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The first MVPs

I have delivered the first two MVPs under my web agency, Refined. Sharing my learnings about scope, workflow, deal cycle, and timeline.

Refined update

One month ago, I announced that I'm starting a web agency, Refined, alongside the first offer - 10 MVPs for $1k each.

Since then, I have delivered the first 2 MVPs:

Building an agency is different than I expected. Although planning the roadmap is necessary, the real insights come from the first few projects. So, here are my most important learnings.

Scope

Understanding the scope before coding is crucial for both parties. I experienced scope creep on one of the MVPs, as I didn't clearly define the requirements beforehand. This led to a lot of back and forth, which was not ideal.

To avoid this, technical requirements must be written for each project. The work starts once the client approves them.

Workflow

Sometimes, I had to wait for the client to continue development. I learned to ask for everything I need as early as possible. This issue might be impossible to avoid completely, though.

Also, some clients want regular updates. Others want to be less involved in the process. The agency should be able to adapt to both or have a system in place to handle this.

Deal cycle

It can take days or weeks before starting on a project. It's difficult to set accurate revenue targets when the lead flow is unpredictable.

This process can be optimized, but it will never be as quick as a B2C product. Overall, it requires more personal involvement.

Timeline

Almost everyone wants to start immediately and finish as soon as possible. There are only so many projects I can take on at a time, though. It's critical to ensure that the client is aware of this.

They will either:

The latter will only happen when there's enough trust, due to an established brand and reputation. As I don't have that yet, I need to make quick decisions and be transparent.

Final notes

As I have delivered the first 2 MVPs, I'm now looking for the next exciting project. If you have an idea you want to build, get in touch.

Get your MVP

I hope this article was insightful if you are thinking about providing development services. It certainly was helpful for me to write down these thoughts and reflect on them.

I will continue to share my learnings as I grow Refined. Until next time!