I want to create a new business. A custom storybook business with hardcover printed books. Something of this scale would previously be a project of at least 6-12 months to get to a launch able MVP. However with the help of AI tools, I will launch the MVP in two weeks instead. This is not a minor speedup, but a major shift in how fast ideas can be validated nowadays.
- Set up Git repo with monorepo structure
- Initialize Next.js project with TypeScript
- Set up Vercel project and connect repo
- Create PrintAPI.nl account and get API credentials
- Create Mollie account and get test API keys
- Document chosen book specs
Codex did a great job turning this day one checklist into an integration plan for today. With each step meticulously scrutinized: public interfaces, a test plan, all assumptions listed. This way the exact tasks for the first day were crystal clear. Ready to start.
It instantly made me feel less insecure about some of the things I didn’t really use before like Next.js. I also didn’t know what a monorepo was, so the integration plan explained this too. Great, it made me learn a few things this way. For anyone curious, a monorepo is what you would expect: all your projects in one repository.
So far nothing new, you have heard me tell this story before. But the difference today is that I was far more excited doing all this with Codex. A very well made hardcover storybook starring a likeness of my own kids is something I would totally buy myself.
The idea that you are your own customer is such an undervalued strategy. It makes struggling through the hardship that always comes when building something easier.
The trough of disillusionment is a real thing. So let’s beat it upfront, by actually wanting a hardcover custom storybook to read with my kids.
Key Insight
When going through the trough of disillusionment the best defense is not discipline or more processes. It is building something you need to exist. Being your own customer, you have a need to push through the hard days.