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How we built our MVP in just 30 days: lessons, tools, and real talk from a startup founder

How We Built Our MVP in 30 Days

How We Built Our MVP in 30 Days

By Rex, Founder at Pinegrass
Published: 06/06/2025 – Behind the Scenes Series #1

🚀 “Let’s ship in 30 days… or shut up about it.”

That was the line I scribbled on a sticky note on Day 0. Not because I’m a productivity junkie — but because for 6 months, the idea had been sitting idle in our Notion. And Notion isn’t where startups are born — execution is.

This is a raw look at how we built and shipped our MVP in exactly 30 days — no excuses, no fluff, no overplanning.

🧭 Why We Set a 30-Day Deadline (And Meant It)

Week 1: The Ruthless Cut

We started by saying no — to features, personas, and overthinking. From 24 wishlist features, we cut 18. From 3 user personas, we chose 1. Our only goal was to solve one job well.

  • Signup → Get value
  • Log back in
  • Share it with someone else

No dashboards. No settings. No custom flows. Just the job.

Week 2: Setup & Stack

We ditched the ideal tech stack in favor of a lean, fast one:

  • Frontend: React Native (Expo)
  • Backend & Auth: Supabase
  • Hosting: Vercel
  • Analytics: PostHog

By day 14, we had login/signup and data writing working — barely, but it was real.

Week 3: Fixing UX Fast

Early testers were confused. The UI felt clunky. So we stripped down copy, made buttons clearer, and deleted 2 screens entirely.

“I can’t tell what this app does.” — a tester

Harsh, but golden feedback. It changed everything.

Week 4: Testing with Real Users

We invited 8 users. Some got stuck. Some flagged bugs. Some ignored our “hero feature.” That’s when it clicked — users don’t care what you built, only what solves their pain.

✅ What Went Right

  • We shipped.
  • We got real feedback.
  • We had a v1 we could iterate on.

⚠️ What Went Wrong

  • Underestimated dev time
  • Ignored onboarding UX initially
  • Nearly added features last-minute

🧠 Final Thoughts

An MVP isn’t about minimum features — it’s about maximum learning with minimum build.

The biggest win? We weren’t guessing anymore. We were building with clarity.

🔜 Up Next

Next Friday: The Tech Stack We Chose (And Why We Switched Midway)

Labels:
Location: V57Q+8J Sheepshead, CA, USA

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