For those who don't know, a minimum viable product is a lean product with just enough features to satisfy a potential user base while providing feedback on potential product updates or optimizations.

So, are you bored yet? I am, and I'm only 50 words in. Instead, let's talk about shoes; beautiful, wonderful, can never have enough of them, shoes. The situation: You walk into a store in search of the perfect shoes for a friend's wedding this weekend. You spot a comfortable yet stylish pair in the corner of the store, but they don't have your size. You walk to the next store, and they have the same pair but they are brown and not black. You drive all over town in desperation to what feels like every store in the country, but no one seems to have your desired size, color, or style. And now?

Nick Swinmurn found himself in a very similar situation after scouring his city for a certain pair of shoes. He figured he probably wasn't the only person who found themselves shoeless and frustrated with this lack in selection. That lead him the first step of his MVP.

The question Swinmurn wanted answers to was 'would people be interested in buying shoes online?' With this hypothesis in mind, Swinmurn went to work building the first Zappos website to see if these catalog shoppers would move online. And it worked. Today, Zappos is one of the largest online shops selling and shipping shoes and fashion items.

And the Moral of the Story is ...
... the MVP should be the first step of your business.