How to Build a Minimum Viable Model (MVM) in 3 Steps
If you're feeling overwhelmed by the thought of creating a fully fleshed-out AI character from scratch, you’re not alone. The process can seem daunting with all the details involved. But here’s the good news: you don’t have to go all-in right away. You can start small and build a Minimum Viable Model (MVM)—a streamlined version of your character that gives you a solid foundation to build upon later. Think of it as a fast-start strategy for creators who want to get their feet wet without getting bogged down in endless details.
In just three simple steps, you can have your MVM up and running and start sharing content with your audience.
Step 1: Define Your Niche
The first step in building a Minimum Viable Model is defining who your character is for and what niche you're serving. This is the most important part of your foundation, as it will inform every decision moving forward.
Why Niche Matters:
It shapes the content you create.
It guides your aesthetic and tone.
It helps you connect with a specific, engaged audience.
Ask yourself:
Who is my target audience? Are you catering to fashion enthusiasts, anime fans, virtual travelers, or perhaps fantasy lovers?
What kind of fantasy or emotional experience do they seek? Do they want escapism, relatability, or exclusivity?
What gaps exist in this niche that I can fill? Is there a unique angle or specific need that your character can fulfill?
Once you've answered these questions, your niche should be clearly defined, giving you a target to aim at with all of your creative efforts. But here’s where you need to think beyond the immediate—this is about playing the long game.
When defining your niche, consider where your audience is heading over the next few months or years. It's essential to build a character that can grow and adapt with your audience. A clear niche gives you direction not just for today’s content, but for the future strategy of your brand.
Step 2: Choose a Look
With your niche in mind, it's time to determine the look of your model. This step doesn’t have to be as complicated as it sounds. In fact, simplicity is key when building a Minimum Viable Model.
How to Choose Your Model's Look:
Pick a style that resonates with your niche. If your niche is anime fans, go for a stylized, exaggerated look. If it’s for a more mature audience on monetized platforms, consider a more hyper-realistic approach.
Keep it consistent. Choose a limited color palette and consistent design features like hairstyle, clothing, and accessories that reflect the personality and tone you want to convey.
Start with one core design. Don't worry about having hundreds of variations at this stage. Focus on creating a look that can serve as the "face" of your brand.
This step is all about finding the balance between being visually compelling and staying within the realm of what's manageable for you.
Step 3: Create 12 High-Quality Images
Once you've defined your niche and chosen your model's look, it’s time to generate your content. The key here is quality, not quantity. Aim for 12 high-quality images that represent the core aspects of your character.
How to Create High-Quality Content:
Focus on diversity within your 12 images. Think about different environments, poses, and scenarios that fit your niche and show your model's versatility. For example, if you're building a travel-based model, include images from different locations—beach, cityscape, countryside, etc.
Make sure the images reflect your model’s personality and niche. These initial 12 images should demonstrate the emotional or fantasy experience your audience is looking for. Are they seeking luxury? Adventure? Romance? Make sure the images tell that story.
Use consistent prompts and settings. To ensure that your images are cohesive, save your most successful prompt settings, LoRA configurations, and model parameters so they’re repeatable and consistent.
These 12 images will serve as the backbone of your content. They’ll give your audience a clear idea of who your character is and what they can expect from your brand.
The Reality: Think Long-Term and Stay Focused
While creating an MVM allows you to quickly launch your AI model, it’s essential to keep one thing in mind: you need to think long-term. Don’t make the mistake of thinking small-scale is only temporary. Building your MVM is just the beginning, but it’s the first step towards creating a sustainable AI character brand that can evolve over time.
Why This Matters:
A short-term focus might seem like a quick win, but without a content strategy, you risk wasting time and money by creating random content that doesn’t align with your future goals.
To succeed long-term, your content needs to evolve in a way that continuously attracts and engages your target audience. That means having a strategy that includes knowing when and how to scale, diversify, and refine your character's content.
Building your MVM is a way to avoid the temptation of producing excessive content that isn’t well-thought-out. Instead of overproducing right from the start, you’ll focus your efforts on creating a solid, compelling foundation that resonates with your audience. By doing so, you can maximize your resources, minimize waste, and create content that feels meaningful rather than just filling up space.
Bonus Tip: Iterate and Improve as You Go
Your Minimum Viable Model doesn’t have to be perfect. In fact, it shouldn’t be! The idea is to get started quickly and build on your foundation as you learn more about your audience and refine your model. As you continue to generate content, gather feedback from your audience, and iterate on your character’s look and story. Over time, you’ll be able to expand and evolve the model into something even more powerful and aligned with your niche.
Conclusion: Start Small, Build Big—But Don’t Lose Focus
Building a Minimum Viable Model (MVM) isn’t about rushing through the creative process or cutting corners. It's about starting with a clear, achievable goal: creating a functional and engaging character that can serve as a stepping stone toward a larger, more developed persona.
By focusing on these three key steps—defining your niche, choosing a look, and creating 12 high-quality images—you can launch your AI creation journey with confidence, even if you’re feeling overwhelmed. But remember: keep your long-term strategy in mind. Think about how your character and content will evolve over time. Avoid wasting resources on short-term experiments that won't serve your bigger vision.
Start small, and as you learn and grow, your model will evolve along with you. The best part? You'll be doing it with purpose, focus, and a clear content strategy that drives your success.
Ready to start your MVM? Grab our Creator Guide to get step-by-step instructions on building your character, from niche selection to image generation. Available now!
