Hey friend,
In this week’s newsletter, I’m diving into a big question I hear from solo founders all the time: “Where do I even start?”
It’s tempting to jump straight into coding, hiring, or fundraising. But the truth is, those moves can slow you down if you don’t have the basics in place.
Here are the 3 steps every solo founder should take first: 👇
1. Build the smallest version of your idea (your MVP)
Don’t spend 6 months coding in isolation. Instead, spin up a quick prototype and test it.
Here are some solid tools for solo founders:
For apps: Bubble / Glide - quickly spin up SaaS-style apps without code.
For websites: Webflow - build beautiful landing pages and lightweight web apps.
For AI-generated MVPs: Lovable - turn an idea into a working product with AI.
For design + demos: Visily - AI wireframes and clickable mockups (great for agency pitches).
For product sites/marketplaces: Typedream / Softr - drag-and-drop, no hassle.
👉 Want to go deeper? Check out this AI Tools Directory for MVP builders - dozens of options to explore.
Focus on just one thing: the core problem your product solves.
Keep asking yourself: “Will anyone care enough to use or pay for this?”
📍Remember: an MVP is not your dream product. It’s just a test.
2. Document everything in one place
Investors, hires, and even your future self will ask: “Why are you building this? Who’s it for? What’s working so far?”
If your answers are scattered across sticky notes, random chats, or multiple docs, you’ll slow yourself down.
Instead, pick one hub - Notion, Google Docs, or Sheets.
MVP details: what you’re building, who it’s for, and your assumptions.
Customer notes: list of potential customers / your ICP, and what they said in conversations.
Task tracker: projects, subtasks, deadlines, and what’s completed.
Tool stack: list of apps you’re using, logins, and pricing.
Investor deck: even if you’re not raising, start a rough pitch deck. Future you will thank you.
Finance tracker: expenses, revenue, and runway in one sheet.
Update is weekly.
Think of it as future-proofing your startup. When you pitch, hire, or onboard, you’ll look 10x sharper and waste less time digging for info.
3. Talk to customers before you code
The fastest way to fail is building in a vacuum.
Before you write a single line of code, get in front of your potential customers:
Start with your ICP (Ideal Customer Profile):
Who they are: solo founder, agency owner, startup marketer, etc.
Where they are: country, industry, or online community.
What they do daily: their role, workflow, responsibilities.
What frustrates them: the pain your product aims to solve.
👉 Example: “Solo SaaS founders in the US who struggle to consistently market their product on LinkedIn.”
Next:
Find them where they already hang out: LinkedIn groups, Reddit threads, Slack/Discord communities, or by searching hashtags on X (Twitter).
Reach out directly: DM 20 people who match your ICP. Keep it casual and genuine - not a pitch.
Ask about pain points: instead of “Would you use my product?”, ask:
“How are you solving this problem today?”
“What’s the most frustrating part of your current setup?”
“If you could wave a magic wand, what would the perfect solution look like?”
Listen more than you sell. Your goal isn’t to close a deal yet - it’s to learn if the problem is real and worth solving.
📍Rule of thumb: If you talk to 20 ICPs and 0 care - pivot. If 5+ care deeply - you’re onto something.
Real conversations beat market research reports every time.
Closing
Do these 3 things before raising, hiring, or scaling - and you’ll have more clarity than 90% of first-time founders.
Your first leverage comes from:
A tiny product that tests demand.
A single source of truth for your journey.
Direct customer insights.
Start here, and you’ll build on a solid foundation.
That’s it for today.
I hope this was helpful and gave you something to take into your week.
Catch you in the next one!
Maryam
P.S. If you’d like help with growth marketing strategy - Book a call here