When we started VenddaHQ (https://vendda.co), I had a clear vision: empower small business owners to thrive online.
But I faced a common startup dilemma—no dedicated backend developers, no dedicated designers, just myself, Temitope Akinsunmade and an unwavering determination.
Like many founders, I fell into the trap: "I'll launch when I have the perfect team." After all, a successful product needs robust infrastructure and polished design, right?
Wrong!
That perfectionism was just procrastination in disguise. So I made a pivotal decision: start building with the tools at hand and scale as the customer base grows.
Then:
- I Leveraged Next.js and its API routes for a streamlined, single-codebase solution (Frontend + backend logic)
- Harnessed Supabase's power for auth, database, and real-time features
- Embraced minimalist design principles focused on core functionality
The result? VenddaHQ is live, serving real customers, and evolving based on actual user feedback.
Key lessons that might help other solo founders:
- Perfect is the enemy of shipped. Use the tools and skills you have today.
- Users over features. Real feedback beats theoretical perfection every time.
- Focus ruthlessly. Solve the core problem first; everything else can follow.
Don't think you can ship a bug-free code, even with your "perfect" team, there's no way you won't be fixing issues...
Google still have a lot of software engineers working for them and they're not playing golf there, but working to make Google products better.
To every entrepreneur waiting for the "perfect moment" to start: that moment is now. You don't need a team of specialists—you need the courage to ship and the wisdom to iterate.
Want to build your next MVP?
Skip the hiring spree. One experienced builder who knows how to ship at scale can take you further than a misaligned team.
...and I am that builder! 😉
You need your MVP fast? Talk to me, save time, ship fast and scale on.
Contact 👇
work[at]stephengade
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