Tweets

With a vaccine on the horizon, we're also going to see some businesses come roaring back.

In 2021-2022 I'm expecting to see growth in:

- Live music
- Coworking
- Gyms & fitness
- Travel & tourism
- Events & parties
- Alcohol & cannabis
- Coffee shops, pubs, restaurants

The Zappos office was chaotic and loud. But it was also infused with a genuine joy I hadn’t experience anywhere else.

Everyone was excited to be there.

Tony encouraged positivity, creativity, connectivity, and it showed itself in the people at Zappos.

@noahkagan I’ve been enjoying your podcast lately. It feels like you’ve switched to a different channel lately: everything feels more human, more empathetic.

Just finished your episode with @fortelabs. It feels like I “get” him more now. Really great conversation.

This! 💯

Some products have waaaaay more demand than others. Don’t settle! https://twitter.com/JamesClear/status/1321918500290646017

Sorry 🇺🇸 friends.

I wish I could sneak you all in here.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-10-14/trudeau-plans-to-keep-borders-closed-until-covid-19-cases-drop

Also true for folks starting out as founders.

For example: many people think that experienced founders are figuring everything out on their own.

I ask other people for advice (daily!!!).

I’m constantly DMing folks for help, gut checks, showing people my numbers, etc. https://twitter.com/ashleymcnamara/status/1314621856884768768

Sometimes we hold on to things that *aren't working* because it's all we have going.

But, we do things (mostly) so our families can have a better life.

If that business/relationship/commitment isn't serving that purpose, it's not worth pursuing!

@DruRly really impressed with what you're doing with https://trends.vc/! It's so well done.

Just subscribed to Trends Pro. 👍

Customer demand is shaped by these factors:

- Changes in price or supply of related goods
- Government policy, investment, R&D
- The ubiquity of related technologies
- Evolving societal trends and tastes
- Rising (or falling) incomes
- Evolution in a category
- Economic cycles

Independent businesses rarely create demand on their own.

We're almost always tapping into existing demand that's already been building.

Sometimes, having an audience can *work against you* because it gives you false-positives when you launch something new.

(This has happened to me)

https://twitter.com/seanwes/status/1300121861796241410

Who gets hired? Folks who are known for something.

How do you get known? You make waves! You share what you know. You challenge the status quo.

http://Rework.fm (hosted by @shildner and @VelocityWong) is the gold standard for "podcasts by companies."

@basecamp just gets it. THEY HIRED PROFESSIONALS! Wailin and Shaun are producing compelling audio on finding a better way to work and run your business.

Great new bootstrapping podcast from @mjwhansen and @leenyburger!

“It’s hard to find something that sticks. Nobody cares about you until you’re a success.”

https://overcast.fm/+gJ-VMXHDE

I've been using @heyhey for the last 3 months.

I made a quick video about how I use it, and what my account looks like now. (Definitely different than folks who are just signing up; especially the Screener!).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbrULEGjdAI&feature=youtu.be

It's not surprising that many of the most successful bootstrapped businesses were built on top of email (MailChimp, ConvertKit, Campaign Monitor, Postmark, Litmus).

Open platforms create opportunities for small businesses.

@marcoarment @joerogan Yup, Joe's fans seem super happy about it. 🤦‍♂️

@pjrvs It takes time to adjust. (Maybe 2-3 weeks?)

I made the transition in 2011. Now I can’t imagine not standing. But it definitely felt weird to stand to think and write initially.

The biggest improvement is on mobile.

Now you can create an episode, upload your audio, and view your podcast stats, all from your phone.

@tylertringas One observation: law firms and accounting firms will need to get educated about international law to do well in this new economy.

I’ve asked so many about cross-border issues (🇨🇦🇬🇧🇺🇸) and they don’t have a clue.

I know talented makers who had to hunt for years before they found a good idea.

Good ideas are not easy to find. Often, you have to wait for them.

The problem is, most of us are impatient and want to *execute* as soon as possible, so we pick the first idea that comes to mind.

I would wake up and spend the whole day thrashing, trying to make money so I could survive.

I didn’t think about the future; I was consumed by my need to survive.

