Startup Growth Podcast

Hey there, Future MVP of MVPs!

If you’re here, I’m guessing you’re in the exciting (and let’s be honest, slightly terrifying) phase of building your first MVP—Minimum Viable Product. MVPs are a bit like pizzas. You don’t need a dozen toppings for it to be a hit; you just need the essentials that make it tasty, satisfying, and, well, worth another bite. But which “toppings” should you include in your MVP to satisfy your customers’ cravings? Today, we’re diving into the art of prioritizing the right features, so you can deliver something lean, mean, and ready to rock the market.

Why an MVP and Not a Full-Fledged Product?

Think of an MVP as your product’s “skeleton suit”—stripped down but packed with just enough muscle to stand out. You’re not aiming to dazzle yet; you’re aiming to solve a specific pain point, and the rest can wait. Here’s the biggie: an MVP lets you learn fast, pivot faster, and avoid throwing wads of cash into a product nobody wants. (Hint: trust me, it’s happened to the best of us.)

So, Let’s Talk Features—What Goes In, and What Gets the Boot?

Step 1: Start with the Core Pain Points—That’s What Your MVP’s All About!

Think back to when you first thought up your product idea. You probably had a customer, an issue they’re facing, and a lightbulb moment when you thought, “Hey, I can fix that!” That issue is where your MVP starts. Your MVP should be built around the core problem your customer faces, without adding features that stray from this focus.

Here’s a litmus test: If your feature doesn’t solve or relieve that main pain point, it’s time to Marie Kondo it.

Example: Say you’re building a meal-prep app for busy professionals who want healthy food without spending ages in the kitchen. The primary pain points are time and healthy eating. So, your MVP could start with recipe options that are fast and nutritious—don’t worry about adding shopping lists, advanced nutrition tracking, or social sharing features yet. Those are nice-to-haves, but they’re not solving the main pain points.

Step 2: Find Your “Must-Haves” vs. “Nice-to-Haves”

Once you’ve nailed down the core problem, it’s time to prioritize. Not all features are created equal, and knowing which are “must-haves” versus “nice-to-haves” will save you from building a product Frankenstein.

* Must-Haves: These are the essentials your users absolutely need to solve their problem. They are non-negotiable.

* Nice-to-Haves: These are the fun bells and whistles—features that might make the product more enjoyable or unique but aren’t necessary to solve the problem.

Take Airbnb, for instance. In its MVP days, the platform focused on just listing homes for rent. No fancy filters, no “wish lists,” no “experiences” (like cooking classes in Bali). The MVP solved a specific problem—giving travelers affordable, convenient lodging. Everything else came later.

Pro Tip: Write out all the features you think you want, then filter them through the “must-have vs. nice-to-have” test. You’ll be amazed at what you can leave out and still have a strong MVP.

Step 3: Keep It Lean but Keep It Customer-Centric

While building your MVP, it’s easy to get caught up in feature excitement (we’ve all been there). But remember, it’s about your customer, not you. Every feature should answer this question: How does this make my customer’s life easier?

Here’s where an analogy helps. Think of your MVP as a speedboat and your feature-packed full product as a luxury yacht. You want to be nimble, responsive, and capable of making swift course corrections. Every feature you add is extra weight, and with each pound, you’re slowing down that initial learning you’ll need for your product to grow. So stay light, agile, and customer-focused—that’s what makes an MVP float.

Example: If you’re building a financial budgeting app, customers might just need a simple way to input expenses and track spending habits at first. A full-fledged accounting tool with tax reporting and portfolio analysis might be cool, but it’s too heavy for MVP. Start small, let users input expenses, view a basic analysis of their spending patterns, and focus on learning what else they need before you add more features.

Step 4: Test Early, Test Often—And Listen to Your Users

The beauty of an MVP is that it gives you room to test and evolve based on real feedback, not assumptions. The earlier you release a bare-bones version and get customer insights, the sooner you can refine and perfect it.

Imagine you’re creating a workout app that sends users quick daily exercise routines. You might think people want reminders, progress tracking, or social sharing. But after releasing the MVP, you find out the top feedback is to add video tutorials because users don’t know if they’re doing the exercises right. Boom—now you have data-backed feedback to guide your next feature, rather than building what you assume users want.

Step 5: Don’t Forget the Feedback Loop—Your MVP Isn’t One-and-Done!

