a startup launch, week by week: brand, app, and website in 5 to 7 weeks
our target for a full startup launch is 5 to 7 weeks, with a working preview early. here's what happens each week, and what we need from you.
by joseph zakher · 4 min read
founders often ask how we launch a brand, a web app, and a website in 5 to 7 weeks.
the honest answer: we run them side by side, on one calendar, with one small senior team.
here's the whole journey, week by week.
before week 1: a 15 minute call
it starts with a 15 minute call with me, about what you're building and who it's for.
then you get a written quote: the scope, one fixed price, and target dates.
if the idea needs shaping first, we begin with a $750 launch blueprint instead. it's a workshop to set your scope and your key user flow, with a wireframe, and it ends in a fixed quote. book the launch within 30 days, and the $750 comes off its price.
week 1: kickoff
we walk through your agreed scope together: who it's for, your three core workflows, and what launch day holds.
by the end of the week, your acceptance criteria are agreed. that one page keeps everyone honest for the rest of the launch.
for AI products, we map what your model does, and how the product shows its work. for health and wellness, we gather every sentence about the body, ready for your regulatory advisor.
weeks 1 to 2: brand
a logo, colors, typography, and short guidelines. a starter identity, ready for your product and your site.
we try every idea on real app screens before it's final. a logo that only works on a white slide is a logo you'll redraw later.
weeks 1 to 3: design
flows first, then up to eight main screens, with a clickable preview early. you get two rounds of consolidated changes.
for AI, we design every state the AI can be in, with real answers from your model. for health, every figure is shown as an estimate, explained in a plain sentence.
weeks 2 to 6: build
the team who designed your app also builds it.
a focused web app with login, a database, a billing integration, and a basic admin. you try a working preview as it grows, and the second payment comes with it.
for AI, we build the product side of your model: calling it, showing answers as they arrive, and every state in between.
weeks 3 to 5: website
words first, then design, then the site.
it comes with a CMS you can edit, basic technical SEO, and analytics on every page. for AI products, it opens with one clear sentence on what your AI does, then the product showing it.
weeks 5 to 7: launch
deployment, a handoff of every account and file, and launch day together.
then 30 days of fixes for defects against the agreed scope. your code, your website, and your accounts stay in your name from day one.
every week: a review with me
every week, we review the work together. it's the heartbeat of the launch.
small decisions get made fast. big ones get made with the whole picture on the table.
your part
a fast launch is a shared effort. here's what we ask of you:
- an hour each week for the review
- answers within a working day
- one person who can say yes
- your content and access, ready at kickoff
the weeks start once scope, content, access, and your part are ready.
after launch
some founders take it from there with their own team.
others keep us on as their product design team. growth works through your prioritized backlog, one initiative at a time. partner runs a managed product design function, alongside your engineers.
why one calendar works
brand, app, and website made together feel like one product. the people who design your app also build it, so the details survive. and an early preview means you're reacting to the real thing, from the first weeks.
where to begin
you can start with one small thing this week. that's enough.
- write down who it's for, in one sentence.
- list your three core workflows.
- block one hour a week on your calendar for the next seven weeks.
then book a call, or read what an MVP costs first.
