MVP stands for Minimum Viable Product, which is a fancy way of saying “build the simplest version of your idea, launch it fast, and see if people will pay for it.”
The mistake most founders make? They overcomplicate it. They spend years building endless features, trying to make it “perfect,” when in reality, an MVP should only focus on solving one core problem.
Here’s how I’m approaching my MVP for Marvelous, and the three secrets you need to keep in mind when launching your own.
Secret 1: Scratch Your Own Itch
The best businesses are built by solving your problem first.
When I work with founders, I see them struggle with accountability and consistency. Weekly meetings are a pain to set up. Managing spreadsheets and to-do lists across teams is a nightmare.
And that’s when I uttered those famous words: “There has to be a better way.”
That better way? Marvelous. A simple solution to my own problem.
Think about that for a second. I’m solving my own problem. This is the most fundamental rule of building any SaaS or business. If you don’t need it, don’t build it.
Your business will take up a third of your life (right behind sleep and personal time). If you don’t have the passion and deep understanding of the problem, you won’t have the energy to push through the hurdles—and trust me, there will be many.
Secret 2: Say No to Shiny Objects
Most founders fail before they even launch.
Why? Because they chase shiny objects. They spend months (or years) adding features nobody asked for. They believe more is better. But more isn’t better, better is better.
Steve Jobs said it best:
“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are.”
Your MVP should be as simple as possible. Sign-up, login, core feature, and maybe payments. That’s it.
The longer you delay launching, the more time and money you waste.
Secret 3: Get 10 Customers, Not 1,000
Most founders dream too big, too soon. They obsess over getting thousands of customers when they haven’t even gotten one.
Peter Thiel once told the founders of Airbnb:
“Don’t try to get a million customers. Just get 10 people who love your product. That can scale.”
This is the gold rush era of SaaS. If you don’t strike gold, move on to the next product. But first, validate your idea. If 10 people won’t pay for it, 1,000 won’t either.
Final Recap: The 3 Secrets to a Successful MVP
- Scratch your own itch. If you don’t need it, don’t build it. You won’t have the empathy or passion to do it right.
- Get your MVP up fast. Set a launch date, stick to it, and ignore shiny objects.
- Focus on getting 10 customers. If 10 people love your product, it can scale.
One last thing—the MVP philosophy doesn’t end after you launch your SaaS.
The same principles apply when building new features. Get something up and running fast, label it as Beta so customers know what to expect, and test, gather feedback, and iterate before committing to full development.
Failure is underrated. Everyone fears it, but the best founders fail fast and move on. That’s reason for an MVP.
I’ll leave you with my favorite quote about failure:
“I never lose. I either win or I learn.” — Nelson Mandela
Let’s go!
Marvin