·5 min read
MVP Guide for Non-Technical Founders
You have a business idea but no coding skills. Good news: most successful founders are not technical. Here is how to build anyway.
What You Need to Know
- •You do not need to code, but you need to understand basics
- •Your job is product vision, not implementation
- •Learn to evaluate, not to build
- •Communication skills matter more than technical skills
Technical Concepts to Understand
| Concept | What to Know |
|---|---|
| Frontend | What users see and interact with |
| Backend | Server logic, database, business rules |
| Database | Where your data is stored |
| API | How different systems talk to each other |
| Deployment | Making your app live on the internet |
How to Evaluate Developers
- •Ask for live demos of past work
- •Check if their past clients are still in business
- •See if they ask good questions about your business
- •Test their communication speed and clarity
- •Get references and actually call them
Protecting Yourself
- •Own your code repository from day one
- •Use milestone-based payments
- •Get admin access to all services
- •Document everything in writing
- •Have a contract before work starts
Common Non-Technical Founder Mistakes
- •Paying 100% upfront
- •No contract or vague scope
- •Building too many features
- •Not testing the product yourself
- •Ignoring red flags because you do not understand tech
Your superpower is understanding the customer problem. Let developers handle the how, you focus on the what and why.