Building an MVP? Think Again - How About an MLP?

Welcome, founders first-time startup builders, to the exhilarating (and often terrifying) world of launching a startup. You’re staring down the barrel of what seems like a million different decisions, with an endless list of unknowns. But before you dive into the whirlwind of pitches, product design, and sleepless nights, let’s pause for a second. You’ve probably heard of the concept of an MVP—Minimum Viable Product—but I’m here to tell you that it’s time to rethink that. You don’t just want an MVP. You want an MLP—a Minimum Lovable Product.

Why Just “Viable” When You Can Be “Lovable”?

The MVP concept has been around for a while, and it’s been pretty useful. The idea is to create a stripped-down version of your product that solves a real problem for your target audience, but without requiring months of labor or vast resources to bring to life. In theory, it makes sense. But here’s where it gets tricky: in practice, MVPs often become bare-bones products that technically function but fail to excite. And in today’s hyper-competitive market, you can’t afford to just be functional—you need to make your early users fall in love with what you’re building.

Enter the MLP!

The MLP takes the core idea of an MVP but adds one crucial layer: delight. It’s not about just meeting the minimum requirements. It’s about creating a product experience that makes people go, “Whoa, I need this in my life.” Sure, the product is still basic, but it has a spark that makes it memorable, not just another tool in the toolkit.

The Process of Building an MLP: It’s All About Listening and Iterating

When we were building EasyCart, we followed this philosophy, focusing on what would truly resonate with our first users, not just what would function. And here’s the truth: the process isn’t always obvious or easy.

How do you choose the right features to start with? How do you find your first customers? And when do you finally know that your product is ready to make money? These are all tough questions, and the answer usually comes down to two things: talking to your customers and constant iteration.

Here’s how we approached it:

• Talk to your potential customers—constantly. And more importantly, listen to them. You might think you’ve built the perfect solution, but until you get it in front of real users, you’re living in a bubble. We spent hours in one-on-one conversations, gathering feedback and testing assumptions.

• Organize for fast iteration. If you can’t quickly pivot and improve your product, you’re toast. We used tools like Notion to stay agile, prioritize features, and track feedback in real-time. Your first product won’t be perfect, but it needs to get better fast.

• Be ruthless about saying “no.” Prioritize what brings immediate value to your early customers and ignore everything else. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of adding features no one asked for—don’t. Every “no” is an investment in the core product experience.

Defining Your MVP—Oops, I Mean MLP

So, how do you actually build an MLP? It starts with some key steps:

• Define your MVP (MLP!) – Identify the most critical problems your product solves. Forget about the shiny extras for now; focus on the essentials that will make users care.

• Determine your Unique Selling Point (USP) – What makes your solution 10x better than existing alternatives? Is it speed, simplicity, an incredible user experience? Nail that down.

• Engage your early customers – You must define the problems your product solves based on real conversations with potential users. That’s non-negotiable.

• Build the basics, then iterate – Your first version should solve a core problem. Once that’s done, improve it, step by step. Don’t try to cram in every possible feature from day one.

• Keep the love alive – Your MLP shouldn’t feel like a half-baked idea or a rushed prototype. Even if it’s basic, it needs to feel thoughtful, intentional, and lovable.

MLP: The Launchpad for Sustainable Growth

If you’re aiming to build a product that’s not just viable but thrives over the long haul, then an MLP is the way forward. An MLP doesn’t just stop at functionality—it creates a bond between your product and its users, paving the way for growth, development, and those critical funding rounds down the line. Here’s why focusing on “lovable” from the get-go sets the foundation for future success:

• Creating a Growth-Ready Foundation: Think of your MLP as more than a launch—it’s your long-term runway. A product that users already love isn’t just functional; it’s flexible, adaptable, and set up for scalability. With an MLP, you’re building on a foundation that’s primed for iteration and expansion. And this matters because, as any startup will tell you, the market shifts. New demands, unexpected competitors, or sudden shifts in technology? A lovable product keeps users loyal through it all, providing stability when you’re ready to roll out new features or pivot based on what the data is telling you.

• Funding Attraction and Investor Confidence: When investors see a product that users are not only sticking with but promoting, it’s a green light. An MLP naturally generates excitement and confidence from both users and investors, proving there’s value and traction that’s already winning over the market. Investors want to see not only usage numbers but genuine engagement—indicators that users feel connected and committed. And this is why an MLP, with its focus on building a strong user relationship early on, can be a magnet for funding and open doors to rounds that power your growth.

• Metrics That Matter: If you want to know whether your MLP is delivering on its potential, watch your metrics. Look at customer engagement—how often are users coming back? Dive into retention rates; they’ll show you whether the product experience is something users don’t want to lose. And then there’s the Net Promoter Score (NPS), which reveals the most telling sign of success: do your users love your product enough to recommend it? High NPS means you’re not only hitting the mark but that your users are becoming advocates.

