Phase 1 · Discovery · Clarity Begins Here
Minimum Viable Product Strategy
The minimum viable product is not the smallest version of what you want to build. It is the fastest version that produces the most learning from the fewest assumptions.
Minimum viable product strategy is the structured design of the first version of the product or service that can be offered to early customers with the minimum investment — sufficient to test the core assumptions, generate real learning, and earn the revenue that funds the next iteration. We define the MVP scope, design the customer testing framework, and help the founder avoid the twin errors of building too much before testing or building too little to be useful.
The Pain We Solve
You may recognise yourself in one of these.
Three audience scenarios · because the same service produces a different transformation depending on where you are in the business journey.
Scenario 1
The founder who has been building the product for eighteen months and has not yet spoken to a paying customer
The product is being built to a specification that was defined by the founder's assumptions on day one. Eighteen months and significant capital later, those assumptions have not been tested — and the product may be solving a problem in a way that the market does not actually want.
Scenario 2
The entrepreneur who launched with a product so stripped-back that early customers were disappointed and did not return
The MVP was too minimal — it tested the hypothesis but did not provide enough value to generate real engagement or retention data. The learning was about what did not work rather than what could. MVP strategy is about minimum viable, not minimum possible.
Scenario 3
The team that cannot agree on what the MVP should include because everyone has a different view of what is essential
The debate about MVP scope is unresolved. Technical team members argue for more features. Commercial team members argue for faster release. The disagreement is costing more time than building the wrong scope would have — and the framework for resolving it has never been defined.
The Impact It Creates
The Moment You Will Feel the Difference.
MVP scope defined based on what must be tested rather than what would be nice to include
Core assumptions tested with real customers before significant development investment is committed
Learning generated quickly enough to inform the next iteration while the initial investment is still fresh
Development time and cost reduced by avoiding features that the MVP did not need to include
What You Receive
The Specific Deliverables.
Tangible outputs · documented, dated, and yours to keep.
- Assumption mapping — what must be true for the business to succeed
- MVP scope definition — what to include and what to defer
- Build vs buy vs partner analysis for MVP delivery
- MVP customer testing design
- Success metrics definition — what the MVP must prove
- Iteration roadmap — what comes after the MVP based on what is learned
The Outcome
Where You Will Be on the Other Side.
The MVP is built to the right scope, tested with the right customers, and generates the learning that shapes the second version — faster, cheaper, and with more commercial confidence than the alternative of building the full product before anyone has tested it.
Primary Focus
Defining and designing the minimum viable product that tests core assumptions with real customers before significant investment is committed.
KPI Measurement
- MVP build time vs full-product alternative
- Customer feedback quality from MVP testing
- Assumption validation rate
- Features deferred from MVP that were later validated as necessary
- Revenue generated from MVP vs development cost
Investment & ROI
Pricing Engineered Around the Value You Create.
Every engagement is sized against the value we believe we can create with you · the fee is always a fraction of the outcome. Four tiers · so the investment matches your stage of business.
Tier 1
Foundations
£5,000 – £15,000
Right for
Pre-startup, startup, and micro-business founders ready to build on evidence rather than instinct.
Typical Value Created
£50K – £500K avoided in misdirected launches and bad bets
Engagement
4 – 8 weeks
Target Return
5 – 10× ROI
within 12 – 18 months
Tier 2
Acceleration
£15,000 – £50,000
Right for
Growing SMEs and established small businesses ready to scale a working model into the next revenue band.
Typical Value Created
£250K – £2M of better-informed launch decisions and faster market traction
Engagement
8 – 16 weeks
Target Return
5 – 10× ROI
within 12 – 18 months
Tier 3
Transformation
£50,000 – £250,000
Right for
Medium enterprises and scale-stage businesses ready to commit to a multi-quarter, organisation-wide shift.
Typical Value Created
£1M – £25M in strategic pivots de-risked and new categories validated
Engagement
3 – 9 months
Target Return
5 – 10× ROI
within 12 – 18 months
Tier 4
Enterprise
£250,000 – £2M+
Right for
Large enterprises, global operators, and complex organisations ready for a multi-year strategic partnership.
Typical Value Created
£5M – £100M+ in optimised market entry, M&A diligence, and category positioning
Engagement
12 months and onward
Target Return
5 – 10× ROI
within 12 – 18 months
Why We Price This Way
Every engagement is sized around the value we believe we can create with you. The fee is always a fraction of the outcome · typically 10 – 20% of the expected first-year return.
This is how we make sure pricing aligns with results. The conversation is never “what does this cost?” · it is always “what is this worth to your business?” We answer that together in the first call, transparently, and decide the right tier from there.
If we cannot articulate a credible 5–10× return for your specific situation, we will tell you in the first call. That honesty is part of why our clients trust us with the work that matters most.
Why This Conversation Matters
“The most dangerous thing a founder can do is spend a year building something in isolation. The MVP is the antidote — the fastest path from assumption to evidence, and from evidence to a product worth scaling.”
A 90-minute structured strategy session · produces a usable roadmap whether you engage further or not.
More in Phase 1