We’re kicking off Jump-start July with one of the biggest unlocks for early-stage startups: designing your MVP to move fast and learn faster.
Too often at OpenSource DB, we’ve seen passionate founders invest months into building—only to realize users wanted something else. That’s why this week, we’re focusing on speed, clarity, and real-world feedback.
As Hari Kiran, founder of OpenSource DB, often says:
“Startups don’t fail because they can’t build. They fail because they build in the wrong direction for too long.”
🔍 What is an MVP really for?
The MVP—Minimum Viable Product—isn’t your “first version.” It’s your first test.
It doesn’t need to be pretty or fully functional. It just needs to help you answer one crucial question:
“Am I solving a real problem for real users?”
Think of it as a prototype with purpose—something you can launch quickly, gather feedback on, and improve—without overbuilding.
🧪 5 Rules for a Fast, Feedback-Driven MVP
- Start with one core problem
Identify a sharp, painful user issue and focus solely on solving that. Forget features—focus on outcomes. What can you build in a week that validates your idea?
- Time-box the build
Avoid the perfection trap. Try a 7-day MVP sprint using no-code tools like Webflow, Bubble, or Glide. Even a rough, clickable prototype works.
- Embed feedback early
Build in feedback tools from day one—short surveys, live chat, or tools like PostHog. Ask: What confused you? What’s missing?
- Launch, listen, learn
Don’t wait for “perfect.” Launch in small communities (Reddit, Slack, Discord), gather feedback, and iterate. Launch is the beginning of learning.
- Kill vanity metrics
Page views and likes don’t equal value. Focus on retention and repeat usage. Ask: Did users come back? Did they complete the core action?
The best MVPs don’t impress—they solve.
⚡ Hari’s 3 Golden Rules
- Timebox it: “If it’s taking more than 3 weeks, you’re overbuilding.”
- Talk to 10 users first: Validate the problem before touching code.
- Launch unfinished: “You’ll learn more from 3 users who hate it than 3 months of polish.”
🌱 A Real-World Example
One founder from the OpenSource DB community built a CLI-based MVP for a database automation tool—just a script and README. No UI, no login. In the first week, 20 developers used it and revealed critical usability gaps—months ahead of schedule.
That’s the power of speed + signal.
🔄 What’s Next?
In Week 2 of Jump-start July, we’ll explore how to gain traction in your first 30/60/90 days—from early growth experiments to measuring what really matters.
Until then, keep it simple.
Build the smallest thing that delivers the biggest learning.
Let’s ship something this week. 🧪🚀