From Idea to Launch: Our SaaS Journey

Turning a SaaS idea into a launched product is an exhilarating journey filled with challenges, learnings, and victories. Here's our story of how we went from concept to launch in just 90 days.

Week 1-2: Idea Validation

We started with a simple idea: a tool to help content creators schedule and optimize their social media posts. Before writing a single line of code, we:

• Conducted 20+ interviews with potential users
• Created a landing page explaining our concept
• Set up a waitlist to gauge interest
• Analyzed competing products

The validation process confirmed our initial hypothesis and provided valuable insights that shaped our product roadmap.

Week 3-6: MVP Development

With validation complete, we focused on building a minimum viable product (MVP) that addressed the core problems we identified:

• Defined the essential features for our MVP
• Created wireframes and user flows
• Set up our development environment
• Implemented the core functionality

We prioritized speed over perfection, knowing we could iterate based on user feedback.

Week 7-8: User Testing

With a working prototype, we invited a small group of users from our waitlist to test the product:

• Conducted usability testing sessions
• Collected feedback through surveys
• Identified and fixed critical issues
• Made UX improvements based on observations

This phase was crucial for ensuring our product was intuitive and valuable to our target users.

Week 9-10: Refinement and Preparation

Based on user feedback, we refined our product and prepared for launch:

• Implemented high-priority feature requests
• Optimized performance and fixed bugs
• Finalized pricing strategy
• Created marketing materials and documentation

Week 11-12: Launch and Initial Growth

Finally, we were ready to launch:

• Announced to our waitlist
• Published on Product Hunt
• Activated our content marketing strategy
• Implemented a referral program

Key Learnings

Our 90-day journey taught us several valuable lessons:

1. Validate before building - User research saved us from building features nobody wanted
2. Embrace imperfection - Launching with a focused MVP allowed us to learn faster
3. Listen to users - Our best ideas came from user feedback, not internal brainstorming
4. Stay flexible - We pivoted several aspects of our product based on market insights

Conclusion

Building and launching a SaaS product in 90 days was challenging but incredibly rewarding. By focusing on validation, embracing an iterative approach, and listening to users, we created a product that genuinely solved problems for our target audience.

Remember, the launch is just the beginning. The real work starts with growing and evolving your product based on real-world usage and feedback.