An MVP checklist for first-time founders

An MVP isn't a half-broken product. It's the smallest complete version that proves one useful idea. That distinction saves months.

Before you write a line of code

• One primary user and one primary job-to-be-done
• A way to sign up and come back
• One flow that delivers value end-to-end
• A crude plan for how you'll get the first 20 users

What to leave out on purpose

Admin dashboards with every filter, multi-role permissions, referral programs, and dark mode. Add them when the core flow has real usage — not before.

How we run MVP builds

We agree on a fixed scope for four to eight weeks, ship weekly demos, and keep a parking lot for ideas that don't belong in v1. The goal is a product you can put in front of people, not a perfect architecture document.