M5 — Build Worksheet

Six pages. The point: cut scope, lock the build stack, name the first buyers, ship in 30 days. A worksheet that won't let you hide behind another revision.

Page 1 — Scope cut

Run this page after prompt 2. The version that ships is the version that fits on this page.

Feature / page / integration Pays for it (A) / table stakes (B) / nice (C) / vanity (D) In v1? Y/N If N, trigger to add it back
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
  • The v1 bundle in one paragraph (what the customer gets, and what they explicitly don't): _____
  • The feature I cut that hurt most — and why I cut it anyway: _____
  • If the v1 bundle still takes more than 30 days to ship, the next cut is: _____

Page 2 — Build stack

One row per layer. Bias to fewer tools.

Layer Tool chosen Why this tool over alternatives Realistic build time The one human decision AI doesn't make here
Content / copy / brand voice
Interface / front-end
Logic / back-end / automation
Payments + delivery
Ops / fulfilment
  • Total tools in stack: ___ (if more than 5, what comes out)
  • The integration most likely to break and my fallback if it does: _____

Page 3 — 30-day ship plan

Working backwards from ship day. Outcomes are artefacts, not activities.

Week Dates Outcome (demonstrable artefact) Blocker most likely to slow this week First action Monday morning
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4 (ship + first buyers)
  • The single hardest week and why: _____
  • Ship day (locked, written down, told to one other person): _____
  • The person who holds me to it: _____

Page 4 — First-5-buyers list

Named humans. Not personas. If you can't name them, you haven't done M2 properly.

# Name How I know them / source Intent signal from M2 (1-5) Ease of reaching (1-5) Message version (warm / lukewarm) Message sent date Outcome
1
2
3
4
5
Backup 1
Backup 2
Backup 3
  • The buyer I'm most nervous to message — and why I message them first anyway: _____
  • The price stated in the message (no discount, no 'founding member' gimmick unless real): $___

Page 5 — Feedback loop

Run within 7 days of each purchase. Five questions, exact wording.

The five questions I ask each of the first 3-5 buyers:

  1. _____
  2. _____
  3. _____
  4. _____
  5. _____
Buyer Date conversation booked Date conversation done Top signal from this conversation Acted on now / logged for v2 / ignored on purpose
1
2
3
4
5
  • The piece of feedback I'm most tempted to act on but won't, and why: _____
  • The piece of feedback I almost ignored but will act on, and why: _____

Page 6 — The one-page MVP brief

Print this. Pin it next to the founder frame from M4.

The MVP in one sentence (a buyer would understand it):
_____

In v1: _____
Explicitly not in v1: _____

Build stack (tool by layer):

  • Content: _____
  • Interface: _____
  • Logic: _____
  • Payments + delivery: _____
  • Ops: _____

30-day ship plan:

  • Week 1: _____
  • Week 2: _____
  • Week 3: _____
  • Week 4 (ship): _____

First 5 buyers (named):
1. _____   2. _____   3. _____   4. _____   5. _____

Feedback questions locked. Yes / No
Ship day + 30 review date: _____

Signed and dated by me: _____    Date: _____
Witnessed by one other person who'll hold me to the ship date: _____