In the SaaS world, we often hear about the concept of "DIY" or "Do it yourself." The idea is to create products that users can easily understand and use without requiring personal assistance or support—a concept known as "self-serve."

However, while focusing on self-serve, many startups overlook a powerful tactic that can accelerate growth and delight users: "Done for you." I have personally employed this strategy to achieve remarkable results, growing a software business to eight figures in revenue within three years. By taking care of onboarding, data importing, and actively assisting our users in utilizing our software, we created a game changer for our growth.

Why was it a hit? Because every user has their own set of responsibilities, and our software is often just one part of their overall tasks. By not only helping them but also relieving them of certain responsibilities, we became an indispensable asset, driving adoption and revenue growth.

Additionally, there is an unwritten rule in many startups that for every feature added, extensive documentation, user education, and high usability are a necessity. However, this type of work can be challenging and time-consuming, especially when building something that is constantly evolving. Devoting significant time to a moving target like this can end up being wasted efforts.

Interestingly, by defaulting to direct human interaction with our users, we were able to defer a considerable amount of this work. It turns out that humans prefer working with other humans, and leveraging personal interactions can significantly reduce the need for excessive documentation and UI complexity.

By embracing the "Done for you" approach, we not only accelerated growth and revenue but also fostered a stronger connection with our users. So, consider the power of providing comprehensive support and assistance to your users. It just might be the competitive advantage you need.

From the Lean Startup methodology, MVP is defined as "Minimum Viable Product". When was the last time you tried a product and said, "man, this is so viable"? Probably never.

As builders and creators, it's time to challenge and rethink the dogma that seems to have been passed down from the heavens. Instead of settling for something merely viable, let's strive for something more, something better.

When consumers engage with a product, they don't just want it to be viable. They want something that provides real value and actually works. Whatever you build should be complete in terms of delivering the core value and solving the problem for your consumers.

In recent years, there has been a tendency to lean too far towards the "minimum" end of the MVP spectrum. Many products have been built as just a fragment, lacking the necessary traction to make a significant impact. This highlights the importance of creating something that truly solves a problem in a newly beneficial way.

So, let's challenge the notion of viability and shift our focus towards building products that offer substantial value and meet the needs of consumers. While simplicity and efficiency are important, it's equally vital to ensure that the product is complete and capable of delivering the core solution.