Tweets

@buffalo_road WOW 😮

Here's what a founder can control:

1. The product category they choose (most important)
2. How they differentiate their product competitively
3. Their skills, network, resources, experiences
4. Efficiency + effectiveness of marketing
5. How they control costs
6. How they evolve

Another factor that founders have limited influence on is societal trends.

It's not easy to predict how a culture will evolve, and how it will affect customer behavior.

Burgers might be popular today, but might become unpopular tomorrow!

https://www.translatemedia.com/translation-blog/culture-influences-consumer-purchasing-decisions/

Weather, geopolitical, and pandemic events can have a huge impact on demand and are definitely outside a founder's control.

COVID-19, for example, had a devastating effect on the restaurant market.

COVID also increased demand for a limited supply of houses.

Paradoxically, having more restaurants in a particular area can also increase demand: "culinary neighborhoods" can attract more traffic.

In business, this is called "clustering."

https://towardsdatascience.com/clustering-culinary-neighborhoods-in-vancouver-british-columbia-d8c712399874

Another factor that affects demand is competition.

If there are 4 restaurants in an area, customers split their $ among the available options.

With more options, customers might spread their spending (resulting in less $ for each place).

The amount of customer demand for a given category is often cumulative.

In the video game industry, arcades came first, then home consoles, then PC gaming...

Customer demand from one era helps feed the demand for the next.

(The supply-side also evolves: more devs, etc.)

Some new products combine demand from multiple categories:

For example, the iPhone is a pocket computer + phone + camera + camcorder + mp3 player + calendar + notepad + game console + alarm clock + radio + flashlight.

Steve Jobs' 📱 launch rode an existing wave of demand. 🌊

Most new products are an evolution of older products and benefit from pre-existing demand.

Even Kodak's original camera, released in 1888, was built on previous iterations.

Since then, each subsequent innovation has benefitted from the growing demand in the camera category.

Contrary to popular belief: we can't "create" the underlying demand for a product.

(Makers have less influence than you might think!)

Customer demand is determined by multiple factors (many of which are outside of your control).

Here's how demand is created 🧵

I read this as "I prefer founders who sweat a lot" and I was like... YES! THAT'S ME. 💦🙋‍♂️

https://twitter.com/nihalmehta/status/1512113849880690697

@jeff_codes Hahahaha. I'd be rolling down these Vernon hills like...

@thejonotron @RunnersSole @drmartens @fitmyfoot I walk about ~1 hour a day (to and from my office).

But... I'm also 41 years old and stiff. 😅

@Mike_Andreuzza @newbalance Ooh. This looks good.

What are the best walking shoes you’ve ever had? 👟

The @TransistorFM team is planning a retreat in September in Montreal.

We’re looking for accommodation for 4 people, and would prefer separate suites + bathrooms. (Plus a common room we can all hang out in)

Anyone know of awesome boutique hotels or rentals I should check out?

@dohertyjf @AndrewWarner hey! If you're recording video on your iPhone, and you want to convert it to audio + upload it as a podcast episode on @TransistorFM, you can use Shortcuts to create a workflow. 👍

@LPZolob @mjwhansen Yup. I’ve been following JTBD for years (and started writing about it in 2014):

https://justinjackson.ca/what-is-jobs-to-be-done

You can listen to @mjwhansen’s entire chat with @valsopi here:

https://overcast.fm/+RtfTaq10A

“Instead of asking ‘who is my customer?’ I tend to think about ‘what are they trying to do?’”
– @mjwhansen

💯 this.

Often, the characteristics of a customer don’t matter.

What matters is “what are a bunch of people searching for?”

@finnbuilds @tdinh_me @blackmagic_so @TransistorFM First Covid lockdown.

RT @ClimateAdam: "Individuals can't do anything about climate change"

... has become the rallying cry of wealthy individuals who can do hu…

@tdinh_me @blackmagic_so This is what our first two years of MRR growth looked like at @TransistorFM.

@fox @read_cv @_andychung @mehdimulani Nice! I’m going to try this out.

@thekylemarshall @TransistorFM Hahaha. I need to create a shadow YouTube channel for that

Recorded a ton of video today for the @TransistorFM YouTube channel.

(will end up being 3-4 separate tutorials)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY-RAM94RTpFuXvcYnRDqCA

@startupvernon @MartenBrewpub 🙌 YES

Why is increasingly difficult to hire young @laravelphp or @rails developers?

