Is Your MVP Tackling the Right Problem? It’s Time to Reevaluate Product Strategy

What if your MVP (Minimum Viable Product) is solving a problem that doesn’t even exist? It’s a real question every founder needs to ask themselves.

You’ve got an MVP ready to launch, but are you sure it’s targeting the right problem for your audience? It’s easy to assume that what you believe your audience needs is what they actually need. But here’s a hard truth: 42% of startups fail because they fail to meet a market need (CB Insights, 2023).

Imagine spending all that time, effort, and money on a product to discover the problem doesn’t actually exist—or worse, it’s not urgent enough for customers to care. That’s the harsh reality of rushing to launch an MVP without thoroughly validating the problem first. In this post, we’ll help you rethink your assumptions and guide you through crafting an MVP that solves the real problems of your market, not just your perception of them. 

The Danger of Assumptions: Why Rushing Your MVP Could Be a Mistake

Rushing to launch your MVP without proper validation is a huge risk.

Many startup founders fall into the trap of thinking they know what their audience needs without fully understanding their pain points. This often leads to building a product that addresses a nonexistent or less urgent problem. But how do you avoid this?

The key is market research!

It sounds simple, but so many entrepreneurs skip this step. They assume they know the problem, but without truly engaging with potential users, they’re just guessing. Research shows that 35% of startups fail because they create products with no market demand (CB Insights, 2024).

The cost of this mistake? Wasted time, money, and resources on building something that no one wants. So, before you build, ask yourself: Are you solving the right problem for your audience?

Rethinking MVP Strategy: Start With the Problem

Listening is Key

How do you ensure your MVP addresses a genuine need? Simple: Listen. Dive into market research and user interviews. Here’s how Dropbox nailed it:

1. Before building their product, they created a short demo video to gauge interest.
2. The overwhelming response validated their idea before a single line of code was written.

The “5 Whys” Technique

When identifying the core problem, ask “Why?” five times to uncover the root cause. For example:

1. Why isn’t our audience using our platform? (They don’t find it valuable.)
2. Why don’t they find it valuable? (It doesn’t solve their primary pain point.)
3. Why doesn’t it solve their pain point? (We assumed their pain point without validation.)
4. Why didn’t we validate? (We wanted to launch quickly.)
5. Why did we rush? (We prioritized speed over accuracy.)

Don’t build just because you can. Build because you’ve validated the problem through real user feedback. Start by listening, not assuming!

Focus on the Problem, Not the Solution

When you start validating your MVP, focus on the problem, not the solution. It’s tempting to jump to the “cool” solution, but without fully understanding the issue at hand, you might miss the mark.

Why is this important?

1. Users often don’t know the best solution, but they know their pain points.
2. Features should be built to solve these pain points, not based on what you think they need.

The Danger of Jumping to Solutions

Many MVPs fail because they’re overly focused on delivering a solution rather than understanding the problem. 

A classic example? A fitness app that launched with advanced tracking features but ignored user feedback about poor usability. Users abandoned it within weeks.

A SaaS product failed because the creators added unnecessary features without truly engaging with their users. Talk to your audience first—ask the right questions to understand what’s really bugging them.

Pro Tip: Ask yourself, “Does this feature directly solve the core problem?” If not, leave it out.

The Perils of Jumping to Solutions Too Quickly

Many MVPs fail because founders rush into the solution before validating the core problem.

This often results in a feature-bloated product that doesn’t solve the real issue. For instance, a SaaS platform might add features that its users never requested, causing them to miss the mark.

The Right Approach: Start with a Manual Solution
Before automating or scaling, build a manual version of your product. Validate the core concept before overengineering the product.

Is the Problem Big Enough to Build a Scalable Business?

Narrow vs. Broad Problem Scope

Here’s a critical question: Is the problem big enough to build a scalable business?

It’s tempting to focus on a niche market, but you need to ensure that the problem you're solving is big enough to allow for future growth.

1. Focus on scalability.
2. Look at larger trends in your industry.

Harvard Business Review (2025) reports that 75% of startups fail because they target too small or too specific a market.

Scalability Considerations

1. Can your MVP grow with a larger audience?
2. Does the problem scale with more users?