Market Research & Competitor Analysis to Validate Our Startup Idea Before Launch

We're a pre-seed startup team with an idea we believe in, but we need real evidence before we commit further time and funding not assumptions. We need a market research analyst to help us answer three questions: 1. Is there genuine demand for this idea in our target market? 2. Who are we actually competing against, and where are the gaps we could fill? 3. Is this market big enough to realistically build a business around? We'd like to start with a small paid trial task ($10–$20) before committing to the full project something like a snapshot on one competitor or one demand signal — so we can see how you work before moving forward. If it's a good fit, we'll move straight into the complete research engagement. *What we need delivered in the full project:* 1. A market validation summary based on real demand signals (search behavior, existing customer pain points, competitor traction) 2. A competitor landscape analysis of our top 3-5 direct and indirect competitors, covering positioning, pricing, and weaknesses 3. A rough TAM/SAM/SOM market sizing estimate with sources cited 4. A clear, evidence-based recommendation: is this worth pursuing? We're a small team and need someone who can work independently, ask smart clarifying questions, and deliver a report we can actually act on — not a generic 40-page document. Clean, well-organized findings matter more to us than length. Ideal candidate: * Proven experience validating startup or SaaS ideas specifically (not just general market research) * Comfortable with TAM/SAM/SOM sizing methodology * Strong written communication — we need to understand the "so what," not just the data * Can turn around a first draft within 5-7 days Please include in your proposal: a brief example of a similar validation or competitor analysis project you've done, and how you'd approach the trial task.