As soon as I started making more money, my desperation subsided.

I started dreaming about the future again.

Really good discussion on ethical design by @smashingmag.

@trinefalbe and @martinmichael made me think about dark patterns I've used in the past as a marketer. I want to be more mindful moving forward. 👍

https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2020/02/smashing-podcast-episode-10/

In 1998, Chip started hearing about yoga in coffee shops, and ads posted on telephone poles.

Then, he joined a class that grew from 6 people to 30 people in a week.

Learning to recognize when momentum is building is a key skill for entrepreneurs.
https://justinjackson.ca/surfing

It’s very difficult to put people who are not in motion into motion.

Trying to create a new category is incredibly difficult.

People almost always buy products in categories they're familiar with.

April has a good thread on this:
https://twitter.com/aprildunford/status/1092092829361418240

The best businesses unlock pockets of untapped demand.

Choosing a good market is like catching a good wave when you’re surfing. 🏄‍♀️ 🌊

https://overcast.fm/+RSdGGNle4/43:20

As a dad of four(!), I’m really enjoying @alexisohanian’s new podcast. https://twitter.com/alexisohanian/status/1215456934490279936

This is awful.

Sonos has a “recycle” mode that makes its devices unusable.

Putting more electronic devices in landfills is exactly the opposite of what we should be doing.

Sonos is imposing a huge externality on society here. https://twitter.com/atomicthumbs/status/1210662988828442624

I’ve always been a huge fan of @sivers’ writing.

But hearing him in audio form is even *better.*

This episode is brilliant:
https://overcast.fm/+VF_evSx5w

When you’re looking for a market, whether something is small (or specialized) doesn’t matter as much as “is there a sizable group here who are actively spending money to make their lives better.”

This approach isn’t just for bootstrappers.

Tesla, Microsoft, Apple, and Amazon all entered existing categories where folks were already spending money.

They rode a rising tide; they didn’t create the wave. 🏄‍♂️

Is "pair designing" a thing like "pair programming" is?

Today I paired with @studiofellow.

I gave him a hard challenge: show me how to make this image look good using only Fireworks CS5, Photoshop CS5, or Sketch!

Full video here: https://youtu.be/Rd8PsxJSnGY

Good piece from @davidhemphill. 👍

https://davidhemphill.com/small-wins

The product-market fit survey asks customers to guess about their future feelings.

But... humans are generally bad at forecasting their future behavior.

They might say “I’d be disappointed if this went away,” only to find (in the future!) it doesn’t bug them that much!

This coming Tuesday's episode of @buildyoursaas is good.

(With a head nod to @CasJam, @JordanGal, @r00k, @derrickreimer, and their bootstrapping pods)

Subscribe here: https://saas.transistor.fm/subscribe

I've had a few conference calls with really impressive, well-respected enterprise orgs.

There is a big part of me that would LOVE to have them on @TransistorFM.

But, they have a lot of requirements that would be difficult to build and support.

“If you want your podcast to be a business, you need to be an entrepreneur first, and a podcaster second.” – @mykemacapinlac

#podsummit

Other items that prompted the move:

1. Custom theme dev in Statamic is way better than WordPress.
2. Statamic works with our existing Git workflow.
3. Statamic auto deploys on updates to master on GitHub. ⚡
4. Statamic stores all the content in flat markdown files. No database!

In the past, I released a product that looked like a big winner. Lots of preorders and positive testimonials.

But after the initial launch, sales stopped.

What I learned: many of those launch customers were fans, excited about my new project.

But beyond fans, nobody wanted it.

It's easier to find a pool of hungry fish, and then give them the bait they want.

Likewise, if you find a pool of customers who are hungry for a solution, it's easier to build a product that they'll want.

After hearing the interview, I went online and bought @robfitz's book ("The Mom Test") on his website: http://momtestbook.com/

Another testament to the power of podcasting. 😁

I remember hearing Ben and Derrick talk about the book and being wary, but hearing Rob convinced me.

Just finished tomorrow's newsletter.

You can get it here: http://justinjackson.ca/newsletter

Your mid-to-late 30s are a time of reckoning:

Are you where you thought you'd be?

