Was the Previous One Inadequate?

The previous Notion board was functional but lacked a logical organization of information.

Let me illustrate:

Structure of the Board:

1. Quick access links
2. Discussion topics
3. A backlog for task listing and prioritization
4. Action steps

Why I Dislike the Old Board

I lacked a clear vision and wasn't sure which tasks provided the most value.

To be honest, a bullet-point list would have sufficed.

Currently, we don't have a marketable product, nor do we have customers. I need to focus on specific actionable steps, rather than a broad overview.

Initially, I adopted a project management and product management approach, which turned out to be counterproductive and cost me several weeks of stagnation.

It's time for a reevaluation.

Discovering the Right Steps to Take

Like many, I turned to Google to seek information on:

• Pre-Product Market Fit
• Steps for Launching a Product

If you're interested in pre-PMF, take a look at this search capture:

After compiling my findings, I organized the information and noted several key websites: Techreviewer, Venture Bay Labs, BoltGroup, Startups, The Hartford, and The Lean Startup.

Many of these approaches were too generic and didn't adequately address the "how to" aspect.

The only resource that seemed to fit my needs was BoltGroup.

Domains and Milestones

The site outlines ten essential milestones to consider (refer to the screenshot above). I identified three main areas of focus:

1. Technical – Product design (BUILD)
2. Marketing – Communication, promotion, and strategy (MARKETING)
3. Business – Pitching, selling, growth, and scaling (BUSINESS)

Here’s how each milestone aligns with its domain:

1. Outline methodology and budget – (BUILD)
2. Negotiate agreements with development partners – (BUSINESS)
3. Define brand/product/service roadmap – (MARKETING)
4. Create a compelling pitch presentation – (MARKETING)
5. Develop, test, and validate a “proof-of-concept” – (BUILD)
6. Establish your brand – (MARKETING)
7. Build, test, and refine the initial MVP – (BUILD)
8. Formulate the initial marketing strategy – (MARKETING)
9. Secure early sales with initial customers – (BUSINESS)
10. Seek additional investment – (BUSINESS)

This clarity is essential for constructing my new Notion board.

Board Structure

The Notion workspace is divided into five sections:

1. A ReadMe section explaining board navigation, quick-access links, and a to-do list for minor tasks.
2. General information.
3. The core area: milestones, our MVP roadmap, and a link to our Miro whiteboard.
4. An individual section for each member's resources.
5. A centralized database.

Let’s focus on our project management methodology.

Milestones for Our Startup

As mentioned earlier, it was crucial to delineate the milestones for our MVP. After thorough research, I compiled a list of ten milestones in Gallery view.

The goal is to establish:

1 milestone = 1 objective = 1 resource needed to achieve that objective.

MVP Roadmap

A roadmap allows me to prioritize effectively.

Each task is filtered by:

• Effort
• Value
• Trust
• Risk

I particularly emphasize task value, which helps answer the question: Where should I begin?

User Journey

Given the complexity of the product, I need to visually map the user journey to quickly access relevant information.

That’s the beauty of Notion: its ability to integrate various tools seamlessly!

Individual Access

We utilize Notion for communication and project tracking. It's crucial for everyone to find their space and necessary resources. Finally, there's a section for storing essential sources, which must remain intact.

1# How can I share my Notion board with others for free?

1. Click on "Share"
2. Enter the email address
3. Invite!

2# What are the main benefits of using Notion over other management tools?

Notion is a free, highly customizable tool that allows you to create boards as per your needs. You can easily integrate and access new tools.

3# What essential features should I include in a Notion dashboard?

Consider these key features based on your needs (I selected a few):

• Development roadmap
• Launch objectives
• Task management
• Preliminary finances (initial and forecast budgets, expenses, funding sources)
• Market research
• Product documentation
• Marketing strategy
• Concept validation
• Human resources roadmap
• Risk analysis
• Calendar of key events

4# How does Notion ensure data confidentiality and security?

With a large user base, Notion prioritizes data security, as indicated in their FAQ. Depending on your chosen plan, you may also access enhanced security measures.

1# What are the primary challenges faced by early-stage startups?

We often encounter two significant challenges:

• A lack of market and user information
  • This can be resolved through detailed market research and effective UX discovery (surveys and user interviews).
• Uncertainty about our target audience or niche
  • This can be addressed by testing our product with beta testers and iterating based on feedback.

2# How can we tackle the challenges of securing funding?

Finding funding is crucial for any startup, particularly since many founders lack business backgrounds. Here are some strategies:

• List potential funding sources (incubators, competitions, grants, angel investors, etc.)
• Refine your value proposition
• Utilize your personal and professional networks
• Clearly communicate how funds will be used and the expected ROI.

3# What challenges arise in building a brand and acquiring initial customers?

The launch phase is stressful. While we aren't there yet, several questions linger:

• How will we sell without brand recognition?
• Are we targeting the right users?
• What marketing strategy should we implement?
• How can we differentiate ourselves from competitors?

4# What common mistakes should we avoid?

While I'm not certain if we've fallen into typical traps, here are some common pitfalls noted by founders:

• Over-designing the product without user validation
• Ignoring user feedback or overemphasizing it
• Launching without adequate testing.