Launching an MVP is only the beginning. Embrace the iterative process: release > get feedback > improve. Your MVP is a work in progress, just like a first draft of a novel. Some of your most valuable insights will come after launch, as customers interact with your product and tell you exactly what they want to see.

Pro Tip: Keep track of feedback, feature requests, and usage analytics. These will form the basis of future updates. And don’t be afraid to cut features that aren’t getting any love!

Building an MVP is like making a great sandwich: You don’t need every condiment in the fridge. You need the best combination that makes the sandwich satisfying and easy to eat. (But hold the mayo if your customer hates it!)

Signing off, your

Startup Coach Manoj

That’s a Wrap on MVPs!

If this post sparked some lightbulb moments (or just made you a bit hungry), you’re in the right place. Crafting an MVP is a skill, and there’s no better way to develop it than with guidance, practice, and a community of like-minded founders to cheer you on. Ready to dig deeper? I’ve got a FREE course packed with webinars, 1:1 consultations, workshops, and community access waiting for you. Join our startup tribe now and turn your MVP into a reality!

👉 Sign Up Here for the FREE Course 👈

P.S. Not sure if an MVP is worth the effort? Here’s a hint: If you want to skip the guesswork and nail down exactly what your customers need, there’s no better path forward. Start small, aim high, and keep that MVP light, friendly, and full of flavor!

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You’ve found a solution to a problem—your users love it, and you’re getting some traction. But is it time to start scaling? Moving from problem-solution fit to product-market fit is a critical step, and it can feel like that moment when you finally master a recipe and wonder, “Is this ready for the potluck?”

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Picture this: You’ve spent countless hours crafting your dream product. You’re ready to change lives, revolutionize the market, and get featured on every entrepreneur podcast known to humanity. And then...the feedback rolls in. It’s not exactly the warm applause you envisioned. Some love it, but others? They’re scratching their heads, saying, “It’s almost there... but not quite.”

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When it comes to startups, most founders are like scientists in a lab—except instead of test tubes and beakers, we have customers and products. Your job? To figure out if the problem you’re trying to solve is worth solving before you waste all your time and money on something no one cares about.

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When it comes to startups, the phrase "fail fast" gets thrown around a lot. But what it really means is "fail cheaply." In other words, before you blow all your savings (or your grandma’s retirement fund) on a solution that no one wants, it’s smarter to test your idea with as few resources as possible. Luckily, there are lean testing strategies you can use to validate your solution without breaking the bank—or losing your mind.

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You’ve put in a lot of effort building your solution. The website looks great, the app runs smoothly, and even your friends think it’s amazing. But how do you really know if it’s solving the problem it was meant to?

The answer lies in metrics.

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Hi there, Startup Coach Manoj here! Hope you're all doing great! Today, let me kick off with a question: Do you know the difference between an entrepreneur and a startup founder?

It’s a simple question, but I can see the wheels turning already. You're probably thinking, Aren’t they both just business people?

Well, yes, but... also no.

The Two Faces of Entrepreneurship

You see, entrepreneurship comes in two flavors: imitative and innovative.

An imitative entrepreneur is someone who sees an existing business and thinks, “Hey, that looks good—I’ll have what they’re having.” Think of your local café or that corner jewelry shop. They aren’t reinventing the wheel; they’re just rolling with it.

On the other hand, an innovative entrepreneur (cue the dramatic music) is someone who brings something new to the table—a product, a service, or an idea the world has never seen before. Think Uber, Netflix, or your aunt's recipe for dal with a twist.

Now, don't get me wrong, both imitative and innovative entrepreneurs are important. But startups? That’s a whole different beast. Startups, my friend, are all about innovation—doing things in a way no one has ever done before (and hoping no one will ask, “Wait, why are you doing it that way?”).

Why I'm a Startup Coach (and Why You Should Listen)

So why do I call myself a startup coach? Great question.

For the past 25 years, I've worked in business management, handling everything from corporate giants to nimble startups. I've seen it all—from the glorious success stories to the not-so-glorious cautionary tales (oh, the things I could tell you over a cup of coffee!).

But here’s the truth: After the arrival of digital technology, innovation took off like a SpaceX rocket, leaving traditional business models looking like they were stuck on a dial-up connection. It’s all about disruption now, baby—kicking the old out, bringing in the new, and maybe even breaking a few things along the way.

Examples? Sure! Just think of how Netflix made Blockbuster obsolete or how Uber redefined how we travel. And startups are at the heart of this change.

