Your creativity makes you strong, independent and free.

Hi, I’m Justin. I make stuff for makers. I want to help you reach more people with the things you create.

Justin Jackson, Canadian product person and maker. Not a basketball player.

I just published Marketing for Developers, and I’m working on a new project called MegaMaker.

My biggest creative fear

As product people, we don’t want to create something that’s just good. We want it to resonate with people. When I launch something new, my biggest fear is that people won’t like it, won’t care, or won’t show up. Additionally, a lot of people I know also struggle to promote the things they’ve made. These two pain points are related. If you’re not confident that people will like what you’ve made, it’s hard to promote it.…

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You can't split-test human experience

You can’t split test human experience

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The problem with advice is that it’s not testable. When you ask someone for their secret to success they’ll say things like: “This class changed my life,” or “I get up and meditate every morning at 3am.” Attributing an individual’s success to one or two factors is a fool’s bet (especially if you try to replicate it). No one can say emphatically “this is why I’m successful” because there’s no way to test that claim. Jen…
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Sunset on Silver Star mountain in British Columbia

Make stuff and be happy (2015 year in review)

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When I make stuff, I’m happy. When I don’t make stuff, I’m not as happy. This theme keeps getting reinforced, year after year. I get energy from creating something and putting it out into the world. Having people connect with something you’ve made is a great reward. Here are some things I shipped in 2015:
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Documentaries you should watch: Untethered

Documentaries you should watch this holiday

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I love watching documentaries. Here are my top picks for you this holiday season. Inspirational Untethered – 30 minutes Vimeo Website Shot in my province of British Columbia, Canada, this is filmmaker Levi Allen’s first documentary. The whole thing is breathtaking and inspiring. It follows the story of slackliner Spencer Seabrooke as he attempts to break the world record for longest highline walked without a harness. The Battered Bastards of Baseball – 80 minutes Netflix Rotten Tomatoes My…
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"Make more stuff" - Justin Jackson

More stuff, or better stuff?

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Should you make multiple things, or just focus on one? 37signals started making products 16 years ago. Their early hit was Basecamp, but they went on to release over 11 products (notably Backpack, Campfire, Highrise, and Sortfolio). Then in 2014 they decided to focus. They sold, shut down, or spun-off everything except for Basecamp. In their announcement, they explained why: We’ve released so many products over the years, we’ve become a bit scattered, a bit…
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Business is all about luck

You’re lucky

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A few people on the internet just have it made. They had a head start. They got the fame. They got the opportunities. And finally, they collected the riches. We look at those people and think: “They’re lucky.”
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Launch strategies

Three simple launch tactics

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I just released my new book, Marketing for Developers. The experience is still fresh in my mind, and I wanted to share three simple tactics that worked for me that you can use for your next launch.
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Final mile: Justin Jackson biking in Vernon BC

The last mile

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The last mile is always the hardest. I’m soaked from the rain. My tires spit with every spin, speckling my face with mud. I turn right on 43rd, and start pedalling up the hill. And it gets steeper. Steeper than I like. Cranks groan with every push, and so do my knees. I’m tired.
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Start a new chapter

Start a new chapter

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Yesterday was my birthday. I turned 35. BTW: does this make me older than you? We measure our time on earth in birth years, which feels more significant to me than New Years. Each year that passes reminds me: I don’t have infinite years on this planet. My development to this point is what I’ve been able to accomplish in 35 years. How can improve myself in my 36th year?