You shouldn’t start a restaurant unless you know people like your cooking.

Sure, it’s been your dream to own a restaurant since you were a kid. Perhaps you’ve finally saved enough to give yourself a running start. Your spouse and parents always tell you how great a cook you are. Every day you see another quote on social media about the need to seize the day.

So it’s time to take the next step, right? And that means mortgaging the house, maxing out the credit cards and going all in on a fancy spot.

But wait. What if the restaurant fails? Or any big, risky thing you’re tempted to try?

Maybe there is a different way to pursue this dream. Yes, people who love you love your food. It’s a reasonable guess that complete strangers will like it too. But don’t forget, that’s still a guess.

Wouldn’t it be worth testing that guess?

1. See if unbiased people like your cooking. Invite some acquaintances (preferably not your closest friends) over for dinner. Make them your best food, and watch what they do. Don’t ask them if you should open a restaurant, just watch. Hopefully it goes well. If it does, that’s valuable knowledge. Think of that knowledge as a tailwind.