Mvp

---
name: mvp
description: Use when building a minimum viable product with maximum constraints
tags: [mvp, product, no-code, minimalist, validation]
related_skills: [validate-idea, processize, first-customers, pricing]
---

# Minimum Viable Product

## Core Principle

**Build as little as possible.** The goal is to start delivering value to your community as quickly as possible — not to build something beautiful, polished, or complete.

## The Three Stages

### Stage 1: Manual (Do it yourself)
- Solve the problem by hand for each customer
- You are the product, customer service, and engineering
- Write down every step — this becomes your process

### Stage 2: Processized (Systematize)
- Document your process so anyone could do it
- If you go on vacation, someone else can take over
- This is your "magic piece of paper"

### Stage 3: Productized (Automate)
- Automate each task so customers can use it without you
- Only build what you've already proven works manually

## The Four Build Questions

1. **Can I ship it in a weekend?** If not, reduce scope.
2. **Is it making customers' life a little better?** That's the bar for MVP.
3. **Is a customer willing to pay for it?** Be profitable from day one.
4. **Can I get feedback quickly?** The faster the feedback loop, the better.

## What to Build

- **One thing.** Your product does one thing, at first.
- **No polish.** It doesn't need to be pretty.
- **Charge money.** Massive difference between free and $1.
- **Use existing tools.** Carrd, Gumroad, Stripe, Airtable, Notion.

## Essentials Checklist

- [ ] Name your business (two real words combined > made-up word)
- [ ] Buy a domain (~$10/year)
- [ ] Build a simple website (Carrd, Gumroad, or similar)
- [ ] Create social media accounts
- [ ] Set up payments (Stripe/Square — 2.9% + 30¢)
- [ ] Create customer communication email

## Common Pitfalls

| Pitfall | Solution |
|---------|----------|
| Building features for "someday" | Only build what's needed now |
| Building for scale you don't have | You don't have scale problems yet |
| Building a mobile app when website works | Use the simplest tech |
| Writing code when a spreadsheet works | No-code first, code later |
| Not charging from day one | Charge something — the zero price effect is real |

## Verification Checklist

- [ ] Single thing the MVP does clearly defined
- [ ] Simplest possible implementation chosen (manual/no-code/minimal)
- [ ] Can be shipped in a weekend
- [ ] Initial price point set
- [ ] Feedback collection method defined
- [ ] Essentials checklist completed