The Minimum Viable Process: Automating Only What Matters

Introduction

As an indiehacker, your time is precious. You have to balance building your product, engaging with users, and growing your business. Automating processes can save time, but automating too early or in the wrong areas can create unnecessary complexity. This article will help you focus on automating only what truly matters to your success.

Why Start Small?

Many indiehackers get stuck in the pain cave, investing time in automating processes before validating demand. Manual processes can reveal valuable insights, and only once these are clear should automation come into play.

Case Study: Manual Sales First

Consider an indiehacker who followed the manual sales first approach. They started by manually reaching out to potential customers via LinkedIn, learning directly from conversations. This approach not only validated their MVP but also provided invaluable customer feedback, which shaped their product.

Key Steps to Automate Wisely

1. Identify repetitive tasks: Focus on tasks that consume time but don’t require human creativity or judgment, such as customer onboarding or scheduling.

2. Test manually: Before automating, run a task manually to understand its nuances and value. For example, sending manual emails can help refine your messaging before using tools like Zapier.

3. Use lightweight tools: Tools like Google Sheets can serve as a simple MVP for tracking processes.

4. Measure impact: Track how automation affects your key metrics, such as retention or conversion rates.

Common Myths About Automation

Myth 1: You need to automate everything to scale. Manual processes often lead to deeper insights and better outcomes.

Myth 2: Automation is expensive. Many tools, like Airtable or Zapier, offer free or affordable tiers for startups.

Myth 3: Automation equals success. Success comes from solving real problems, not just scaling inefficient systems.

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Recommendations

1. Start with a single process that consumes the most time and yields low-value returns.

2. Learn from case studies like how developers transition from building to selling.

3. Regularly revisit your automated processes to ensure they align with your current goals.

Extra Tip

Combine automation with personalization. For example, use templates for outreach emails but customize the first line to make them personal.