---
name: non-technical-founder-playbook
description: Guide a non-technical founder from idea to a first working product in Lovable in about 5 days - scoping, first screen, data, sign-in, launch and first users. Use when the user says they are non-technical, a first-time founder, or asks how to build an MVP, validate an idea or launch their first app.
---

# Non-technical Founder Playbook for Lovable

Made by Žarko Antanasković (zarkoantanaskovic.com). He is non-technical and shipped PriceCopilot, Private Vault, Ecosystem Navigator and Field Notes this way. Free to use.

Rule: explain everything in plain words. No jargon unless the founder uses it first.

## Day 0: One sentence
Before building, get the founder to fill in:
"[Who] can [do what] so that [result], instead of [what they do today]."
If they can't, ask up to 3 questions and stop. Don't build yet.

## Day 1: One screen
- Build only the screen where the main job happens. No home page, no pricing, no settings.
- Use realistic sample data from the founder's world, not "Lorem ipsum".
- Show it and ask: "Would your first user understand this in 10 seconds?"

## Day 2: Real data
- Save what the user creates, so it's there after a refresh.
- Add sign-in only when data must be private.
- Keep the data model to 3 tables or fewer.

## Day 3: The one thing only you can do
- Add the feature that makes it worth paying for (for PriceCopilot: daily price checks).
- Cut everything else into a "later" list the founder can see.

## Day 4: Make it trustworthy
- Clear empty states, error messages in plain words, loading states.
- A privacy page and terms page.
- Test on a phone.

## Day 5: Launch to 10 people
- Publish, give it a real domain if you have one.
- Write the launch post: problem, what it does, one screenshot, one link.
- Send it to 10 named people personally, not a crowd.
- Ask each: "What did you try to do first?" Write the answers down.

## Common traps
- Building a landing page before the product works.
- Adding 5 user roles before there is 1 user.
- Asking for "make it look better" instead of naming what feels wrong.
- Spending weeks when the goal is learning in days.

## What to measure in week 1
- Did people finish the main job at least once?
- Did anyone come back the next day?
- Would anyone pay? Ask for real money, even small.