What is an MVP (Minimum Viable Product)?

An MVP (Minimum Viable Product) is the simplest version of a product that can be released to test a business hypothesis. It has just enough features to attract early adopters and validate a core business idea.

Key principles:
•Build the minimum needed to test your hypothesis
•Ship fast (2-6 weeks, not months)
•Learn from real user behavior
•Iterate based on feedback

Famous MVP examples:

•Dropbox — A 3-minute demo video (no actual product) → 70K signups overnight
•Airbnb — Founders rented their own apartment with air mattresses
•Zappos — Founder photographed shoes in stores & fulfilled orders manually
•Buffer — Landing page with pricing → signup button → 'Not ready yet' message

Common MVP mistakes:
1. Building too much — it's not 'Minimum Viable' if it takes 6 months
2. Skipping validation — build an MVP AFTER validating demand, not before
3. Perfectionism — your MVP should feel slightly embarrassing
4. No feedback loop — ship AND measure, don't just ship

Your MVP's goal is LEARNING, not REVENUE. Ship, measure, learn, iterate.