MVP
Minimum Viable Product
When I first learned how to build apps and websites, a mentor taught me a lesson that has shaped how I approach every project since:
Don’t start with a big idea. Start with a small, working version of the idea.
That small, working version is called an MVP — a Minimum Viable Product.
An MVP is the simplest version of a project that:
- actually works
- solves one real problem
- can be used by real people
- and can be improved over time
It is not polished.
It is not perfect.
It is not complete.
But it is real.
Why MVP matters more than a good idea
Most people have good ideas.
Very few people ever bring those ideas to life because they try to build the final version first. They wait until everything is figured out. They wait until it’s perfect. They wait until they feel ready.
And while they are waiting, nothing gets built.
An MVP teaches a different approach:
Build something small that works now. Learn from it. Improve it.
A working, imperfect project will always teach you more than a perfect idea that never leaves your head.
What an MVP does for you
An MVP:
- Forces clarity — you must decide what really matters
- Removes overwhelm — you only build what is essential
- Creates momentum — you see progress immediately
- Allows feedback — real people can interact with it
- Makes improvement possible — because it exists
You stop trying to imagine what might work and start learning from what actually works.
How this applies to everything I build
Many of the projects you see here started as MVPs:
- A single webpage instead of a full website
- One story post instead of a finished book
The goal is never to launch something impressive.
The goal is to launch something useful.
From there, it grows.
The lesson
If you’re trying to start something—a business, a website, a community project, or a personal mission—don’t wait until it’s perfect.
Ask yourself:
What is the smallest version of this that could help someone today?
Build that.
That’s your MVP.