Tweets

@mhmazur @emddudley TBH, every policy is different. E&O and "Cyber Liability" are just marketing terms.

I just need insurance to protect my SaaS. 😅

@alantocheri I've been following @iamashley's story for awhile, and it seems really tough. 💪

@HiscoxSmallBiz Hiscox is who this thread is about.

One of your reps explicitly just told me this on the phone:

https://twitter.com/mijustin/status/1347270513295380480

@coverager Yes.

Imagine that: an insurance company that knows the difference between SaaS, desktop software, and someone who installs network routers.

Living the dream in Germany! https://twitter.com/seb_sebsn/status/1347284950698045449

@ianlandsman @BankMercury Haha.

We were with Capital One and we switched to @BankMercury. 😅

(We're a Delaware C-Corp so we bank in the good old US of A.)

Damn.

(We use @BankMercury btw and love them)

Mercury: 🙏 PLEASE DON'T SHUT DOWN! https://twitter.com/ShengSlogar/status/1347264665575821313

@ninan99 @pjrvs Um.

https://twitter.com/mijustin/status/1347280052157698048

@emddudley We probably don’t need General Liability, but it’s not expensive so that’s fine.

What we really need is Errors & Ommissions + Cyber Liability.

@pjrvs This is for our Delaware C-Corp. Any ideas?

(We already have one quote from Foundershield, just looking for a comparison quote from somewhere else)

OMG. I just tried applying for insurance at a different place that brands itself as "Insurance for startups."

Looked promising.

I went through the application and then got this message:

"We only provide insurance to startups who have raised at least $150,000 in VC." 🤦‍♂️

@DustinLeblanc That's essentially what they asked. 🤦‍♂️

SaaS is the highest growth, highest-margin product in the world right now...

... and yet most banks, insurance companies, brokers, lawyers, accountants, and governments have ZERO clue how we work. https://twitter.com/_brandswell/status/1347269684442390528

@_brandswell 🤦‍♂️

@tylertringas @FounderShield Yes. I got a quote from FounderShield, but everyone I showed it to says it seemed high, and that I should get a 2nd quote from Hiscox.

Got transferred to an agent who handles Cyber Liability.

"What kind of software dev do you do?" We're SaaS. We're like Gmail or Squarespace.

"Oh. We don't have an appetite for that." Um.. what?

"We cover contractors building software, but not companies who offer software."🤦‍♂️

"How often do customers visit your office?" Never. We don't have an office.

"Ok. But where do your employees work?" We're all remote.

On the phone with an insurance company that's supposed to "get" SaaS and web apps.

They have ZERO understanding of what SaaS is.

"Are you an ISP?" No.
"Do you build custom software for customers?" No.
"Do you provide IT services?" Like installing routers? No!

@dr This is looking really nice!

RT @_LexusNicole: This looks like when Scar took over Pride Rock

@blirwin @sherlyholmes 🤦‍♂️

@fannin_seth @jonbuda Thanks.

@taylorotwell Yes. Thanks for speaking up! 🙏

“This is what Donald Trump [and his enablers] have unleashed upon the United States: an unprecedented act of domestic terrorism.” – @DavidCornDC

@mattmiller757 Wait. Are these people NOT being arrested?

“This is the inevitable result of the endless lies about the election spread by President Trump.” – @JamesMartinSJ

A total disgrace.

Finally, @iChris edits our show and always does an incredible job.

We wouldn't be able to do the podcast without him.

If you need a podcast editor, I can't recommend him enough:
https://www.lemonproductions.ca/services/editing-production/

Also: @JordanGal and @CasJam really pioneered the podcast format that so many of us use now.

It's one of my favorite bootstrapped podcasts. I almost always leave thinking "I've totally felt that way," or "That's such a good idea. I should try that."

http://bootstrappedweb.com/

I will say: I think @leenyburger and @mjwhansen have the best new podcast for bootstrappers (@SoftwareSocPod).

Next year, I wouldn't be surprised if they win multiple categories:

https://softwaresocial.dev/subscribe

Thanks to everyone who nominated @jonbuda and me for this award! It's really gratifying. Thank you. 🥰

https://microconf.com/podcast-awards-2021

@SimpsonDaniK @arvidkahl Happy birthday!

