How to Launch an App That Succeeds: Why the MVP Isn't Enough Anymore
Today’s Tip: Launching fast with a barebones MVP is no longer the optimal strategy. Instead focus all your effort on this…
When I started building apps, I had one goal…
Launch as fast as possible.
All I wanted was that sweet sweet feeling of seeing my app live in the App Store with real people using it.
Then, one day it happened.
We launched in 30 days.
The excitement was insane…every refresh showed a handful of new downloads.
It was wild!
Eventually, I learned how to crank out MVPs quickly and push them live in record time.
And I thought I was going to be set.
But then, a weird thing happened…
Nobody stuck around.
See, like most startup founders, I thought that launching quickly (and “just getting something out there”) would lead to momentum.
But I was wrong…it doesn’t.
MVP-at-all-costs is a massive trap.
And if you’re building a business that relies on your app gaining traction from real users, a fast-and-loose MVP is the worst thing for you.
Because it makes you believe you’re making progress while it quietly burns your time, trust, and runway.
Instead, what you’re really after is a Problem-Solution Fit Launch.
After obsessively managing app builds for years, I’ve realized that launching with deep validation and a core feature set that directly solves a specific pain is the only way to create traction and revenue.
What is a Problem-Solution Fit Launch and why should you care?
There are two key differences between an MVP-at-all-costs and a validated app launch:
Precision: MVP = general use /// PSF Launch = solves 1 burning problem for 1 type of user
Activation: MVP = features /// PSF Launch = outcome
Let’s break down both…
Precision is critical because of a concept called problem-user match.
Essentially, the more consistently your app solves a highly specific problem for a well-defined user, the easier it is to find, target, and retain that audience — and get product-led growth.
When your solution is tightly scoped and deeply useful, early adopters become evangelists — not just users.
And this is really the dream for founders.
You have insight into a specific problem worth solving…and you want to build a tool that solves that problem beautifully for the people who are struggling with it most.
When you build that tight solution, it’s scary — it feels too narrow.
So, you think…“Okay, I’ll just add a few more features so it appeals to more people.”
But when you do this, you dilute the usefulness of your app.
So instead of delighting one person, you mildly confuse five.
Let’s go through an example to explain what I mean.
Let’s say you’re a solo founder building an app to help personal trainers manage client check-ins and progress tracking.
Pretty niche.
So ultimately, your goal is to create an ultra-focused experience where a trainer can log in, check their client roster, review progress, send a few messages, and update plans — all in one screen.
If you were able to get 500 personal trainers using that app every day, you’d be off to the races.
So you build that initial version, focused, clean, and specific.
You test it with 10 trainers…they love it.
But growth is slow.
You get impatient.
So you think, “I should add nutrition plans, community forums, live video coaching…that’s what the big apps do.”
So you start building, broadening the scope.
When you relaunch with the new features, you expect a surge.
But it flops again.
Why?
Because now your app is unfocused. It doesn’t speak directly to the original pain anymore. It’s trying to do everything and doesn’t do anything particularly well.
This is the problem with MVP-at-all-costs…it prevents you from going deep enough on the one thing that matters: solving a painful, expensive, urgent problem.
Instead, you want a Problem-Solution Fit Launch.
This means wrapping a simple product around a highly specific use case and delivering a “wow” moment to a very specific type of user.
Essentially, you should not ship even a single feature unless it helps that user solve that problem faster, better, or more easily.
And the reason PSF is so critical is because once you have it, everything else becomes easier — onboarding, referrals, marketing, retention, even fundraising.
You can launch a focused app that gets only 1,000 downloads…but if they’re the right 1,000 users, it can generate 10-100x more ROI than a bloated MVP with 50,000 curious-but-uncommitted installs.
This alignment problem is the #1 issue I see with most app launches.
The Problem </> User </> Solution triangle has to be locked in.
Now quickly, why “outcomes” instead of “features?”
To me, outcomes are the best proxy for value.
If someone uses your app and gets real, measurable progress in their life or business — and is willing to tell others about it — that’s the strongest signal you’ve built something worth scaling.
Also practically, outcomes drive behavior change, which drives retention — and retention is the heart of any successful app business.
So essentially, if you’re a founder, here’s what you should do:
Understand your ideal user and their #1 painful problem (this is your target)
Build only for them (not “everyone”)
Deliver one core outcome (not a bunch of disconnected features)
Optimize for usefulness and word-of-mouth (not installs or downloads)
This might not result in the biggest “splash” on launch day, but it will result in a much more sustainable and profitable business (which is what you’re really after).
If you can check your ego on the vanity metrics, you’ll cash the checks on the real ones.
PS – Figuring out how to launch an app with a Problem-Solution Fit strategy is what I help non-technical founders do every day. If you need support with this, book a FREE Zoom call with me.
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