Goal of this stageA working product in the hands of real users, built in weeks rather than months, that you can learn from.
With evidence in hand, build the smallest product that solves the validated problem for your first customers. With today’s tools, including generative AI, a small team can ship far faster than even a few years ago, so speed of learning is the advantage.
What to do
- Define the one job. Write down the single job your first customers hire the product for. Cut everything else.
- Choose build, buy or no-code. Use existing services for payments, authentication and email. Build only what makes you different.
- Put it in front of users early. Weekly releases, real feedback, measured usage.
- Protect the basics. Own your code and domain, agree founder equity and IP in writing, and keep simple records from day one.
Common mistakes
- Building for a year in private before the first customer sees it.
- Outsourcing the whole product without anyone technical on the founding team to own it.
- Gold-plating features nobody has asked for.