[seanwilson]

So you're considering the worst case scenario is 1) you release the MVP 2) a competitor sees it and releases a finished copycat version within say 6 months 3) they take all your business?

If this were true and the only thing standing between you and success is a small head start, then you'd lose anyway as skipping step 1 will only buy you a small window of time.

Releasing a polished, targeted, marketed and paid product takes a massive amount of time and mental energy. Realistically, most indies have projects they're working on already and can't finish, and other teams aren't going to switch direction without a very good reason. Copycats will never be exactly the same either so there should always be a way to differentiate yourself.