Launching a micro-SaaS – build MVP first or start with email list?

Hey folks,

I’m a solopreneur working on a micro-SaaS idea and I’m stuck figuring out the best launch strategy. The internet advice is all over the place

• Some say start by collecting an email list to validate if people are even interested.
• Others say build an MVP first so potential users actually know what they’re signing up for.

Both make sense, but it’s kind of overwhelming to choose the right direction.

For those of you who’ve actually launched micro-SaaS products:
Did you start with an audience/email list?
Or did you build a barebones MVP first and then validate?

What worked best for you?