Can we code faster and add this one cool feature before tomorrow’s customer demo?
We’ve all heard it. Maybe we’ve even said it.
That mix of excitement and panic before showing something new to a customer.
But here’s the thing, building a new feature under a tight deadline can be done… if you handle it the right way.
Here’s what’s worked for me:
Acknowledge the excitement, but set boundaries early.
“That’s a great idea — let’s see what’s feasible without risking what’s already working.”
It’s not about saying no, it’s about being smart with time and risk.
The risk might be worth to get a big customer opportunity.
Differentiate demo-ready from production-ready:
Sometimes a quick prototype or mock interaction is enough to show the vision.
You don’t need to ship a finished product overnight.
→ Use feature flags or demo branches.
→ Keep experiments isolated so you can show the idea without breaking the main build.
→ Timebox it.
“We’ll give it 4 hours. If it’s not demoable by then, we move on.”
This keeps focus and protects the team’s sanity.
Be transparent with the customer:
“We’ve been exploring something new — it’s early, but we wanted you to see the direction.”
Customers love the honesty and the ambition behind it.
The goal isn’t to say no to creativity, it’s to channel it responsibly so the team doesn’t burn out chasing a last-minute idea.
Balance excitement with execution. That’s how you build trust, not just features.
How do you handle last-minute feature requests before big demos?
Early in my career, I specialized in the Python language. Python has been a constant in my professional life for over 10 years now. In 2018, I moved to London where I worked at companies of various sizes as a Python developer for five years. In parallel, I developed my activity as a Mentor, to which I now dedicate myself full-time.