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A lot of founders I speak to are very attached to their MVP or v1
They often feel proud of it and hang onto it despite signs that it isn’t giving them or their customers what they need
Here’s how to have a healthy relationship with your MVP
(A thread
)
They often feel proud of it and hang onto it despite signs that it isn’t giving them or their customers what they need
Here’s how to have a healthy relationship with your MVP
(A thread
)
Build around a thesis 
For many founders, their MVP is their first public creation so naturally they are attached
But an MVP is only an experiment
infact just a curious question on whether users are even remotely interested in your offering
Is it solving a problem?
For many founders, their MVP is their first public creation so naturally they are attached
But an MVP is only an experiment
infact just a curious question on whether users are even remotely interested in your offering Is it solving a problem?
Make it about 1 or 2 core actions 
Don’t expect your users to rave about your comprehensive product, that’s for a later stage
An MVP should ideally just enable and track 1 or 2 core actions
Ex: For a dating app, number of swipes
For a marketplace, no of items listed/day
Don’t expect your users to rave about your comprehensive product, that’s for a later stage
An MVP should ideally just enable and track 1 or 2 core actions
Ex: For a dating app, number of swipes
For a marketplace, no of items listed/day
Find a wedge for a GTM 
An MVP will help you search for the real asset
“A clear go-to-market strategy”
This is the “lever” you’ll need to enter and exploit a huge market with a clever angle
What is it that the competitors are missing? What makes your offering unique?
An MVP will help you search for the real asset
“A clear go-to-market strategy”
This is the “lever” you’ll need to enter and exploit a huge market with a clever angle
What is it that the competitors are missing? What makes your offering unique?
An MVP gets people talking abt you 
In my opinion, a startup is dead by default and awakens through the word of mouth from customers and people in the market
An MVP lets others play w your product and think about it
Even if it’s just a few users
In my opinion, a startup is dead by default and awakens through the word of mouth from customers and people in the market
An MVP lets others play w your product and think about it
Even if it’s just a few users
Build a MOAT from day 1 
The best MOAT I know of is community
Start with the 1st user, share stories, draw feedback, iterate & serve them well
Gradually they’ll rally around your product
The best MOAT I know of is community
Start with the 1st user, share stories, draw feedback, iterate & serve them well
Gradually they’ll rally around your product
Supplement your MVP 
Often times, a scrappy MVP won’t do it all for the user, substitute a part of it with manual intervention
Be the wizard of Oz for some flows
Don’t automate too early, you’ll miss the valuable lessons
Look for ways to interface directly w customers
Often times, a scrappy MVP won’t do it all for the user, substitute a part of it with manual intervention
Be the wizard of Oz for some flows
Don’t automate too early, you’ll miss the valuable lessons
Look for ways to interface directly w customers
Ship often but waver less 
Once you are getting resonance from a clear set of audience, keep iterating and serving them in novel unique ways
Be flexible w the features
But be firm on the vision
Shipping is a great way to show how fast you can move based on feedback
Once you are getting resonance from a clear set of audience, keep iterating and serving them in novel unique ways
Be flexible w the features
But be firm on the vision
Shipping is a great way to show how fast you can move based on feedback
Overall an MVP is not something you’d have to be proud abt 
It’s the experiment and the subsequent lessons which are more important
An MVP is just a vehicle
That’s why so many successful founders laugh at their own MVPs after a few months
It’s the experiment and the subsequent lessons which are more important
An MVP is just a vehicle
That’s why so many successful founders laugh at their own MVPs after a few months
That’s all 
Hope this helps to be less attached to your MVP and more focused on your audience and the problem at hand
Thanks for reading
If you liked this thread, RT for reach and reply for comments
Hope this helps to be less attached to your MVP and more focused on your audience and the problem at hand
Thanks for reading
If you liked this thread, RT for reach and reply for comments
