MVP: Why starting simple is key to success

I can’t emphasise enough how critical the concept of an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) is to any startup journey. Trust me, I’ve learned this the hard way. But let’s start at the beginning.

As a graphic artist by trade, I’ve always had the ability to visualise ideas in my head and translate them into mockups to show people. That’s one skill I’m thankful for - I can communicate visually better than I do with words (since my brain works faster than my mouth!). Back in 2013, I had this bold idea for a fashion tech virtual try-on app. With a great team of developers, I launched my first app in the App Store, just a few years after Instagram came onto the scene.

The product was a bit ahead of its time, but I was thrilled to see thousands of downloads and positive independent reviews in a short period. It felt like the world was at my feet, but the truth was, I was doing it all alone. That’s when reality kicked in. I had a vision but no experienced mentors or peers to guide me. Looking back, I think not knowing what I didn’t know helped me trust my gut more. I wasn’t swayed by other people’s opinions, which was a blessing.

I had one amazing mentor who pushed me to learn and grow, but as I began talking to more people, I started second-guessing myself. I ended up pulling down that first app and pivoting to a different version. In hindsight, that might not have been the best move - but as I like to say, maybe it was all supposed to happen that way. This was the start of a long journey of learning how to trust myself again.

When You Stop Trusting Your Gut

Looking back that’s where things went sideways for me. I started listening to other people more than my own intuition. Sure, they probably had more experience than I did, but they didn’t understand my vision the way I did. I ended up bringing on people with sweat equity in the company, hiring developers, and starting from scratch. What followed were years of governance, processes, spiralling expenses, and for me, increasing confusion.

We ended up paying developers close to $100k. And guess what? They didn’t even finish the job. We had little to show for it, and that was my personal money - not investor funding. It was a huge lesson. Unfortunately, this isn’t uncommon in the tech world, especially for non-tech founders. There are a lot of sharks out there. Yes, there are good people too, but they are often hard to find and expensive because they have a lot of work already.

After licking our wounds, we joined a few tech incubators to help us pitch to investors. We also tried to salvage what little code we had and start over. This took ages, and of course, it cost more money - money I was running out of. That’s when we finally secured angel, and grant funding, which allowed us to build a robust backend for the app and do some commercialisation testing. But again, there was no budget for proper marketing, team-building, or desperately needed tech updates based on the feedback we were getting from customers. It felt like a losing battle.

Lessons in MVP: Start Simple, Test Early

Looking back, my biggest takeaway from all this is simple: Start with a basic MVP and test with real users. Your MVP doesn’t need to be perfect - it just needs to get out there in front of potential customers. The goal is to solve their problems, not wow them with tech. If you can solve their problem in a way that’s seamless, where they won’t even realise they’re using your product, you’re on the right track. The real test? If you take your product away, will they miss it? If the answer is yes, then you’re onto something great.

As I reflect on my journey, I’ve returned to that place of trusting my gut. I lost sight of it for a while, but through all the ups and downs, I’ve reclaimed my “super-gut power.” My advice to any founder: trust yourself, start with your basic MVP, and don’t worry if it’s not perfect. Keep testing, refining, and iterating. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

Famous Words of Wisdom

In the world of entrepreneurship, learning from others’ experiences is key. Steve Jobs once said, “You’ve got to start with the customer experience and work backwards to the technology. You can’t start with the technology and try to figure out where you’re going to sell it.” This couldn’t be more true when it comes to building your MVP. Focus on the customer’s problem and how you can solve it quickly and effectively, not on perfecting the tech.

Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, also gave wise advice on launching an MVP: “If you are not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you’ve launched too late.” The point is, perfection can wait. Get feedback, iterate, and improve - but start simple.

Final Thoughts

Building an MVP and testing it with real customers is absolutely crucial. It’s not about the bells and whistles; it’s about solving your customer’s problem as quickly and effectively as possible. It’s better to have a simple product that works than a complex one that no one uses. Trust your gut, test your ideas, and keep going. Your MVP doesn’t have to be perfect - it just has to be out there.

B x

Just a note: What I’ve shared here comes from my own lived experience as a founder – the wins, the failures, and everything in between. It’s simply my perspective, shared in the hope it sparks reflection, conversation, and maybe even a little courage for anyone on their own path.