Bootstrapping an educational software startup: MVP decisions and early customers

[OliviaUH]

I'm in the early stages of bootstrapping a startup focused on educational software, and while I've secured some initial freelance work to fund development, I'm hitting the classic wall of trying to build a product, acquire users, and manage cash flow entirely on my own. My biggest immediate challenge is prioritizing which features are essential for a viable first release versus what can wait. For fellow founders who have successfully bootstrapped a tech product to market, what were your most critical early decisions regarding resource allocation, and how did you validate demand and acquire your first paying customers without a marketing budget?