Your startup is in grave danger if your product is not getting ready for an alpha/beta launch. I have seen startups getting frustrated and not being able to meet the MVP requirements.
According to Forbes, 90% of startups fail within a year of their start. 30% don’t even make it to the MVP version. But Why? Situations get worse when you have already spent tons of dollars and now you are not able to see the results. CEOs often fall into debt traps and crumble.
In today’s blog, I will give you an example from one of my anonymous clients whom I helped out with this issue.
Before we move forward, a little about myself, We help startups build their SaaS applications and consult for product development-related issues. I have been into startups for the past 7+ years. During these years, I have led a few failed ventures thereby giving me enough experience to lead successful ventures.
Launching a successful product is the culmination of rigorous planning, skilled execution, and strategic decision-making. Yet, many entrepreneurs find themselves stuck in a loop of perpetual development, never quite reaching the launch stage. Here, we’ll dissect some common reasons why products often fail to see the light of day, and how you can navigate these challenges to ensure your venture doesn’t meet the same fate.
CEO had long-term plans but CTO didn't:
It sacks then the CTO of the company is not experienced in what they are supposed to do. If you are building a product that requires extensive processing and calculation then select CTO wisely.
If you are building a product from scratch then choose CTO with strong backend experience. There are two kinds in software development, backend and frontend. The backend deals with building the core functionality of the product. (imagine building an engine for a car)
Whereas the front end deals with building the UI interface of the product (imagine building the exterior of a car).
I emphasize this to CEOs that their tech lead should always be a pro in backend development. If they are not pro then please make sure that they are under the supervision of some experienced person.
Long-term planning is the cornerstone of any successful venture. In the realm of product development, overlooking the technical and business intricacies can prove disastrous. Scaling issues, server crashes, and poor user experiences are often the outcomes of inadequate planning.
Right back in 2018, I still remember launching our Edtect software and the Quiz-like feature not working because it was unable to scale. We had to scale vertically. Although vertical scaling was not the ideal solution anyway we had to be dependent on it.
Entrepreneurs must meticulously map out the entire product lifecycle, addressing potential hurdles before they become critical. This involves assessing server capabilities, user loads, and system redundancies to guarantee seamless functionality even under stress.
The Only Solution:
Well if you are from a non-technical background. Then it becomes quite important to hire someone who has good skills in software development. Don't hire a fresher. I have seen CEOs lure into the greed of saving money and hiring a fresher.
Freshers are never a good fit for building a product from scratch. Make sure that the freshers have a good leader who has some significant experience.
Buggy Tools and Inexperienced Developers
“I did it because I felt this was right”. The most amateur words you could hear from a developer. I was shocked to hear these words from one dev. He built the complete backend and was uncertain of the code that he wrote.
I still remember the day I started consulting my client's startup. I was confused about how to fix the product because the pillars were standing on the wrong code. Anyways the only solution to this was to invest time and use a staggered way of fixing every bug. Within a timeframe of 3–4 months, we were able to have a stable product.
My Strong suggestion:
Before building any product or feature, there should be a proper brainstorming session. Every new feature has 3 major aspects:
Stability
Time to Deliver
You can ensure stability by proper testing and writing stable code, scalability by using tools like k6.io, and delivery time by having a deep understanding of feature requirements.
There should be a proper discussion on the above aspects otherwise your new feature might be crap.
The quality of your development team directly impacts the robustness of your product. Inexperienced developers can inadvertently introduce a myriad of bugs and glitches, hindering the product’s usability and reliability. To combat this, it’s imperative to invest in a skilled and experienced development team.
Seasoned professionals not only write cleaner, more efficient code but also anticipate potential pitfalls and devise effective debugging strategies, ensuring a smoother development process.
Not Fixing the MVP Version
Shifting from one niche to another without a solid strategic foundation can lead to perpetual product development without ever reaching completion. Instead of constantly pivoting, focus on understanding your target audience and their needs. Conduct thorough market research, identify a niche that aligns with your expertise and passion, and develop a product tailored to that specific audience.
Staying true to your niche provides clarity of purpose and direction, fostering a more focused and productive development cycle.
Here’s a detailed blog on how to build your MVP product the right way:
https://abhishekpatnaik77.medium.com/fixing-confusion-with-mvp-ec457406aca4
The Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is the foundational version of your product. Continuously adding new features without consolidating the core functionality can lead to an overly complex and bug-ridden product. It’s crucial to strike a balance between innovation and stability. Once the MVP is established, concentrate on refining its features, enhancing user experience, and ironing out any bugs.
Regular testing and user feedback should inform your development roadmap, ensuring that each feature addition contributes meaningfully to the product’s overall value proposition.
If you think there’s a possible possibility where we can help you build your product or consult you out of your most difficult problems then feel free to email me at abhi@surgestartup.com or DM me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhishekpatnaik77/
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Peace !
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