Building a Minimum Viable Product for Startups

Startups often misunderstand the MVP. The term Minimum Viable Product is thrown around in every pitch deck and product sprint. But somewhere along the way, viable came to mean: → A barebones version → With limited features → Built to prove it works That’s not enough. Here’s a better definition: MVP = Minimum Valuable Product. → Valuable to whom? To the customer. To the person who is willing to use it, pay for it, or recommend it. Because the goal of an MVP isn’t just functionality. It’s validation. Here’s what the data says: → According to CB Insights, 35% of startups fail because there's no market need for the product. → Harvard Business School research shows that 65% of startups pivot, often because they built a product that didn’t resonate with the market. So the real question becomes: → Is your product solving a real problem? → Is it valuable enough that someone would pay for it, even in its early form? An MVP should do three things: 1. Address a specific, painful customer problem 2. Deliver immediate value, even if limited 3. Provide learning through real usage, not assumptions What’s not an MVP: → A feature-light demo with no user demand → A product built for a pitch deck, not for the user → A launch strategy that skips validation in favor of speed The right MVP doesn’t just prove you can code. It proves you understand the market. → That’s the difference between a product and a business. If you're building your MVP now, ask this: → Is this viable… or is this valuable?

I’ve seen countless founders waste $75k-150k on an MVP, by making the same mistake. I’ve built and scaled products for the last 2 decades, I’ve noticed a trend: Most product startup owners get excited and rush into launching MVP before laying the groundwork. This leads to unnecessary cash burn and failed products. But if founders hold off until they get the basics right, they can save money and build sustainable products. Here’s how: ▶ 1. Get inside your customers' heads - Dive deep into understanding your target audience. - Conduct thorough market research and user interviews. - Validate your problem statement to avoid building on guesswork. ▶ 2. Craft a crystal clear value proposition - Define the core value your product brings to the table. - Identify how it solves specific pain points better than anyone else. - Figure out why and how your MVP will resonate with users from the get-go. ▶ 3. Measure what matters - Pinpoint key success metrics for your MVP. - Know what to track - user engagement, feature usage, or conversion rates. - Gather meaningful data from the start to set the stage for future improvements. ▶ 4. Decide fast, act faster - Don't procrastinate if you are unsure about what to build. - Use the validation phase to make smart, informed decisions. - Be clear - if your solution doesn’t look promising, pivot without hesitation. By following these steps, you can ensure that you build a satisfactory MVP that sets the right path for your product. Have you ever built an MVP that failed? Do share your insights. #mvp #productbuilding #entrepreneurship

🚀 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗮 𝘁𝗼 𝗠𝗩𝗣: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 Let me walk you through the step-by-step journey of taking a product from concept to Minimum Viable Product (MVP): 1️⃣ 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 Start by deeply understanding the problem you’re trying to solve. • Who is your target audience? • What pain points are you addressing? • Why does this problem matter? 🔑 𝘛𝘪𝘱: Talk to customers and stakeholders to validate the problem. 2️⃣ 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲 Brainstorm possible solutions and prioritize them based on impact and feasibility. • What will deliver the most value quickly? • What aligns with your business goals? 🔑 𝘛𝘪𝘱: Use frameworks like ICE (Impact, Confidence, Effort) or RICE (Reach, Impact, Confidence, Effort) to prioritize effectively. 3️⃣ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 Analyze the market to identify opportunities and potential gaps. • Who are your competitors? • How does your idea differentiate? 🔑 𝘛𝘪𝘱: Focus on your unique value proposition (UVP). 4️⃣ 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗼𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 Create a low-fidelity prototype to test the concept with real users. • Does the solution resonate with your target audience? • Are there any red flags or deal breakers? 🔑 𝘛𝘪𝘱: Use quick feedback loops to refine your idea. 5️⃣ 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗠𝗩𝗣 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝗽𝗲 Identify the 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁-𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 features for your MVP—just enough to solve the core problem and validate your hypothesis. • What’s the smallest possible version that delivers value? • What can you leave out for now? 🔑 𝘛𝘪𝘱: Avoid feature bloat! Stay laser-focused on the essentials. 6️⃣ 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗩𝗣 Collaborate with engineering and design teams to develop the MVP. • Ensure clarity in requirements and alignment across teams. • Keep communication open throughout the process. 🔑 𝗧𝗶𝗽: Agile methodologies work wonders for fast iterations. 7️⃣ 𝗟𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 Release your MVP to a small group of users or a specific market segment. • Measure key metrics (e.g., engagement, retention). • Collect qualitative feedback to understand user experiences. 🔑 𝘛𝘪𝘱: Stay flexible—this is the beginning, not the end. 8️⃣ 𝗜𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 Analyze the feedback and data to refine your product. • What worked? • What didn’t? • What’s next? 🔑 𝘛𝘪𝘱: Build, measure, and learn—repeat the cycle for continuous improvement. 💬 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮 𝘁𝗼 𝗠𝗩𝗣? I’d love to hear your stories—what worked, what didn’t, and what lessons you’ve learned along the way. Let’s share and grow together! 👇 💡 Interested in learning more about product management or need help bringing your ideas to life? Visit www.productdiscipline.io or reach out—I’d love to help! #ProductManagement #DigitalProductDiscipline #Innovation #CustomerFocus #MVP #Leadership #BuildRightProducts #Collaboration