How do I know when my MVP is “good enough”?
The 80% Rule for MVPs
Dear Founder,
Welcome to Startup Launch OS Log 23 — your weekly dose of clarity during the chaotic early days of building a startup. If you’re new here, this is where we unpack the messy, psychological, and practical parts of startup life and turn them into simple, actionable steps.
Last Week Recap
In Log 22, we talked about the FAST MVP System — how to get from idea to first version without wasting months.
But now comes the real question every builder faces:
“When do I stop tweaking and actually launch this thing?”
Most startup founders wrestle with this.
You build, refine, polish — then you tell yourself, “It’s not ready yet.”
That voice in your head isn’t your “standard of excellence.”
It’s fear wearing a perfectionist mask.
You don’t need a perfect product to win.
You need a validated one.
Here’s the shift:
Stop asking “Is it perfect?”
Start asking “Does it solve one real problem for one real person?”
If the answer is yes, it’s good enough.
The 80% Rule for MVPs
Your MVP doesn’t need to impress investors or make you look smart on X (Twitter).
It only needs to do 3 things:
Deliver Core Value – Strip everything else.
If your product promises “save time,” the MVP should only do that.
Elicit Real Feedback – Get people using it and talking about it.
One person saying “this helped me” > ten people saying “this looks cool.”
Prove Market Demand – Get some form of commitment.
Sign-up, preorder, or even a “take my money” text.
If it does those 3 things — it’s good enough to ship.
The Founder’s Trap
Here’s the irony:
Most startups die not from bad ideas, but from founders who waited too long to be perfect.
They build in silence.
Tweak endlessly.
Then launch to an audience that’s moved on.
You’re not building art.
You’re building a business.
And business rewards speed, feedback, and iteration — not perfection.
A Simple Gut Check Framework
Before you launch, ask yourself these 5 questions:
Can someone use this and get the core result?
Can I measure that result clearly?
Have at least 3–5 people tested it and said it helps?
Does the next version depend on user feedback, not my imagination?
Am I scared or actually unprepared?
If 4 out of 5 are yes — you’re ready.
Remember This
Done is the doorway to discovery.
Perfect is the prison of potential.
You’ll never know how good it can be until you ship.
The market doesn’t care how polished it looks — it cares how fast it helps.
Resources for You
If you missed it, check out:
- [Log 22: The FAST MVP System] (link to previous issue)
- Download my MVP Validation Checklist — it helps you track when your MVP is ready to ship (free PDF).
- Read my essay: The Power of Story Systems — Turning Every Founder Experience Into a Shareable Lesson
This Week’s Challenge
Ship one unfinished thing this week — a landing page, demo, or mockup.
Then ask 3 people: “Would this make your life easier?”
You’ll learn more from those 3 conversations than from another week of tweaking.
Talk soon,
-Barry
PS
Share this with a founder friend who’s been “almost ready” for six months.
Remind them: The market rewards motion, not perfection.