Many founders see how big companies launch and then assume they have to launch in the same way. However, a launch simply means to start getting customers. The only way you can know if your product solves their problem is to put the thing in front of your customers. If it doesn't solve the problem, you know right away.

Launching

Theoretically, if you decide to solve a problem you know someone has, you will speak to that person. If that person is you, it's even easier. But if you are building a product for a mysterious set of users, you may have to question that.

How to get your first users

<ul><li>Timebox your spec. Your spec is the list of things you need to build before you launch. If you want to launch in three weeks, then focus on the stuff you can build in three weeks.</li><li>Write your spec. If you don't write things down, you may change them and not even realise it. If you write it down, you can be honest with yourself that you're changing it.</li><li>Cut your spec. When you're a week into your three-week sprint, you may realise that you have too many things in your spec. Cut the things that are not that important.</li><li>Don't fall in love with your MVP. It will probably change as you adapt.</li></ul>

Hacks for building an MVP

Hold the problem you're solving tightly, hold the customer tightly, but hold the solutions you're building loosely.<ul><li>Launch quickly, even if it is imperfect. </li><li>Get some initial customers. Get anyone using your product and see if they can get value out of the product.. You don't have to think about how you get everyone using it. </li><li>Talk to your users after you've launched your MVP to get feedback.</li><li>Iterate. Continue to improve on your solution until it actually solves a problem in most cases.</li></ul>

The goal of a pre-launch startup

<ul><li>Build fast. Do it in a few weeks, not months. For a heavier MVP, such as building a rocket or biotech, your MVP can start with a simple website explaining what you do. This can help when you talk to people so that they have something to refer back to.</li><li>Limited functionality. You need to condense down what your user needs into a very simple set of things. Founders may want to address all of their users problems and for all their users. But it is better to focus on a small set of initial users and their biggest problems. The rest should be ignored until later.</li></ul>

Build a lean MVP

A minimum viable product is the simplest thing you can give to the very first set of users you want to target so that you can see if you can deliver any value to them. It is helpful to talk to some users before you decide to build your MVP. It's more helpful if you are your own user so you can see if your product is working for you.

Minimum viable product (MVP)

YC CEO and Partner Michael Seibel shares his approach to building an MVP and getting your first users as a pre-launch startup. Startup School is YC's free online program for founders. Transcript and lecture slides here: https://www.ycombinator.com/library/6f-how-to-plan-an-mvp This lecture is part of YC's Startup School, a free online program and global community of founders. Register and join the community at https://www.startupschool.org/ Timestamps 0:00 Introduction 0:41 First, talk to users 1:40 Goal: launch quickly 2:40 After launching, get feedback 4:30 Lean MVP 5:37 Real-world examples 8:21 Heavy MVPs 9:33 Launches aren't special 11:22 Hacks for building an MVP quickly 12:57 Don't fall in love with your MVP

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Videos

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Product & Design

YC CEO and Partner Michael Seibel shares his approach to building an MVP and getting your first users as a pre-launch startup. Startup School is YC's free online program for founders.

Transcript and lecture slides here: https://www.ycombinator.com/library/6f-how-to-plan-an-mvp

This lecture is part of YC's Startup School, a free online program and global community of founders. Register and join the community at https://www.startupschool.org/

Timestamps
0:00 Introduction
0:41 First, talk to users
1:40 Goal: launch quickly
2:40 After launching, get feedback
4:30 Lean MVP
5:37 Real-world examples
8:21 Heavy MVPs
9:33 Launches aren't special
11:22 Hacks for building an MVP quickly
12:57 Don't fall in love with your MVP

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Visit https://ycombinator.com/why to learn more.



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