It's the time of our life when a lot of our idealism dies; because we realize that life is more complex and difficult than we originally imagined.

The pivotal moments of people's careers all come from two things:

1. Building connections with other humans.
2. Doing things. Making stuff. Taking action.

From the @CoderPodcast:
https://overcast.fm/+QgSDouAEE

Every employee at @transistorfm HQ gets one of these:

https://imperatorworks.com/index.php/iw-r1

After knowing each other on the internet for years, I finally got to meet up with @jonfriesen from @megamaker IRL today in Vancouver! 🙌

@adamwathan Dude just open up your copy of dreamweaver cs5 and take a look. 😜

"I prefer to do this the way I've always done it."

☝️ Changing people's habits is hard.

"This is the way we've always done it" has a huge gravitational pull.

If your product is continually fighting this gravity, you're going to have a hard time.

"Startup strategy is like Kung Fu. There are many styles that work. I can only teach you my style. Others can only teach you theirs."

@asmartbear's newest post is full of sage advice. 👍

https://blog.asmartbear.com/kung-fu.html

I've been really impressed with what @tylertringas and the team at @earnestcapital are doing.

Bootstrappers finally have options. 👍

They just opened up applications!

https://earnestcapital.com/is-earnest-capital-live-yet/

👋 For folks who are bootstrapping their own software product:

What topic should @jonbuda and I tackle next on the Build your SaaS podcast?

https://open.spotify.com/show/5VxoFJobBSu0yWo2r891ec

I know a lot of folks don't like Black Friday (the emails, the crowds, the commercialism). I get it!

But, for a lot of small companies, this is a once a year chance to:

1. Give folks a deal (which feels good!)
2. Earn a big chunk of their annual revenue

For those that missed it, here's my new article:

"Let's talk about your monthly startup expenses."

https://justinjackson.ca/costs

When you bring an idea into the world, and it's successful, it makes you feel indestructible.

But one of the biggest threats to an entrepreneur's judgment is when they "start believing their own mythology."

This section from "Profit First" definitely has me 🤔.

👋 Looking for folks using Rails + Heroku in the following environments:

- Solo-bootstrappers 👨‍💻
- Current YC founders 👩‍💻👨‍💻
- Agencies 👩‍💻👨‍💻👩‍💻👨‍💻
- Enterprise folks who also use Salesforce 👩‍💻👨‍💻👩‍💻👨‍💻👩‍💻👨‍💻

If that's you, please DM me!

The responses to this morning's newsletter have been fantastic.

❤️ Thanks to everyone who shared!

Very interesting. 👀

Rob's been hinting about this for awhile!

https://twitter.com/adamwathan/status/1050763805586731009

Deep thoughts while looking at this weird map on Instagram.

@levelsio Question: what defines "bootstrapped" for you?

Ie. Do the following businesses count:
- took money from friends or family
- took out a loan (or other financing)
- invested their own inheritance
- invested money earned from other business

@adamwathan @derrickreimer 😳 goddamn. being a dev is hard.

@im_brian_d @JessicaMauerhan It gives you more freedom:
- freedom to choose where you live
- less commuting
- better working hours
- and, for certain markets, better pay

👉 Today, @tylertringas sent me a really thoughtful video, where he gave me some solid ideas for improving and growing @TransistorFM.

I ❤️ this community of product people who are so open to helping each other out.

Thank you, Tyler! 🙌

✈️ I'm flying to Chicago next week for @LaraconUS *and* so we can launch @TransistorFM.

@jonbuda and I would like to have a meetup for our podcast listeners. Any ideas for a good spot? I'm guessing we'd have 10 (maybe 20?)

Big 👍 to @Apple for announcing features that are intended to help folks use their phone less.

(Especially the new parental controls that help limit kids' screen time)

https://twitter.com/mijustin/status/948069416968757248

"I went broke" could have been the end of the Fresh Prince's story.

But... instead he got a lucky break with Quincy Jones.

It's always your connections that make the difference.

