Tweets

Things that bug me about some of the email newsletters I've been getting:

1. Typeface is too small, and almost always Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif.
2. The first few lines don't remind me: "Who are you? What does your product do again?"

Created a monthly coaching plan on @podiadotcom a few days ago.

Already have 3 subscribers. 😮

https://justinjackson.podia.com/coaching

Discomfort is the key to growth.

(I don’t like discomfort either, but I’m trying to lean into it, instead of avoiding it all the time)

https://twitter.com/KristyT/status/950904062370656257

🎄 Merry Christmas, from my family to yours! 🛷

Digital addiction is a mental health issue.

Technology always has a flip side.

There are benefits (convenience, speed, connectivity, creative empowerment)

But we don’t always see the negatives: loss of jobs, tech addiction, human isolation, consolidation of power...

There's something to be said for minamalist websites / apps that work on bad wifi:

1. http://news.ycombinator.com
2. http://justinjackson.ca/words
3. Tweetdeck
4. http://discourse.org forums
5. Telegram

One of the most vulnerable and honest interviews I've given about building an indie business:

https://overcast.fm/+Jq69Z9zM

https://twitter.com/LucyRobeson/status/930504048180125696

Whoa! I just got featured in this @NNgroup piece on brutalism: https://www.nngroup.com/articles/brutalism-antidesign/

👍

Marketers, PLEASE. There's nothing worse than a cold email where you're clearly being lazy and know nil about me or my business.

Great side-project marketing list by @karlhughes @karlhughes/dont-think-about-marketing-your-side-project-445c413521" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.indiehackers.com/@karlhughes/dont-think-about-marketing-your-side-project-445c413521

I'm looking to write some case studies on founders who have companies making $100k+ in profits.

If that's you, email me: words@megamaker.co

1/ "Success takes showing up every day for years." – @seanwes, Overlap. I agree with Sean. A few thoughts on this...

Reviewing this list I made back in January: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G0UX1NnTw5J1jiz3GxxN0RCJy5SGHJtDZAjPD6Bbx2s/edit?usp=sharing

NYC. A bit busier than my little town in BC, Canada. 😂

Any SEO advice on competing with an NBA celebrity who has the same name as you? 😅🏀

// @moz @randfish @Backlinko

I've learned this first hand.

You can't sweep things under the rug. Deal with the hard stuff.

https://twitter.com/EdLatimore/status/879859763215036416

First time driving in a Tesla!

Every pitch you write should essentially be:

"This is how I'll make your life better."

Had an awesome chat about bootstrapping products with @laurium! 🙌

Coming soon to http://youtube.com/justinjackson and @productpeopletv 👍

96% done.

Gettin' real close.

https://megamaker.co/list

Say what you want about Clinton, but the rest of the world fears only two words come Tuesday:

"President Trump"

The most basic measure for deciding if something should exist is:

“Does it improve the consumer’s life?"

Questions to ask before u build that product:

1. Does the customer have access to the credit card?

2. Do multiple people have to sign off?

Working on a huge update to @marketingdevs. Adding new videos, new interviews, and exercises. Building it on a new platform: @withcoach 🙌

Just say NO to shit that sucks.

Make money from your tiny podcast https://justinjackson.ca/tinypodcast/

This is how 90% of marketing works:

Make stuff that people want to share with their friends.

If you're in product, and you're struggling, this video by @natekontny is for you:

https://youtu.be/X8cIGygonss

(I ❤️ all of Nate's stuff)

This week only, I’m doing a $9 pre-sale of @joltbook.

If you’ve wanted to get something I’ve made, now’s the time!

http://gum.co/joltbook/preorder

Lol @LaurenGoode 😂

Great story by @johnaveri:

1. PH launch; got 3800 free users
2. Only 5 upgraded
3. Did ☎️ sales
4. Profitable!

@johnaveri/monitorbook-from-side-project-to-profitable-company-a-journey-into-sales-3bed8a4b759c#.dcv1t3m0i" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://medium.com/@johnaveri/monitorbook-from-side-project-to-profitable-company-a-journey-into-sales-3bed8a4b759c#.dcv1t3m0i

"Just before I launch anything, I question everything. And then, I launch it anyway." - @pjrvs

"When you're writing, or giving a talk, cut out everything that's not surprising." - @sivers

Dear Google Apps for Work:

I’m still waiting for a way to change the primary domain on my email address.

Sincerely,
Everyone

Love living in #vernonbc. A quick drive up the mountain and you're in a winter wonderland.

People don’t see an ad → buy.

It’s more like this:

Build rapport → see ad → buy

or

See ad → build rapport → buy

or

Build rapport → buy

Your product can't just be good.