From my conversation with @taylorotwell:

In the "old days," folks would learn something like PHP first, but these days, younger developers are learning JavaScript first.

@r00k it's time to update the podcast cover art boys

@wilburpowery Nice.

Is your daily stuff just ad-hoc, or do you have a structure for “here’s what I did today” type updates?

@iamjoshfrank @DanielZarick @earthlingworks Just curious what folks are doing and why. 👍

@MichaelDeBoey93 @taylorotwell @laravelphp @rails Yup! I’ll try to get the whole thing on YouTube.

@_mattdavidson Yes! We did one day there and $$$$$

@JackEllis Do you have PM software on top of idonethis?

@NathanG And where do you post status updates?

@DanielZarick @earthlingworks Oh sweet. Have you always used Threads?

There’s this weird overlaps between Slack and our PM tool (Shortcut) for check-ins.

Trying to figure out how additional tools fit in.

@GeoffTRoberts What tool are you using for the async check-ins?

@dylanized Any special tools in Slack for the async updates?

@iamjoshfrank Any additional tools, or just Slack?

@ideasasylum I've heard from a few teams who use Basecamp only for the daily update portion ("What did you do today?").

Are you using it for everything (project management too)?

@RossDCurrie Is it virtual or in-person?

(Are you using any tools for standups?)

@NathanG Are you using a tool for that?

Hey, I'm curious:

If your team *isn't* doing the traditional in-person daily standup meeting... what are you doing instead?

@_swanson @kimberly_hacker @DanielZarick @benedictfritz @TransistorFM We're thinking about going to Montreal. 😄

The "Airbnb vs hotel" stuff definitely made me 🤔

(1 spouse, 4 teenagers, 1 inlaw, and me)

Once you've taken a family of 7 to Disneyland, everything else feels affordable. 😜

@kimberly_hacker @_swanson @DanielZarick @benedictfritz

We're getting ready to do our first @TransistorFM team retreat in the fall (hopefully!).

I found this episode super helpful. 👍 Thanks for sharing it!

https://overcast.fm/+eDn16z5Uk

@AnTheMaker loving this!

just signed up:
https://spacehey.com/mijustin

@thelarrybarker @fideloper @taylorotwell @laravelphp You can listen to it here:
https://saas.transistor.fm/episodes/taylor-otwell-2022

Longer video clip here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQnpcnVefEw

Here's a longer (13-minute) video on YouTube about @taylorotwell's thoughts on attracting more young developers to frameworks like @laravelphp and @rails:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQnpcnVefEw

@AlbanBrooke @savvycal @Calendly We've been using it at @TransistorFM for a while, and love it.

The founder, @derrickreimer, is a gem. 👍

You can also listen to the episode (and read show notes) on our new podcast website:

https://saas.transistor.fm/episodes/taylor-otwell-2022

Listen to the full @taylorotwell interview on @buildyoursaas:

🍎 @ApplePodcasts: https://apple.co/35IzHdJ

🟢 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7dGIo15BUzRUJBEP3nLesk?si=9uZEywfoQQSMz2d3AC9wSg

🌥️ @overcastfm: https://overcast.fm/+MBmXLgxPk

👩‍💻 "What's the future of the full-stack developer?"

I had a great chat with @taylorotwell (creator of @laravelphp) about this:

"Deep down, I know that full-stack development is the bread & butter of most real things happening on the ground. But on Twitter, it feels different."

@nwquah For me, it’s only 8:16am

@ninjamonk @TransistorFM 😂

The devastation and destruction by Putin’s army on innocent people is so cruel. 💔🇺🇦

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/04/why-did-they-do-this-to-us-buchas-survivors-come-out-of-hiding?CMP=oth_b-aplnews_d-1

@Erwin_AI @TransistorFM 😆

@arvidkahl @TransistorFM No plans currently (especially since Descript is so good for recording + editing, and @savvycal is so great at scheduling)

@TransistorFM 🎉🎉🎉

Ok. Re-recorded it:

https://transistor.fm/changelog/pages/

@meonlylouder @jcs224 @jsonperl @jonbuda Yeah, but this only shows up when I unplug and replug my audio interface.

Audio Hijack “beachballs” for awhile, and if I don’t quit and restart it, I get this.