The Six Stages of Startup Success (It’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint)

So, how do you go from a “cool idea” to a unicorn (or at least not a dead horse)? It’s a journey—one that passes through six critical stages. Let’s walk through them, shall we?

* Ideation Phase:This is where you sit on your couch, staring into space, imagining a world where your brilliant idea changes lives (and makes you rich, but that’s a side note). You’re converting your daydream into something tangible—like transforming a napkin doodle into an actual product or service. Spoiler alert: It’s not as easy as it sounds.

* Validation Phase:Here’s where many startups take a nosedive. You’ve got an idea. Great. But have you asked the world if they want it? If your product solves a problem people genuinely care about? News flash: 90% of startups fail because they skip this step. So, if you don’t want to be another grim statistic, get validating!

* Launch Phase:Okay, so you’ve got your prototype, you’ve validated your idea—now it’s time to let the world know! But (and it’s a big but) don’t rush into this phase until you’re ready. Launching prematurely is like serving dinner before it’s fully cooked. (No one likes raw chicken, folks.)

* Growth Phase:Now, things get fancy. You’ve got customers, you’ve got traction, and suddenly, you need to manage your human resources, marketing, operations, and finances like a pro. This is where the MBA-type stuff kicks in. Advanced management strategies? Check. Talent management? You bet. It’s like running a small country (without the elections).

* Maturity Phase:Ah, sweet maturity! Your startup is no longer a scrappy underdog but a well-oiled machine. At this stage, things are almost on autopilot, and you’re thinking about scaling. Maybe even dreaming of going global (don’t forget your passport).

* Exit Phase:The final stop on this crazy rollercoaster. Whether you go for an IPO, merge with a big corporation, or sell off your shares and sail into the sunset, the exit phase is where you get to say, “Look at what I built!” (Followed by, “Show me the money!”)

The Power Trio: Mindset, Skillset, Toolset

Now, here’s the kicker. To successfully move through these stages, you need three key things: mindset, skillset, and toolset.

* Mindset:This is the secret sauce. You can have the best product in the world, but without the right entrepreneurial mindset—resilience, adaptability, and the drive to turn your idea into reality—you won’t get far.

* Skillset:The “know-how.” Whether it’s developing your product, marketing it, or handling operations, you need a sharp skillset. (Don’t worry, you can learn this along the way. That’s why they have coaches like me.)

* Toolset:Ah, the tools! From business management software to customer relationship platforms, your toolset is what keeps everything running smoothly. It’s like giving a chef a sharp knife and a clean kitchen—without them, even the best ideas fall apart.

The Final Word: Start With the End in Mind

One last piece of advice before I sign off—start with the end in mind. Think about where you want your startup to be in 10 or 15 years. What’s your exit strategy? Do you want to go public, sell, or build a company empire?

Break that big goal into six milestones (remember those stages?) and then break each milestone into smaller, achievable goals. It’s all about the baby steps, folks!

Oh, and don’t forget to pack your mindset, skillset, and toolset for the journey. You’ll need them.

Signoff: Thanks for tuning in, and remember—whether you’re an entrepreneur, a startup founder, or still figuring out what you want to be when you grow up, you’ve got this! Keep innovating, keep hustling, and keep that mindset sharp.

Until next time, Startup Coach Manoj

P.S. If you’re struggling with the validation phase, drop me a message. I mentor startups through these tough spots and would love to help you out before your great idea turns into another startup statistic.

Or else join my FREE course. Please register here

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In the crowded marketplace, simply having a good idea isn’t enough. You need to ensure that your solution stands out against the existing alternatives. So how do you make sure your product or service is truly better than what’s already out there?

Join me for my upcoming webinar, where we’ll go deeper into product validation and competitor analysis.

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In the world of startups, solving problems is what we do. But not every problem is created equal. Some are nice to solve, but others are crucial—so critical that your customers are actively looking for solutions right now.

Want to dive deeper? Join me for my upcoming webinar, where I’ll cover strategies for identifying and solving the right problems for your customers.

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In today's fast-paced business world, deeply understanding your customers' pain points is no longer optional—it’s essential. But how can you ensure you're truly in tune with their needs and frustrations? The answer lies in customer discovery.

If you're looking to implement these customer discovery methods into your strategy, join me for my upcoming webinar where I’ll show you how to turn insights into action.

Here is the link to register

https://csm.dembok.com/l/11aef6ae1f

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit manojthomas.substack.com