It must also be desired.

"This is what it's all about. If you can create a good life for your family, you're a success." - @patio11 #microconf

Just published a new blog post:

http://justinjackson.ca/startups-should-make-money/

"Startups should make money"

If you're wondering what it's like to be 35: yesterday my 5 year old came up to me, cupped my pecs and said "nice boobs dad."

"I’m convinced...half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance."

- Steve Jobs

Make something people desperately want > Make something people want > Make something you want > Make something

“The secret to happiness is freedom. And the secret to freedom is courage.”
— Thucydides

I'm on the internet.

Marketing:

Your landing page should feature the customer's biggest problem. You have 5 seconds to show that you understand their #1 issue.

Defining your target market?

Look for the sweet spot.

"The biggest mistake that startups make is they build things that people don't want." - @hnshah

Check out @TransistorFM in the new @kit App Store! 🎉 https://twitter.com/nathanbarry/status/1846575053384958393

This response is too good to have buried in the thread:

https://x.com/aarondfrancis/status/1839673295341277287

Instant memories https://twitter.com/Alphafox78/status/1832232093163610407

In the air, love looking out the window.

"Controversy is guaranteed to draw attention."

This makes me sad.

Posts created purposely to bait people and generate arguments... ugh.

Conversely, some topics ARE controversial and should be discussed, but are cynically labeled as "engagement farming."

🎯

“I’ve seen more companies using a 7-day free trial with a credit card required. I’ll cut to the chase—this model is not always loved by potential customers, but it’s often the best model. Especially for small, bootstrapped companies.”
– @GeoffTRoberts

Committing to a mediocre idea is almost worse than committing to a bad idea because bad ideas reveal themselves as "bad" much sooner.

(Whereas folks will continue working on a mediocre idea for longer because they're seeing some results)

Every successful small business owner I know has found the same thing (by luck, intuition, or iteration):

A product category where there is a high volume of customer demand.

The goal of marketing isn’t to “get more traffic.”

The goal is to “get more of the traffic that leads to revenue.”

If you're a fan of the @AcquiredFM podcast:

I'm streaming the interview I did with @djrosent now. Would love for you to join me in the chat!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FHeCQK64J4

Sometimes, more friction is better.

The tech industry is obsessed with reducing friction and creating experiences that "make things easier."

Often, this results in a better UX.

But "making things easier" isn't always the right solution!

When we launched @TransistorFM on Product Hunt in 2018 we had a dream to work on the business full-time.

One year later that dream became a reality. 🎉

Thanks @rrhoover!
Thank you @ProductHunt! https://twitter.com/rrhoover/status/1721566868232900644

🎯 Entrepreneurs don't create the wave; we surf the wave. 🏄‍♂️🏄‍♀️ https://twitter.com/nathanbarry/status/1699115071220375950

I wrote some thoughts on bootstrapping and parenting here:

https://justinjackson.ca/bootstrapping-with-kids

Happy Monday y'all.

@joshuaanderton and I just deployed a new section to the @TransistorFM homepage featuring some of the podcasts hosted with us! 🙌

@ylecun Yann, this is a faulty analogy.

Our present reality with AI in 2023 is far removed from the situation in 1440.

We're in a much different context (geopolitically, socially, and technologically).

Also, the printing press wasn't a "black box;" the underlying tech was understood.

If you missed today's newsletter:

"In the "ChatGPT value chain," OpenAI will accrue most of the revenue."

https://justinjackson.ca/chatgpt-business

I’ve been enjoying the @lmsqueezy podcast lately (by @jrfarr and @jmckinven).

It’s got that “founder in the trenches building the company” feel. 👍

https://overcast.fm/+4H8JRwo3I

tl;dr

Overall, I feel incredibly fortunate. @TransistorFM has given me (and my family) a really great life.

I love working with @jonbuda, @HelenRyles, @jsonperl. Every additional day we get to work together feels like a gift.

Excited for 2023.

This is a big deal.

https://wapo.st/3WGzPzA

Lol. So true.

@gbosslet/109362424536345813" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://med-mastodon.com/@gbosslet/109362424536345813

🤦‍♂️ it’s fine to charge your power users, but no power users had “charge me $20/month for verification” on their wish list. https://twitter.com/Jessicalessin/status/1587165720684601345

Cool. This is the greatest day of our lives.

I've seen too many makers who keep creating (and maintaining!) multiple things at once:

podcasts
live events
communities
live webinars
info products
online courses
email newsletters
YouTube channels

It's too much!

Focus on 1-2 things that can give you the $ you need.

Not every product/service should “charge more.”

I know a multi-millionaire who drives a Mercedes, but keeps McDonald’s coupons in his glovebox!

