How much does it cost to build an AI MVP?

An AI MVP with Zero to Ten typically starts with The Discovery Sprint (2-4 weeks) to validate the concept and define scope before any build investment. Full MVP development costs vary widely depending on complexity, but working with a solo fractional CTO like Rick Deacon is significantly more cost-effective than a dev agency.

How long does a Discovery Sprint take?

The Discovery Sprint runs 2-4 weeks. By the end, you have a Problem Validation report, Solution Architecture, AI Integration Map, Security Foundation recommendations, and a Launch Roadmap.

What's the difference between a fractional CTO and a dev shop?

A fractional CTO is embedded in your team, setting technical strategy, making architectural decisions, and being accountable for outcomes. A dev shop executes tickets and hands off code.

Do you work with non-technical founders?

Yes. Most clients are non-technical founders who have a clear problem and market insight but need a technical partner to translate that into a product.

What industries do you specialize in?

Rick Deacon has deep experience in cybersecurity, Web3, fintech, automotive, and B2B SaaS, spanning companies from Y Combinator-backed startups to Fortune 500 security clients.

What AI tools and frameworks do you use?

The stack depends on the use case. Common tools include OpenAI and Anthropic APIs for LLM integration, LangChain and custom agent frameworks for AI workflows, Supabase for real-time data and auth, and React/Vite for frontend.

How is this different from hiring a development agency?

Agencies are optimized for throughput across many clients. Zero to Ten is optimized for your outcome. Rick works directly on your product, no project managers, no handoffs, no scope creep.

What happens after the Discovery Sprint?

After the Discovery Sprint, you have three options: proceed to Build & Launch with Zero to Ten, take the deliverables to a team of your choosing, or use the roadmap to raise funding. No obligation to continue.

Do you offer ongoing support after launch?

Yes. After launch, ongoing support is available as a retainer covering technical strategy, AI systems maintenance, team hiring and management, and continued product development.

Why should I choose a solo builder over a firm?

Firms add overhead. With Zero to Ten, you pay for Rick's time and output directly. His background includes co-founding a YC startup (Apozy, W17), building and exiting RADwood to Hagerty, and launching Interlock to 30,000+ weekly users.

Strategy

Finding Product-Market Fit: A Builder's Framework

2026-02-10 · 11 min

PMF Is a Process, Not a Moment

The mythology around product-market fit suggests it's a sudden revelation. One day your product isn't working, the next day it is. In reality, PMF is a gradual process of tightening the fit between what you're building and what the market needs. You don't wake up one morning with PMF. You iterate toward it through a thousand small adjustments informed by real user behavior.

I've been through this process with multiple companies. Apozy found PMF when we stopped selling browser security and started selling compliance peace of mind. Interlock found PMF when we focused on Web3 users who were actively losing assets, not general consumers who might theoretically want protection. RADwood found PMF when we stopped thinking of ourselves as a car show and started building a community platform.

The Signals That Matter

Retention is the only reliable signal. Not signups, not press coverage, not investor interest. Users who come back unprompted, repeatedly, and get upset when the product is down. At Interlock, we knew we had PMF when users started filing bug reports instead of just uninstalling. They cared enough to help us fix problems instead of switching to an alternative.

Revenue is the second signal, but only organic revenue. If users pay without heavy sales effort, without discounts, and without being convinced, you're getting close. If every sale requires a demo, a trial, a discount, and a follow-up sequence, you might have a sales motion but not product-market fit.

How I Measure It

The Sean Ellis test is a starting point: ask users "how would you feel if you could no longer use this product?" If 40%+ say "very disappointed," you're in PMF territory. But I supplement this with behavioral data: weekly active usage rates, feature adoption depth, organic referral rate, and churn patterns.

The framework I use with founders is simple. Track three numbers weekly: retention rate (users who come back), activation rate (users who reach the "aha" moment), and referral rate (users who bring others). If all three are trending up simultaneously, you're converging on PMF. If one is flat or declining, that tells you exactly where to focus.

Common Mistakes

Building for too broad an audience. PMF is easier to find in a narrow niche than a broad market. Interlock didn't try to be "browser security for everyone." We built for Web3 users who had already been phished or knew someone who had. That specificity made the product compelling to a defined group instead of vaguely interesting to a large one.

Confusing growth with fit. You can grow through marketing spend without having PMF. The test is what happens when you stop spending. If growth continues organically, you have fit. If it stops immediately, you have a marketing channel, not a product the market wants.

The Framework

Start narrow. Pick a specific user with a specific problem and solve it completely. Measure retention and organic referrals. Iterate weekly based on what the data tells you, not what you wish it said. Expand the audience only after you've nailed the fit for the initial group. PMF in a niche is the foundation for growth in a market.