By tracking these metrics and optimizing for them, you’re creating a blueprint for sustained growth. Building an MLP isn’t about creating a one-off product; it’s about developing a solution that keeps users loyal and your startup well-prepared to scale when the next opportunity knocks. An MLP isn’t just lovable—it’s built for the long game.

From MVP to MLP: Sidestepping the Usual Landmines

Moving from a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) to a Minimum Lovable Product (MLP) isn’t just about adding polish—it’s about heading off the classic pitfalls that leave your product struggling to win over users. Here’s how you can avoid the typical missteps by shifting your focus to the “lovable” parts that keep customers coming back:

No Polish, No Love

• Pitfall: MVPs are often all function, no flair. They technically work but leave users feeling like they’re handling a prototype instead of a product.

• Solution: Don’t wait for later stages to bring in the basics of clean design. Consistent colors, fonts, and layout may sound like extras, but they’re essential to give the product a professional, inviting look from the start.

Clunky User Experience (UX)

• Pitfall: MVPs often skip user journey mapping, which leaves users stuck trying to navigate a frustrating or counterintuitive experience.

• Solution: Make UX a front-line priority. Conduct user testing right out of the gate to catch and fix points of friction. With each round, you’ll shape a smoother, more enjoyable product that users actually want to spend time with.

Too Minimal for Market Expectations

• Pitfall: Starting small makes sense, but there’s a line between lean and lacking. An MVP that skimps on essentials ends up disappointing users and getting ignored.

• Solution: Zero in on the features that deliver the most impact. A lean product doesn’t have to be empty—it should just focus on executing core features really well, so users find genuine value from day one.

Neglecting User Feedback

• Pitfall: Some MVPs charge ahead without taking feedback into account, leaving a product that fits a spec sheet but misses the mark for real users.

• Solution: Embrace feedback from the start. Get it, use it, and adapt as you go. User input can be your compass to refine, prioritize, and build a product that actually resonates with the audience it’s meant for.

Technical Debt Piling Up

• Pitfall: Rushing through development can turn your MVP into a tech mess, riddled with shortcuts that bring heavy maintenance headaches later.

• Solution: Keep one eye on scalability from the get-go. Lay down clean code and document it, making sure the product’s foundation can support future growth without turning into a house of cards.

By steering clear of these common MVP blunders, you’re not just building functionality—you’re creating something that can grow and thrive, primed to win user loyalty and keep them engaged over the long haul.

The Case for “Lovable” in Product Design

If you’re serious about a product that not only works but wins hearts, you have to build in elements that make users feel a connection with it. An MLP (Minimum Lovable Product) does just that, going beyond “good enough” to blend reliability with features that surprise, resonate, and ultimately build a relationship with the user.

• Create Moments of Delight: Add those “nice to have” touches—micro-interactions, a smooth animation here or there, and thoughtful design details. These might sound minor, but they’re the kinds of memorable elements that make users look forward to coming back.

• Empathy-Driven, User-Centric Design: Don’t just design for functionality; design to address what your users actually care about. Think about what makes their experience easier or more enjoyable and build around those insights. This way, users feel the product was made with them specifically in mind.

• Build Reliability to Foster Trust: Make sure your product is dependable. Inconsistency doesn’t just cost users—it costs trust. A reliable product says to the user, “You can count on this.” Trust, once gained, is the backbone of loyalty and long-term engagement.

• Make an Emotional Connection: Let the product go beyond basic functionality. Bring in features or stories that give users a reason to care—maybe that’s through personalized touches, community features, or elements of storytelling that make them feel part of something bigger.

This approach to creating an MLP isn’t just about user satisfaction—it’s about loyalty, retention, and creating a product that users actively want to recommend and revisit. Make it lovable, and you’re not just building a tool; you’re building a fan base.

MVPs Are Not an Excuse for Mediocrity

It’s crucial to remember: the concept of an MVP shouldn’t be an excuse to release a weak, poorly designed product. Instead, think of it as your first chance to put your idea out into the world and collide with reality. Your goal is to validate the core idea while still keeping your eye on the broader vision.

The best startups constantly test, iterate, and refine their ideas until they have something that clicks with their audience—and the sooner you collide with the world, the better. But here’s the catch: you’re not just looking for any feedback. You want users to love your product enough that they’ll stick around and tell others about it. That’s how you build momentum and lay the foundation for future growth.

In Closing: Iterate, Listen, and Don’t Settle

Building an MVP (or MLP) is about more than just getting something out there—it’s about making sure you’re solving a problem in a way that your early customers find both valuable and lovable. Yes, you’ll face tough decisions and resource constraints, but the magic lies in finding the balance between delivering what’s necessary and what’s delightful.

So as you build your startup, focus on the MLP approach. Test your ideas, embrace quick iterations, and above all, create something your customers will fall in love with—even if it’s not fully fleshed out yet. That’s the secret sauce to surviving the early stages and setting the stage for long-term success.