Luxury car manufacturers can charge more.

But fast food restaurants keep the price of cheeseburgers low (so they sell more).

@petersuhm When you record your podcast, record video at the same time.

As soon as you’re done recording, share a short video clip to build anticipation for the episode.

In a remote-first world, having a nice-looking workstation is the equivalent of having a nice office you invite clients to.

Even if folks only see photos on the web, your setup can reflect a certain quality to potential customers (and your audience).

In SaaS, churn is just one pressure gauge on your dashboard.

Don’t blindly aim for a specific churn %!

The rate at which your customers cancel is connected to a bigger picture.

It’s only by looking at all other variables that you’ll know if your churn is “good” or “bad.”

I got a nice delivery from @mjwhansen and @Geocodio today. Thank you!

I’m a huge fan of Michele’s book @DeployEmpathy (every product person should read it).

Back at the office! Feeling completely refreshed. There's nothing like being in the mountains to give your mind a break from the doom scroll.

I think @simonswiss needs to do a behind-the-scenes director's cut for this video:

"For the printer shot, I had to go to my mother-in-law's house. She's still upset that I left a sticker on her Epson..."

@petersuhm Here’s how it looked for @TransistorFM when we launched on Product Hunt (month 7)

Took 4 months before we found channels that gave us consistent traction.

https://justinjackson.ca/saas-trials

I’ve been trying to participate in NFT Discords, but waking up to this every morning is ridiculous.

Pretty awesome to see products by other indie makers while reviewing @TransistorFM's books. 👍

@derrickreimer For @TransistorFM's marketing site, we use @statamic's static site generator + @Netlify.

We're really pleased with it. 👍

not an nft

(old forgotten @megamaker art I found on dropbox)

💯 https://twitter.com/typeoneerror/status/1444327580350353409

Just published a really good conversation with @mjwhansen on the @buildyoursaas feed. 🎧

👉 "How does empathy help businesses attract new customers, and build better products?"

https://saas.transistor.fm/episodes/deploy-empathy

I wish climate tech produced the same kind of fervor as crypto.

Crypto's carbon footprint is a big concern for me, and still isn't even close to being solved.

(Vitalik says "PoS will only be a small part of the solution." 😰)

https://twitter.com/VitalikButerin/status/1433244210568720386

BTW – the point isn't to go after a "huge market;" it's to go after a market:

1. That you understand
2. Where you have built-in strengths
3. Where there's a clear opportunity that you can go after

I discuss this more here:
https://justinjackson.ca/misconceptions

For @meepsapp, @joshuaanderton and I doing #buildinpublic this way:

1. Folks pay for early-access on http://meeps.app
2. They get a member profile + invite to Discord
3. In Discord, we do customer dev live, in public.
4. In Discord, Josh and I discuss ideas publicly

Jon and I are still focused on building a company that is:

- Small: no more than 10 people
- Profitable: good margins, low expenses
- Calm: not heavy, complicated, or a chore to run

@petersuhm We have 4 kids.

My parenting advice is: "stop at 2, and get a vasectomy." 🤣

Opportunities come to those in motion.

It takes years to develop the skills, connections, and insights necessary to launch a business that works.

Consistently pursuing these traits will help you gain leverage.

Leverage is what you need (especially as an indie founder!).

🤔 What motivates people to buy your product?

Years ago, @alanklement and I explored this topic on a livestream.

Here are some of the key insights that emerged. 👉

You want folks in your corner who:

✅ You can trust
✅ Understand your context
✅ Come from diverse backgrounds
✅ Aren't afraid to challenge you
✅ Think differently than you

For many people I know, this was their experience: open the app, see a bunch of scammy rooms, close the app.

Curating the quality of conversations/topics is hard!

https://twitter.com/j4yav/status/1391799164586139651

100% true. https://twitter.com/Marcus_Andrews/status/1388893140485038080

I didn’t sleep very good last night (had an eyelash in my eye?)

I’m up now. Working a bit from the couch.

☀️ Sun’s coming through the window.
☕️ Coffee’s good.

🙏 Hope y’all have a good day.

This is going to be very bad for the open podcast ecosystem.

Apple has removed public RSS feeds from the iTunes Podcast API (even from older, existing shows).

To allow your RSS feed URL to be visible, you now have to log in to to Podcast Connect and find this little checkbox.

Obvious (but worth repeating):

Most of the stuff we amplify (RT, re-share) are ideas that resonate with us emotionally.

An idea that’s been amplified is not necessarily true.

(It’s a sign of emotional resonance with a given audience).

@jasonfried I'll see your empty calendar and raise you one single event.

📆🌮