month 0–24 phases, gates, revenue path, budget guardrails |
Caveat
Team, hours per week available, geography, price and traction were never provided. The assumptions are in analysis/09. Whether small RIAs will pay ~$150+ a month per firm for own-site testimonials, the churn and sales cycle of RIA compliance tools, and whether RIA website vendors already ship compliant testimonial widgets are still unverified (see research/10). There is no verified base rate for testimonial tools, or indie SaaS generally, reaching a given MRR.