Which Roles Should You Bring On First When Building An MVP

When launching an MVP the goal is to test your idea as with minimal delay as possible, using just enough functionality to confirm market demand. Hiring too many people too soon can burn through your cash and distract from your core mission. Instead, target only the essential functions that actively develop your MVP.



Your first non-founder hire is a lead developer. This individual must be able to code the core functionality, choose the right tech stack, and iterate rapidly based on early adopter input. They don’t need to be an expert in every technology, but they must be resourceful and нужна команда разработчиков adaptable, and comfortable working alone. If you lack coding skills, hiring this person is absolutely essential.



After that, onboard a product manager—or someone who can step into that role. This person doesn’t need years of experience, but they must deeply understand user needs, prioritize features effectively, and bridge the gap between the developer and potential customers. They ensure the team is focused on impact—not just churning out code. In lean ventures, this role is often filled by the founder if they have product intuition.



After the MVP foundation is solid, bring in a designer focused on UX who can map intuitive workflows. A great UX designer doesn’t need to deliver high-fidelity mockups immediately—but can identify friction points that make your MVP intuitive and accessible. A minimalist design can make a huge difference in first-round user surveys.



Hold off on bringing on marketing specialists, service reps, or salespeople until you have a working product. Run early campaigns on your own through online communities, product hunt, or cold emails to influencers. Support should be managed by founders at first—this also gives you firsthand understanding of user struggles.



The secret is ruthless focus while accelerating development. Each addition must directly contribute to developing, validating, or refining the MVP. After user feedback confirms value, then you can expand your team with support staff. Bringing on the wrong people prematurely creates inefficiency and derails your primary objective: demonstrating market fit.