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 https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👇🏽" title="Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten (mittlerer Hautton)" aria-label="Emoji: Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten (mittlerer Hautton)">
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👇🏽" title="Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten (mittlerer Hautton)" aria-label="Emoji: Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten (mittlerer Hautton)">
(A thread https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🧵" title="Thread" aria-label="Emoji: Thread">)
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🧵" title="Thread" aria-label="Emoji: 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  https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🔮" title="Kristallkugel" aria-label="Emoji: Kristallkugel">
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🔮" title="Kristallkugel" aria-label="Emoji: Kristallkugel">
For many founders, their MVP is their first public creation so naturally they are attached
But an MVP is only an experiment https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🧪" title="Test tube" aria-label="Emoji: Test tube"> infact just a curious question on whether users are even remotely interested in your offering
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🧪" title="Test tube" aria-label="Emoji: Test tube"> 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
Is it solving a problem?
                        
                        
                        Make it about 1 or 2 core actions  https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🎯" title="Volltreffer" aria-label="Emoji: Volltreffer">
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🎯" title="Volltreffer" aria-label="Emoji: Volltreffer">
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  https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🗡" title="Dolchmesser" aria-label="Emoji: Dolchmesser">
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🗡" title="Dolchmesser" aria-label="Emoji: Dolchmesser"> 
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  https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🗣" title="Silhouette eines sprechenden Kopfes" aria-label="Emoji: Silhouette eines sprechenden Kopfes">
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🗣" title="Silhouette eines sprechenden Kopfes" aria-label="Emoji: Silhouette eines sprechenden Kopfes">
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  https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🛡" title="Schild" aria-label="Emoji: Schild">
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🛡" title="Schild" aria-label="Emoji: Schild">
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  https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😎" title="Lächelndes Gesicht mit Sonnenbrille" aria-label="Emoji: Lächelndes Gesicht mit Sonnenbrille">
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😎" title="Lächelndes Gesicht mit Sonnenbrille" aria-label="Emoji: Lächelndes Gesicht mit Sonnenbrille">
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  https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🏆" title="Trophäe" aria-label="Emoji: Trophäe">
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🏆" title="Trophäe" aria-label="Emoji: Trophäe">
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  https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👀" title="Augen" aria-label="Emoji: Augen">
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👀" title="Augen" aria-label="Emoji: Augen">
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  https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😀" title="Grinsendes Gesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Grinsendes Gesicht">
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😀" title="Grinsendes Gesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Grinsendes Gesicht">
Hope this helps to be less attached to your MVP and more focused on your audience and the problem at hand
Thanks for reading https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🙏" title="Folded hands" aria-label="Emoji: Folded hands">
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🙏" title="Folded hands" aria-label="Emoji: Folded hands"> 
If you liked this thread, RT for reach and reply for comments https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👇🏽" title="Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten (mittlerer Hautton)" aria-label="Emoji: Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten (mittlerer Hautton)">
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👇🏽" title="Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten (mittlerer Hautton)" aria-label="Emoji: Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten (mittlerer Hautton)">
                        
                        
                        
                        
                                                
                    
                    
                
                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
 
                         Read on Twitter
Read on Twitter 
                                     
                                    