We measure time-to-value (TTV) in days, not months. Even for your initial onboarding.
Don't spend your time building and tuning your database. Describe an object model and let the platform do the rest.
Build while using the system and use the system while building the platform. Evolve as necessary so you never miss a beat.
Start with a pre-built system for a specific aspect of your organization and evolve as quickly or as slowly as you want. You can even migrate from an old system without losing data, even before the new system fully supports your old data.