I was on a call last week with a team of founders who had everything sorted.

Solid user research. Clear problem. Pages of features mapped out using the Hook Model.

But they were stuck.

"How do we know which interface to build? What features should we include first? What if we pick the wrong approach?"

They'd been in planning mode for six weeks.

Here's what I told them: You don't need better answers. You need to stop asking so many questions.

If you've done your research, talked to users, and understand the problem you're solving, you probably already know enough to build something.

But you're waiting for certainty that will never come.

You want to know:

These are all valid questions. But you won't know the answers until you build something and test it.

The team I was talking to had mapped out dozens of potential features for their app helping new mothers coordinate support. Meal planning, wellness tips, task management, communication tools.

All valuable. All important. All paralysing them.

Here's what I told them to do:

Strip it down to a simple framework:

That's it. A simple matrix that covers most needs without overwhelming users or developers.

"But what if mothers need more than 5 tasks per category?"

Then they'll tell you. After you've built it and they've used it.

"What if some mothers need different categories?"

Then you'll learn that. After you've tested it with real users.

"What if—"

Stop. Pick something and go with it.

When you're building your first version, every customisable option adds:

Instead of building a completely flexible system that handles every edge case, do this:

Pick 4-6 standard options that cover 80% of use cases.

Not because it's perfect. Because it's testable.

You can always add flexibility later once you understand which variations actually matter to users. But starting with too much customisation means you're building complexity before you've validated whether anyone wants the basic version.

When founders get stuck on MVP decisions, I have them answer these questions:

That last question is crucial. Your first version is always a guess. The sooner you can test that guess with real users, the sooner you can improve it.

The team I was working with realised they'd been treating their planning as if it was the product. But planning isn't the product. The product is the thing users interact with.

And users can't interact with your carefully crafted Notion documents. 😉

Your MVP should feel embarrassingly simple.

If you're not slightly uncomfortable with how basic your first version is, you're probably building too much.

Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn's founder, famously said: "If you are not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you've launched too late."

I've worked with founders who spent 18 months building their "MVP" only to discover their core assumption was wrong. Meanwhile, others who launched a simpler version in 8 weeks had already pivoted twice and found product-market fit.

Here it is: You don't need to have all the answers before you start building.

You need to have enough clarity to test one core assumption. That's it.

Make your best guess. Build the simplest version that tests it. Put it in front of real users.

They'll show you what's missing, what's confusing, and what actually matters.

But they can't show you any of that until you give them something to react to.

PS — If you know a friend who’s stuck on their MVP, please forward this email to them or share your referral link! And if you're facing a similar dilemma, I'd love to hear about it - just hit reply.

😍 Did you like today’s issue? Ring this bell 🔔 so I can celebrate!

🤷‍♀ Did you think it was meh? Hit reply and lay your feedback on me!

🤩 Want more? Check out the video below!

Hiring explained in plain English for founders who need to work with developers

Quick legal note: This newsletter shares my experience and opinions, but it's not official financial, legal, or business advice. Every situation is different. Make your own decisions, do your own research, and consult professionals when you need them. You're the expert on your business.