@jcs224 @jsonperl @jonbuda Every once in a while Audio Hijack Pro glitches (especially if I have to reset my audio interface) and seems to add a pitch effect.

I once had an entire Zoom call with @jsonperl and @jonbuda with this same chipmunk voice problem, and they didn't tell me until the end! 🤣

(And it was a serious call where I was apologizing for something I did! 😬)

@dqmonn @TransistorFM Lol. yup.

Somehow I just recorded an entire @TransistorFM product update video in a chipmunk voice. 😩

@dohertyjf I find the repetition is helpful (for writing those out)

Historically, I’ve been chronically bad at anticipating and preparing for weekends, holidays, and special events.

I’ve started filling this out every afternoon (in Apple Notes) and it’s helped a lot. 📝👍

@MbyM @benparr @libsyn @MegaphonePods @buzzsprout @robgreenlee @AlbanBrooke @CaptivateAudio @MrAsquith @TransistorFM Yup! On @TransistorFM, when you set up a 301 redirect you can cancel your subscription, and it will stay active forever. 🤝

https://support.transistor.fm/en/article/how-do-i-cancel-my-subscription-1am8382/

I'm getting ready to publish this @buildyoursaas episode with @taylorotwell, and it's a banger.

(I realize these threads can come off as pretentious, but I'm writing them to challenge myself as much as anyone else)

The purpose of free speech and the freedom of the press is to produce a marketplace of ideas.

We need to foster a society where we (as individuals) regularly collide with ideas that make us uncomfortable.

This fragility is especially evident in tech.

We in tech have heroes that are unassailable,
ideological fantasies that are unimpeachable,
and privilege that is left unexamined.

These days, a common response to critical thinking/questioning is to accuse that person of propagating "FUD" (fear, uncertainty, and doubt).

The more we ignore uncomfortable topics, the more fragile we become.

Increasingly, it's common for people to mute/unfollow/ignore topics that make them feel uncomfortable in the name of “avoiding negativity.”

I get it. Nobody wants to consume negativity all day.

But we need to make space for exploring topics that aren't "fun."

A rational society cannot thrive if it maintains a state of blissful ignorance.

@thatmoodyguy Enjoy your vacation!

@jamesbrowning @TransistorFM 🙌

@linuz90 🔥🔥🔥

@chrisachard Nice! I’m jealous!

@jdoss I’m at that step as well!

What are you working on this week?

@PaulvdDool Thanks for sharing it!

RT @cramrov: Great post by @mijustin: "Finding a great market is like showing up to a good party." https://justinjackson.ca/party

@heyeaslo @jasonfried @peterthiel @arvidkahl @ericries @shl "The Mom Test" by @robfitz
"Deploying Empathy" by @mjwhansen
"Badass: Making Users Awesome" by Kathy Sierra

Most startups can use this same technique for promoting their product.

Often, you’ll end up ranking on YouTube and Google for those search terms. https://twitter.com/mijustin/status/1509548692184842244

@seanbenesh listening to your conversation with @deandahl now!

Enjoying it. 👍

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/intrepid-sean-benesh/id1614664180?i=1000554994001

@KateBour Thanks!

I’m wrote up a different metaphor for this feeling in today’s newsletter:

https://justinjackson.ca/party

@jimhilluk Wikipedia is probably an outlier (I can’t really think of another example like it).

They hit a certain cultural zeitgeist at the the right time; probably hard to replicate.

@jimhilluk 👍

@jimhilluk What about it?

@MattCundill Yes 💯

@jimhilluk De-centralized is more “messy,” but the tradeoffs are worth it.

Every centralized platform entices creators with the promise of better distribution, but eventually creators get punished (FB, YouTube, etc benefit).

https://justinjackson.ca/podcasts-and-capital

Yes!

This is why we need to protect RSS in podcasting.

The desire by corporations to centralize podcasting into one “YouTube-like” property won’t be good for the ecosystem.

Keep it pure. ✌️ https://twitter.com/jack/status/1510314535671922689

@patcof Thanks for sharing it!

RT @emmiefaust: Great post by @mijustin: "Finding a great market is like showing up to a good party." https://justinjackson.ca/party

@cuhpajo Hahaha

@_mattdavidson So weird

@fannin_seth I think you really need to be somewhat involved in the category to see the good opportunities (just like a surfer has to be in water to catch the good waves).

https://justinjackson.ca/surfing

And another: