Why Starting With An MVP Can Hurt You

In this video I'll be making a case for NOT starting with an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) and what to do instead to raise your startup’s odds of success.

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🐦 Twitter - / ashmaurya
👨‍💻 Linkedin - / ashmaurya

WHO AM I?
Hi - I'm Ash.

I help early-stage founders raise their odds of success through a battle-tested framework I’ve been curating for the past 10 years.

I’m the author of two best-selling books (Running Lean and Scaling Lean) and the creator of the popular 1-page business modeling tool: Lean Canvas.

Life’s too short to build something nobody wants.

[simoncrann]

The most valuable, concise, easy-to understand and simple-to-execute information for early-stage founders to this day 👍

[anuttamanand]

Find a niche, define your customer audience, interact and get their problems (major problem), define a solution (not a product), show them and get it into their workflow and then build mvp

[TheNormallyOpen]

I have just ordered your book, I enjoyed watching this video - I have a service based business, and I do some form of this as I tailor solutions.
It is incredibly helpful to hear this process articulated and defined so clearly. All the best and thank you.

[neilbeekie]

So many truth nuggets here. I love the T shirt- "When you market the problem, Customers automatically believe you have the solution" Christopher Lochead- Play Bigger author

[briangman]

Very nice so happy you make this video! People needed to know that MVP model is broken for startups

[omotayokuye]

In summary, there's another loop before the "build", "measure", and "learn" loop we're used to, they're "Problem Discovery", "Solution Design", and "Mafia Offer".

[DouglasDrouillard]

There is concept of 'demand' that goes beyond problems. They can have 1000 problems but that doesn't always help. Demand = Problem * Desire To fix * Ability To Pay. Market research to uncover problems and demand. Validate the demand with sales. If a demo doesn't make sense (like services-heavy solutions), then lean on a case study, either real or theoretical. Great video.

[martingaudette]

At last! I just knew the MVP approach wouldn’t cut it anymore so I developed more complete first versions of my products using low code. This video offers a really good canvas for going to market. Great work!

[murrayclarke]

Thanks. Super powerful and accurate to my experience. We’ve pivoted to sell as a service as we’ve thrown too much spaghetti at the wrong wall. Demo-Sell-Build is great advice.

[hopecarino]

Wished new this earlier! Can't wait to get the book.

[gabrielferreiraguimaraes]

Thanks to return to YouTube content Ash! I love your NewsLetter. Gabriel from Brazil

[omotayokuye]

Happy to learn from you once more, this has been taught by many content creators but your video explains it best with the needed steps to achieving the result.

[OraQL_]

This video came in at the perfect time. Super handy and I'm now a fan/follower. The expert knows the problem!

[All-is-wellll-zl]

I am not from a tech background. I am a biology scientist. This made a complete sense to me. I will implement this in to my tech startup.
Thanks Ash Maurya

[kohkoh]

Great reframe of what worked previously and what doesn't now because of how conditions changed. Especially loved how the video progressed to link the concept of demo with a step by step way to think about execution as well. Thank you so much!

[whoandwhatdesign]

Brilliant and practical, as expected coming from you Ash, looking forward to more!

[rgsiiiya]

Very interesting ideas.
I've a big proponent of the lean business canvass for many years, I thought your use here was interesting.
As a 20+ year pre-sales veteran, you are spot-on. prospects/clients buy the demo, dream and promise first, we should stick to that concept as the precursor to any MVP.

[alimamujee]

Love the new video content quality Ash. Keep going. As a watch guy too, you are a man of culture as well.

[TariqAbdul-Rasheed]

This was great. You mentioned having the right customer interview process as being foundational. Can you discuss in more detail what constitutes a good customer interview? And how do you know when there's problem-solution fit?

[dreamsachiever]

FINALLY SOME SAID IT. THANK YOU FOR KNOWING THE REALITY OF TODAY