Where the evidence says to look
Before you pick an idea, know the odds of the ground you're standing on. Everything below was checked against a named source on 25 September 2026, with the date shown. None of it says never. It says what a first-timer is walking into.
Find an idea worth testing
Most people start with an idea they like. The better order is to start where money already moves, then check whether you can get at it. Three ways in.
The idea
Write it as if explaining to a customer, not an investor. If you can't fill these in plainly, that's the first finding.
Market proof
Answer with what has already happened, not what you expect. The ladder runs: opinions, then stated intent, then money. Only the top rung counts as proof.
The money
Use real prices and real costs, in Australian dollars. Guesses are fine, but write them down so the test can prove or break them.
Edge & risk
Anyone can copy an idea. What they can't copy is why you, and what it would cost a customer to leave.
If you're the one struggling
Starting something while you're underwater rarely works. Fix the pressure first. Pick what's closest to your situation for first steps, free Australian services, and how the same problem could later become work you're paid for.
If you or someone you know is in crisis or at risk, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 any time, or 000 in an emergency.
How this is kept honest
Anything here that could shape a real decision carries a named source and the date it was checked. This is what gets rechecked, how often, and what happens when a source can't be confirmed.
The rules
- No figure goes up without a named source and a visible date.
- If a source can't be re-verified at a review, the claim comes down rather than quietly ageing.
- Where credible sources disagree, both numbers are shown and the difference explained.
- Support service phone numbers are confirmed against each organisation's own website every quarter. Last confirmed 25 September 2026.
- Other people's research is cited and linked, never copied wholesale. Open the source before relying on anything here.
The review schedule
| What | Where it comes from | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Support service numbers and links | Each organisation's own website | Quarterly |
| Insolvency and closure figures | ASIC insolvency statistics; CreditorWatch releases | Quarterly |
| Aged care waiting figures | Support at Home program data reports | Quarterly |
| NDIS participants and rules | NDIA quarterly reports; NDIS Commission | Quarterly |
| Energy rebates and battery volumes | Clean Energy Regulator | Quarterly |
| Trades shortages | Jobs and Skills Australia | Twice a year |
| Business counts, tax debt, compliance burden | ABS, ANAO, ASBFEO | Annually |
| Every source link still opens | Automated check | Monthly |
Review dates: 1 January, 1 April, 1 July, 1 October.
What this is not
- Not advice. General information and a way of thinking, nothing more. Money, tax, legal, migration and health questions go to someone licensed to answer them.
- Not a crisis service. If things are bad right now, the "If you're struggling" tab lists free services staffed by trained people.
- Not collecting anything. No sign-up, no accounts, no tracking. What you type stays in your own browser and is never sent anywhere. Clearing your browser data clears it.
- Not a guarantee. A score here is a structured second opinion. The only real proof is a customer paying you.
Who made it, and why
Built by 12X on the Central Coast of New South Wales, for a handful of young people working out what to do next, then made public because the same questions are being asked everywhere. It is free, and it stays free. If something here is wrong or out of date, that matters: the site is only worth having if it's true.
The numbers
Stress-test with Claude
Claude plays the sceptical investor: the assumptions most likely to be wrong, the questions to ask ten customers this week, and a cheaper way to test. It reads only what you typed here.