"MVP" or "Start smaller" is not a magic bullet; like all rules there are places where it works and where it doesn't. Figuring that out is part of your product strategy.
MVP typically has a higher chance of success in nascent markets with low competition which gives users extremely low facility to compare your product with existing products. MVP will fail if you apply it to enter a market with massive competition as users will have plenty to compare your product with, which is what happened in your case.
You have two choices, one is to enter a crowded market and go with all guns blazing - tons of features, cross-platform availability, incredible design with great UI/UX, hidden easter eggs (emotional UX), massive amounts of marketing, extreme levels of support with hands-on training, hype, offers, discounts, sales funnels etc etc etc. The other, is to find a completely new niche inside the education market where you have absolutely zero competition and where users have absolutely nothing to compare to - THIS is where the MVP/"Start Smaller" strategy will work.
MVP typically has a higher chance of success in nascent markets with low competition which gives users extremely low facility to compare your product with existing products. MVP will fail if you apply it to enter a market with massive competition as users will have plenty to compare your product with, which is what happened in your case.
You have two choices, one is to enter a crowded market and go with all guns blazing - tons of features, cross-platform availability, incredible design with great UI/UX, hidden easter eggs (emotional UX), massive amounts of marketing, extreme levels of support with hands-on training, hype, offers, discounts, sales funnels etc etc etc. The other, is to find a completely new niche inside the education market where you have absolutely zero competition and where users have absolutely nothing to compare to - THIS is where the MVP/"Start Smaller" strategy will work.