Overcoming Early-Stage Anxiety: How Two Founders Went From Idea to MVP Fast

Tech startups don’t always begin with a team of developers and a big bank account. Sometimes, all it takes is a clear vision, a hunger to learn, and the right community to propel you forward. That’s exactly what happened for Barb Swanson (Done Life Management Platform) and Andres Lombana (CitiTrails) when they joined the Fishburners + Bigger Sprint Program. In this blog post, we’ll explore their journeys, biggest learnings, and what they recommend for anyone planning to follow in their footsteps.

Meet Barb: Navigating a Second Career in Tech

After 20 years in corporate and already having done a tech startup two decades ago, Barb found herself with a brilliant new idea: a single command center for busy families called Done Life. She quickly discovered:?

1. Financial Readiness Is Key

Before diving into a full-time startup, Barb advises ensuring you have the financial runway to commit yourself 100%. “Figure out your budget,” she says, “because building technology takes time and resources.”

2. Use Your Corporate Superpowers

Having years of corporate experience means you can assess ideas like a business case—where will revenue come from, is it workable, and do people truly want this?

Meet Andres: Sprints, Wireframes & Golden Paths

Andres Lombana, the founder of CitiTrails, also entered the Sprint to MVP program, juggling a full-time job. Despite limited hours, he made big strides:

1. Put Your Ideas on a (Digital) Board

Andres recommends starting with a rough roadmap—whether it’s a Miro board or Lucidchart—to visualize your user’s “golden path.” Even if it changes, having something concrete helps you prioritize.

2. Rapid Validation via Customer Interviews

Forget endless speculation—Andres insists you need just 10–15 minutes per interview with potential users to gather real feedback. Five quick conversations in one day can save you months of misguided effort.

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