How to define a ‘minimum viable’ in your business

If you’re a coach, therapist, or wellness professional, you probably have a thousand ideas in your head: programs, workshops, online courses, challenges, memberships. And with so much inspiration often comes paralysis: Where should you start? What should you build first? How can you know if it will work before investing so much time and energy?

The answer lies in a concept that can transform the way you approach entrepreneurship in the digital world: the minimum viable.

In this article, I want to show you what it is, how to apply it to your wellness business, and why it’s the key to moving from idea to action without losing authenticity or burning out along the way.

What a minimum viable is (and what it’s not)

A “minimum viable” is a simplified version of your idea that allows you to test it quickly, with little effort and low cost, to validate if it really connects with your audience.

It’s not your perfect, final product. It’s not the “dream” version of your program. Nor is it something improvised or low quality.

A minimum viable is a first functional version that fulfills two objectives:

• It gives you the opportunity to verify if there’s real interest.
• It allows you to improve along the way based on feedback.

Why the minimum viable is vital in wellness

In health and wellness businesses, it’s common to want everything to be flawless from the start: a 20-module recorded course, a membership packed with resources, a super polished website.

The problem is, that can take months (or years), and in the end, you don’t know if anyone actually wants what you’re offering.

The minimum viable prevents that because it:

• Lets you launch sooner and generate income faster.
• Reduces the frustration of investing too much with no results.
• Gives you clarity on what works and what doesn’t in your offer.

In this sector, where trust and closeness are key, starting small and authentic is much more effective than waiting for perfection.

Examples of minimum viable in wellness businesses

Here are some practical ways to apply the concept:

• Instead of a full online course → offer a 90-minute live workshop to validate interest.
• Instead of a membership with dozens of resources → launch a group of 10 people with a weekly Zoom call.
• Instead of a sophisticated website → use a simple landing page with a form and a payment button.
• Instead of a 6-month program → start with a 4-week pilot for a small group.

The idea isn’t to do less—it’s to do just enough to learn quickly.

How to design your minimum viable step by step

Step 1. Define the main outcome
What specific transformation do you want your client to experience? Example: “Reduce anxiety in 4 weeks with simple techniques.”

Step 2. Choose the simplest format
What’s the most direct way to deliver that transformation? A workshop, a short challenge, a small group?

Step 3. Design the basic experience
You don’t need 20 lessons, only the minimum steps to guide your client toward that initial result.

Step 4. Launch a simple landing page
Explain what it is, who it’s for, and what result they’ll get. Add a registration or payment button.

Step 5. Test and gather feedback
Ask participants: What worked best? What would they improve? What would they like to learn next?

The fear of “not being ready”

Many professionals don’t launch because they feel they’re not ready yet. But the truth is: the market will tell you when you’re ready.

You can spend months preparing a perfect course and then discover your audience preferred something more practical.

The minimum viable is an antidote to that paralysis. It gives you permission to move forward with what you have today—and that’s already more than enough.

Common mistakes when creating a minimum viable

Some traps it’s easy to fall into:

• Making it too big → you lose the purpose of validating quickly.
• Neglecting quality → it’s not about being improvised, it must deliver what it promises.
• Not asking for feedback → learning is as important as revenue.
• Giving up too soon → one attempt doesn’t always show the full potential.

The hidden value of the minimum viable: learning from your audience

Beyond validating your idea, a minimum viable gives you valuable insights:

• Which messages attract the most interest.
• Which formats your audience prefers (videos, workshops, challenges).
• What objections come up at the moment of paying.
• Which results generate the most satisfaction.

With this information, you can improve your next version and get closer to what your community truly needs.

Practical steps to start today

If you want to apply this right now, here’s a mini-guide:

1. Write in one sentence the transformation you offer.
2. Choose the simplest format to deliver it.
3. Design a short pilot (a workshop, a challenge, a small group).
4. Prepare a simple landing page with a registration form.
5. Invite your community and launch.
6. After the experience, gather feedback and adjust for the next version.

Conclusion: moving forward imperfectly is moving forward authentically

Defining a minimum viable in your wellness business doesn’t mean lowering your standards—it means honoring your energy and your community’s. It allows you to break free from the cycle of endless planning, validate your ideas with real clients, and build your business step by step, sustainably.

Remember: every successful program you see in the market today started with a minimum version.

And you can also take that first step today, with what you already have on hand, trusting that clarity and improvement will come along the way.