@mikecodemonkey @derrickreimer @r00k After meeting Paul and Jarrod on the internet, it seemed like we were all roughly at similar spots (they were both just ahead of where I wanted to be).

I emailed them and asked if we could start doing a call every week.

https://justinjackson.ca/mastermind

@BarrettABrooks Related: https://twitter.com/aprildunford/status/1341093673782702080

@BarrettABrooks When I first started reading blogs, following folks on Twitter, and listening to podcasts I was a big fan of a handful of people...

Later, I had some of these same folks treat me like garbage on Twitter.

Ever since then, I’ve been careful about who i idolize.

Lol. Clubhouse also suffers from this problem:

https://twitter.com/jogdenUK/status/1346442437376552962

"For me, Clubhouse is like a virtual Meetup."

It really seems like Clubhouse is less an "audio startup," and more of a "networking startup."

RT @theartofchristi: THIS! This is a big freelancer delusion that I laboured under for a long time. Charge what you're worth! And a little…

5. Clubhouse is fun when it's the "cool, underground club" that only a few people know about.

But, the experience will likely get worse as more people join: more noise, less signal.

@gregisenberg I wish there was a @BankMercury in Canada.

@matteing Good morning!

@christophrumpel Better DMs for sure!

@harriskenny Yup. For me, “buyer” = person with the credit card.

#2 is about how much time, energy, and money it costs you to get a customer (variable costs).

#3 is mostly about your fixed costs (salaries, office, servers) and, most importantly, your profit.

@volkandkaya #2 is about how much time, energy, and money it costs you to get a customer (variable costs).

#3 is mostly about your fixed costs (salaries, office, servers) and, most importantly, your profit.

@TransistorFM @thatsathingYEG @elizadeathYEG frequently, you surprise me with these perfectly delivered comedy lines.

You’re one of the few podcasters who can make me laugh out loud! 😆

(H/t to @KarenUnland for setting this one up)

@lexpaval @sjkelleyjr Yup! That’s me. 👋

@JordanMorgan10 @venikunche @megamaker Yup! Working on @TransistorFM full-time, but still very much involved with @megamaker. 👍

On second thought, maybe it should be:

3. Make sure the numbers work.

@robertmclaws I entirely agree with you (I’m the guy who’s always saying “the pull of the market determines your rate of success”).

But… you can reduce costs, increase leads, improve conversion.

Maybe it sould b: “Make sure the numbers work."

@philipggarland @skyebelote @indievc 👋 Happy to chat.

Our story:
https://justinjackson.ca/bootstrap

@CorbettBarr I woke up at 4:30am excited. Just laid in bed excited. I’m excited.

As a business, you need to do three things well:

1. Make something people want.
2. Reach buyers efficiently.
3. Make the numbers work.

@stympy @CasJam @stripe +1

@jesseleite85 Whoa! Congrats!

@satpalparmar Thanks!

@mattragland Nice work! Great way to start the new year. 💪

@jovvvian @colinmochrie So good. As a Canadian kid who grew up in the country, it was one of the few shows we got on tv. 👍

Y’all get the reference, right?

“Hey, welcome to Digital Advertising, the show where everything is made up and the points don't matter.” https://twitter.com/nandoodles/status/1345903078357270528

He’s completely unhinged. https://twitter.com/keithedwards/status/1345796238722129923

@pjrvs @usefathom I need to implement goal tracking on @TransistorFM’s site. 😅

(I’ve been too lazy to look into it yet)

@venikunche That’s all that matters!

❤️

@mynameis_davis Is it not loading for you?

@paleochef I need to go to bed earlier! 😬

RT @mijustin: What ruins creativity:

Bitterness.
Insecurity.
Pettiness.
Jealousy.
Shame.
Hurts.
Fear.
Ego.

@jayclouse There are certain roles where being a generalist has very little downside.

I found that traversing “the gaps” as a generalist was hard (“damn, who’s going to hire me at the salary I need?”), but once your breakthrough in certain positions it’s all upside.

@gonedark Totally.

It can definitely work! I think it’s often like this in the dev market (where developers build things they want to use).

It can work, because “software devs” is a big market hungry for tools/education that helps them do their work better.

It’s a pretty unique market.

