How I built and launched my first project in 7 days
PublishedWhy
- to finally ship something. I had a problem with this. I was always building side projects but never launching.
- to have a clear deadline. It boosted my focus and kept me motivated.
- to get something that you can show to your audience. Building something fast is a great way to validate a project idea.
- to learn all aspects of building a product. It's nice to read how others build projects, but there are things you won't learn until you try.
How
- Decide what you build and for whom. I spent a lot of time finding my audience and discovering problems that people complain about.
- Prepare. I wrote down a plan for what I will do each day.
- Free your time. Be ready to work full-time on it. I left my job a few months ago, so I am now on a self-paid sabbatical.
- Shrink the scope as much as possible. I planned 3 days for development, 2 days for publishing, and 2 days for extra features in case I have time (I didn't).
- Use great tools. Save time by using existing solutions for common problems. Work only on what matters for your product.
- Embrace social accountability. I created a daily thread on Twitter with a #buildinpublic. There I posted daily goals, problems, and outcomes.
- Be ready to promote it. I prepared a list of major communities where potential users hang out before starting this week.
Takeaways
- Build something fast and show it to your audience. It works.