Running and Testing an MVP: The Smart Way to Validate Your Startup 

Most startups fail because they build too much, too soon. Instead of spending months (or years) developing a full product, smart founders start with an MVP (Minimum Viable Product). Here’s how to create one that actually works. 

What is an MVP? 

Step 1: Identify the Core Problem Your MVP Solves 

Ask yourself: What’s the one key problem my product/service solves? 

What’s the simplest way to solve it? 

What can I remove while still providing value? 

Example: If you’re launching a food delivery app, don’t build a full app. Start with a WhatsApp order system.

or

If you’re launching a mobile app for farmers in rural Nigeria, the MVP could be as simple as SMS-based notifications about crop prices. It’s a small feature, but it directly addresses their need for up-to-date market prices. 

Step 2: Choose the Right MVP Type, different businesses need different MVPs: 

Landing Page MVP – A simple webpage explaining your product with a signup form (e.g., Dropbox did this before building). 

Concierge MVP – Manually deliver your service instead of automating it (e.g., Zappos started by buying and delivering shoes themselves before building a full e-commerce system). 

Wizard of Oz MVP – Make it look like a product exists, but do the work manually in the background 

Example: If you're creating a local transport app for Ibadan, you could start with a WhatsApp group that helps people organize rides rather than developing a fully functional mobile app. 

Step 3: Launch Your MVP Quickly 

You don’t need perfection, just a working version that people can test. 

A good MVP should take weeks, not months, to launch. 

Step 4: Get Real User Feedback 

Offer the MVP to a small group of ideal customers. 

Observe how they use it. What features do they request? What confuses them? 

Track data: Which features are used most? Where do users drop off? 

Step 5: Iterate & Improve Use feedback to refine the product: 

✅ If people love it → Improve and scale. 

❌ If they don’t get value → Adjust or pivot. 

Final Thoughts

Don’t waste time building something no one wants. Start small, test fast, and grow based on real demand. 

Next Step: Learn how to generate demand for your product before you even launch in our next article: Click Here to Read Manufacturing Demand Before Supply