@HarryStebbings This is not a normal thing for a VC to say. 😅

As a bootstrapper, I agree with you!

But as a VC: how are you going to get a return on your investment if there’s no acquisition? (Isn’t that how most investments work?)

@bnchrch Nice! 🙌

RT @mijustin: @CorbettBarr I think what’s interesting is the change in the role of “tastemakers.” It used to be white men, in executive boa…

@gonedark Glad you enjoyed the episode!

I think you’re misunderstanding my position.

I’m advocating that you go after groups that are already pulling for your product. You’re not trying to “break trail;” you’re responding to demand that already exists.

https://justinjackson.ca/misconceptions

@zenfounder I think a lot of the pull is “networking.” https://twitter.com/mijustin/status/1345521568307298304

@CorbettBarr I think what’s interesting is the change in the role of “tastemakers.” It used to be white men, in executive boardrooms.

Now, it’s “taste discerners.” Folks who learn to identify the pull of the market, and respond to that pull with a well-executed solution.

@siddharthkp Great photos!

Happy new year. 🥳

@michaeldyrynda Yes

RT @ianlandsman: Think you can also be passion adjacent. There's a lot of this in software. You might love building software, but you're no…

@CorbettBarr But isn’t Netflix a gatekeeper? What did they know that everyone else didn’t?

@metajess Haven't tried Bramble yet.

4. VC funding (and their desired returns).

Based on their last round of investment, Clubhouse is currently valued at $100 million.

VCs want a return on their $12 million investment. Typically, for consumer-focused startups, that means running ads (and lots of them).

3. Audio quality. Because folks are mostly using earbuds the audio on Clubhouse is not great.

It also frequently cuts out as people go on elevators, drive into a zone with no service, or lose their wifi connection.

2. When I open my podcast app, it's almost guaranteed there will be something I want to listen to.

But 9/10 I open the Clubhouse app and there's nothing I want to listen to (or participate in).

1. Many of the rooms I've been in feel like a giant networking event more than an "audio experience."

There's nothing wrong with this, but it's in a tricky spot for Clubhouse, because when I'm in "listening mode" I'm not necessarily in "networking mode."

Clubhouse (the social audio app) has potential, but it also has multiple challenges.

@fortelabs I was 15 years old!

A lot of classic albums came out that year.

@BarrettABrooks These seem pretty accurate for me.

Honestly, the self-reinforcing nature of these tests is what I like about them. 😜

@songadaymann @siracusa @cottonbureau Love that room! So much natural light. ☀️🌅

@missbikesalot 💯 this.

@petebernardo Thanks!

Yes: margin is everything.

@j_schirrmeister Thanks!

@peldi Thanks Peldi!

All the best to you and your family as well!

2021 is going to be a great year. 🙌

@mo_salhan The market you choose, and the idea that you focus on are the most critical business decisions you’ll make. They determine your trajectory. 

Yes, how you execute is a part of that, but the idea itself sets your ceiling for success.

@hrishio Yes. It’s really good.

I've just written my 2020 year in review.

I mostly write these for myself, as a way of tracking my progress.

But, if you've been following my journey (some of you since 2008!), you might also find it interesting.

You can read it here:
http://justinjackson.ca/2020-review

@edimoldovan Thanks Ed!

Wishing you all the best this year! 🎉

@ryangibsonuk Glad you found it meaningful!

Wishing you and your family all the best in 2021!

@daavisn Thanks Davis!

“This torrent of stimuli demands our fleeting-yet-shallow attention. Each source and piece of content tugs at us, sorts us, divides us, and distracts us.”

Reading @sivavaid:

“‘is it Facebook or we who are the problem?’ Again, the answer is “yes.” We are Facebook as much as Facebook is us.”

An important read:

https://newrepublic.com/article/160661/facebook-menace-making-platform-safe-democracy

“It’s easy to start an Insta account, but once everyone does it, the chances of becoming a top .01% traffic generating influencer are close to zero.”

Really great piece by Seth:

https://seths.blog/2021/01/a-simple-quadrant-for-choices/

@smithtimmytim As someone who left the religion I grew up in (fairly late in life, in my late 20s), I know a bit of how you’re feeling.

I’ve found way more freedom outside of the church than in it. 🙌