In the early stages of a startup, the goal is to move quickly to validate that I'm building something people want, as this allows for faster pivots and scaling once product-market fit is achieved.

The first version of a product is unlikely to be the final one, so it's important to push off many features to post-launch and focus on a minimal viable product.

To validate a product idea, consider building a minimal version or a related feature rather than a full product, allowing for quicker feedback. Sales is a powerful way to validate interest in a product; getting someone to commit to paying upfront is one of the most validating actions you can take.

Once you have a prototype and user interest, the next step is to build a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that can be launched quickly, ideally within weeks.

In most consumer and B2B startups, you can build and launch a minimum viable product (MVP) in less than a month.

Building a minimum viable product is crucial; it helps demonstrate that the technology is feasible and can generate interest from potential investors.

In hard tech, companies often need to be frugal and agile, testing products quickly to see if they resonate with the market, rather than over-investing in development before validating the idea. If you're a scientist or engineer considering commercializing your work, get out of your comfort zone and engage with potential customers to validate your product idea.

It's often more effective to sell a product before building it, as this approach provides valuable customer feedback and ensures that the product meets actual market needs.

It's important to launch your product as soon as possible, even in its unpolished state, to determine if you're solving a significant problem that people are willing to pay for.