How to start an MVP in 2024 as a solo entrepreneur.
Building a SaaS MVP is hard. Not only the technical part of it, but also proper planning, preparation and development costs are things to consider before starting a new project.
I want to share how I’ve built mvpbase to help other entrepreneurs launch their ideas faster and cheaper.
My name is Ilia. I'm a solo founder and a former Googler who left the company to work on my own SaaS ideas full-time.
MVP development
mvpbase is my 3rd attempt at creating an online business. Other 2 ideas failed for different reasons.
What I've learned from my experience is that proper planning for the project is crucial, but it may not be complicated from the execution POV, quite on the contrary it can be straightforward. Let’s jump right in.
1. Description of an MVP idea
Writing a 1 page paper that would describe in more detail what the project is about. The description should be very clear for both you and a reader.
Here’s the description I used for the mvpbase.
2. MVP app description
Write Page by Page what should be on the website. Keep it minimal (it's a Minimum Viable Product for a reason).
You can find the page descriptions for mvpbase here.
3. MVP competition research
Find competitors and think what they do well and what is lacking. Think if their solution solves the problem entirely. Can it be solved faster or cheaper?
When researching the competitors I’ve found some inspirations from the design perspective but most importantly I realised what could be improved (in my case - having an actual marketplace where you can hire devs, instead of only a directory that lists available boilerplates).
4. MVP design
Consider hiring a UX designer who would help to create a prototype based on an app description.
It’s very important to have a visual representation of what you want to build before contacting the devs. Even though I know Figma, a professional design would stand out any day in comparison. This is why I choose to work with a designer. Designers on mvpbase charge an average of $1000-1500 for a starter SaaS MVP (just like mvpbase). Another way is to use pre-built components, like shadcn, check out their Figma integration. You can try and do it by yourself to save on design but still make it look professional.
Here’s the design for mvpbase that I’ve paid $1150 for.
5. Partners and Data for the MVP
Gather data or find partners if the project needs it.
I've found over 100 different SaaS boilerplates, reached out and inquired for an mvpbase development cost estimation (included the link to Figma prototype and explained what the project is about). I had to get in touch with the boilerplate owners directly and find partners who're interested in the idea of working with solo-entrepreneurs on custom coding their project.
6. Finding a developer to code the MVP
That’s a tricky part, there’s a lot of developers out there, but how to find an affordable and professional expert who has experience with any particular boilerplate? I had to message and discuss this with a big pool of candidates that charge from $2000 - $30k for the project (mvpbase in my case), agencies charged $40k+. In the end I added to mvpbase.com only those who were affordable, liked the idea of working with solo entrepreneurs and were willing to take on new projects.
Related articles:
Building successful partnerships with developers.
