"What actually makes a good v1? Is it supposed to be ugly or crappy?"

Some people will say "yes" here. I don't agree.

A v1 is not about being beautiful or finished. It's about offering real value. That doesn't give you permission to be sloppy or careless. Especially if you're asking people for money.

The Trade Has to Be Worth It

If someone is going to switch from what they're doing now, or pay for yet another product, the problem you're solving has to be painful or valuable enough that the trade is worth it. The return has to be high.

The quality of your work shows people how much care you put into it. People want to feel like they're in good hands, not like they're beta testing something you threw over the fence.

Minimal, Not Crappy

So I don't like "crappy." I like:

• Minimal
• Focused
• Intentional

I'd rather a v1 do very few things, but do those things well, than do twenty things poorly.

That's part of being a craftsperson. You care about the details. I don't want to ship something that makes people feel like I didn't care.