Invest in relationships!

https://twitter.com/OnlyHipHopFacts/status/994744951387893770

Yes! Help your customers achieve their dreams first (and yours will come true as a by-product).

https://twitter.com/BFTrick/status/991730569649143808

This has been a reoccurring theme here at #microconf:

“Instead of asking: ‘what should I build?’ Ask: ‘who should I serve?’” – @patio11

"When it comes to product feedback, only listen to the people paying for your product."

https://justinjackson.ca/opinion/

@jackconte @CaseyNeistat AWWWW YEAAAH!

I love it when a plan comes together. 🙌

@rrhoover I want a new podcast called "Ryan's drafts" where every week, you read an unsent email. 😉

I'm answering questions on @indiehackers right now!

"I'm Justin Jackson, creator of @MegaMaker. AMA!"

https://www.indiehackers.com/forum/ama-im-justin-jackson-creator-of-megamaker-and-other-resources-for-indie-entrepreneurs-86dd0c0d2e

By far my favorite Q&A in @BillGates' Reddit AMA today.

Just stay focused on:

- Who is this for?
- What are they struggling with?
- No really is that a real obstacle in their lives?
- Will they pay to remove that obstacle?
- How can I help them overcome that obstacle?

I'm working on something for early January, that will give folks a unique perspective on building a solopreneur business.

https://megamaker.co/make2018/

Yes!

This is exactly what happened with MailChimp. When they started, nobody (especially Outlook, Hotmail or Gmail) wanted to touch bulk email newsletters with a ten foot pole.

Just a boring, super messy problem (have you tried coding an HTML email? 😱)

https://twitter.com/ckeene/status/942966312929656832

(this really should be @taylorotwell's twitter bio: "I made PHP cool again.")

First weekend back at @SilverStarMR #vernonbc 👌

Currently, for drivers, podcasts compete with radio and music.

With self-driving cars they’ll compete with Netflix, FB, YouTube. #jtbd

I'm curious about folks who recently bought an online course:

What course did you buy?
How much did you pay?

Still the best.

https://twitter.com/mijustin/status/753771080779571200

👏 Just published: “Build what people want, not what they need” @mijustin/build-what-people-want-not-what-they-need-c04e466f8bdf#---0-57" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://medium.com/@mijustin/build-what-people-want-not-what-they-need-c04e466f8bdf#---0-57

Here's a demo of what I'm thinking for a file‑based CMS that lives in a desktop app (instead of the web).

https://youtu.be/zBlsx_rvCvg

Ok. Closing Twitter so I can finish writing this chapter for @marketingdevs.

Gotta ship it before the end of Aug!

https://devmarketing.xyz

Just convinced another friend to switch his course over to @withcoach! 🎉

Best tool for selling digital products:
https://justinjackson.ca/coach

Racism is sinister and vile.

Stop saying hateful things.
Stop doing hateful things.

Stop hating people!

Your lazy, scared self wants you to take the easy way out. Don't succumb to that.

Make the right decision every time; even when it's hard.

When it comes to launching a podcast, the best teacher I've had is @avclark.

His lessons are 💯!

http://irresistiblepodcasting.com/

Arrived in Vegas for #microconf.

First step: nap.

😮

Huge pain in the ass: generating good sales reports when sales are split between Stripe AND PayPal.

:(

A product person’s main skill is their ability to observe where users struggle — and to solve it creatively. https://medium.com/product-people/why-most-product-ideas-arent-that-good-213599e946e6#---0-93.pjs13g95j

Yes!

This is exactly why I started @tinymktgwins 👌

https://twitter.com/rsobers/status/843143128790044673

🔥 OH HELL YES. I finally got the #megamaker username triad:

Twitter: @megamaker
FB: https://www.facebook.com/megamaker
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/megamaker/

Authors:

Remember, for people to buy your book, they have to know, trust and like you.

Building rapport doesn't happen overnight.

This 2013 MacBook Pro is by far the most impressive machine I've owned.

Nearly perfect.

My 11 year-old really wants a PC.

When I asked him why he said...

https://twitter.com/stuffmartysaid/status/822231740945199106

When you're introducing a new product...

"Habit and anxiety are your silent competitors.”
— @alanklement

What most new products are missing is a killer use-case.

You need a case study that makes people go:
"I want to be able to do that."