The 5-Minute MVP Checklist

Ship smaller. Win sooner. New rule: time-to-signal beats time-to-perfect.

Set a 5-minute timer. Work through this page top-to-bottom. Stop when you hit your "Launch Gate."

5:00

Minute 1 of 5

1Pick the Signal (not the scope)

Primary signal you'll measure in the first 48 hours (pick one):

Email captureButton click with intent (e.g., "Preorder," "Join waitlist")Calendar bookingPayment auth (test $0/$1 or deposit)

Who is this for? (1 sentence: role + context)

Pain moment you intercept (when/where it stings)?

Success threshold: "If we get X signals by DATE, we iterate. If not, we kill/adjust."

2Make the Promise (and fence it)

Write a one-line promise:

In <time>, <persona> can <outcome> without <pain>.

Out-of-scope fence (hard NOs for v1):

3Ruthless Scope (3 > 13)

List the three actions required to produce the signal. If it's not on this list, it's not in v1.

Core Action #1

Core Action #2

Core Action #3

Happy path = ≤5 clicks from URL to signal

Content before code: Can any action be faked with copy, a form, or a calendar link? If yes, do that first.

4Instrument the Path

Track only what proves momentum:

landing_view

cta_click

intent_start (form open / booking open / checkout open)

signal_done (email submitted / booking confirmed / payment authorized)

Micro-targets:

• cta_click / landing_view ≥ 5%
• signal_done / intent_start ≥ 25%

Write your numbers:

Views

Clicks

Starts

Signals

5Launch Gate

Ship if you can tick all four:

I can publish a live URL today.The path to signal is ≤5 clicks.I know where first visitors come from (2 channels).I can read the numbers within 24 hours.

⚠️ If any box is unchecked, cut scope until all four are true.

Copy-Paste Blocks (steal these)

Headline (choose one):

Ship smaller. Win sooner.

Time-to-signal > time-to-perfect.

Launch a credible MVP in days, not quarters.

Subhead:

Get a live URL, real clicks, and a clear next move—without spaghetti code or hype.

Primary CTA:

Get the MVP in 5 minutes

Show me the signal

Start with the 5-minute cut

Trust line (tiny text):

No fluff. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

24-Hour Launch Plan (pick 2 channels)

Existing network:

10 personal DMs with your one-line promise.

Community post:

One niche forum/Slack/Reddit with your before/after.

Hand-raise list:

Invite replies: "If this is you, reply 'YES' and I'll send the link."

DM script (paste):

Hey [Name]—building a tiny MVP: in [time] you can [outcome] without [pain]. Want early access? It's a 30-second look. Link?

Icebox (what you're NOT building now)

List 3 things you're tempted to add later:

One-Page MVP Spec (fill this and you're done)

Persona

Pain moment

Promise

Primary signal

Scope (3 actions):

Happy path clicks (≤5)

Out-of-scope fence

Channel 1

Channel 2

Views

Clicks

Starts

Signals

Kill/iterate rule

After 48 Hours — Simple Decisions

✅ Beat target?

Double down on the winning channel; remove one step from the path.

⚠️ Missed by <50%?

Tighten promise, sharpen CTA, move form fields to after the click.

❌ Missed by ≥50%?

You're learning: new segment, new pain, or kill and re-scope.

Bonus: 3 Tiny Experiments (no rebuild required)

1Swap headline to a "Without ___" version.

2Replace paragraph with a 3-bullet outcome list.

3Hide nav; make the page a single decision.

Remember: Planning feels productive. Shipping is productive. The difference is data.

—OvernightMVP