Tweets

I ❤️ a well made personal homepage.

Here are some of my faves...

There's three things keeping me in the Apple ecosystem:

- MacOs (still better than Linux, and waaaay better than Windows)
- apps (like Screenflow, Ecamm Live) that only work on MacOs
- so much of the dev stuff I do is still easier to do on a Mac

Wish there were other options.

At the end of the day, I don't care *that* much about Hey.

But the principle here matters.

FB/AMZ/GOOG/MSFT/APP are exerting more and more control over distribution.

Low-cost, open distribution is the *one* thing the internet gave indies. Without it, you can't bootstrap.

"How long did it take you to get your business to sustain yourself and you could switch doing it fulltime?"

Everyone's journey is different, but this is how it looked for Jon and me with @TransistorFM:

I think when it comes to building software, most of us will need a co-founder.

It's incredibly demanding and requires a spectrum of skills that are rarely encompassed in a solo person.

How do you build something people want?

In the beginning, focus less on the “something” and more on the “people.”

SaaS founders: remember to sign up for your own app (as if you were a new user).

Many of us haven't looked at our onboarding process since we launched. 😅

Experiencing your product from a new user's perspective is so important. 🤞

Whether it was by luck or skill, every successful small-business owner I know has found the same thing:

a product category where there was a lot of demand.

@Jason @Airbnb I run a bootstrapped SaaS, with lots of margin, and work way less than 100 hours a week.

https://twitter.com/mijustin/status/1266196052052332546?s=21 https://twitter.com/mijustin/status/1266196052052332546

Having kids is a lot like having roommates who eat all your cereal.

If you're looking for some decent recording equipment to start podcasting with, I've put together some "podcast kits" here:

https://transistor.fm/how-to-start-a-podcast/?via=justin-jackson

Just shared a big milestone on @IndieHackers:

https://www.indiehackers.com/product/transistor/-LjRpzk6eMF0ad1u38rc

I know this isn't the intended use case, but...

@adamwathan just taught me (a total idiot) how to use @vuejs using @PairWithTuple.

Tuple's tools for drawing on the screen (and taking over the keyboard) are a game-changer for someone who's learning how to code.

I love the vibe I'm feeling lately.

Feels like lots of people are SHIPPING. 🚀

There is so much cool stuff being made by indie makers right now. 💪

I can't believe this! 🤯

Back when we started Transistor, it would have been hard for us to imagine our little platform hosting this many shows.

So exciting to help thousands of people launch their podcasts. 🙌 https://twitter.com/TransistorFM/status/1524488635411668992

I know a bunch of incredible entrepreneurs whose original motivation was to “pay for diapers, day care, healthcare” for their kids.

In my books, that makes them “the best founders.” 💯

Makers > Haters

Now THAT’S test-driven development! 🔪

🤔 Maybe, we shouldn't be in such a rush for our web app to hit scale?

Taking your time:
- removes pressure and anxiety
- helps you to stay healthier
- helps you to grow organically (find the right customers)
- gives you time to find product/market fit

https://twitter.com/amix3k/status/1050066948745293825

"The only people who can give you real feedback are those who purchased." — @jasonfried

“People only respect what they pay for.” — Michelin

Making software is a lot harder than people think because making something people want is a lot harder than people think.

We think we should be rewarded for the effort, resources, and time we invest in a project.

But markets don't work that way.

With startups, the amount of reward you get (revenue) is based on demand: "How strongly do people want what you're selling?"

Nobody's more capital efficient than a bootstrapped founder.

VCs will burn hundreds of millions searching for one unicorn.

A bootstrapper can invest $5k-10k in their startup, build it on the side, and eventually earn millions in annual revenue.

Big day for me and @jonbuda, and our journey with @TransistorFM:

We've hired our first full-time engineer, @jsonperl! 🎉

https://transistor.fm/jason/

This is a thoughtful take on the whole Basecamp situation:

https://www.baldurbjarnason.com/2021/you-are-what-you-do/

🎙️ Want me to help improve your podcast's listing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc?

(One of the best ways to get more listeners is to improve your show's "packaging:" cover art, title, description)

Reply to this thread with a link to your pod, and I'll record a video for you. 👉

“I can’t overstate the importance of the accumulation of previous efforts.” – @yongfook

☝️ I like this idea of accumulated efforts!

Do stuff! Meet people, write, create new things, put yourself out there, experiment, learn new skills.

It’s “gradual and then sudden.”

A watched DNS never propagates.

It’s incredibly difficult to convince people to want something (especially at scale).

This is why startups need to tap into a pre-existing desire.

We can’t create the hunger, but we can feed hungry customers.

I've done dozens of ad experiments (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Reddit) for multiple SaaS companies over the years. Reasonable budgets + tracking.

I've yet to see a decent ROI from these types of ads.

Anyone in SaaS seeing good (statistically relevant) results?

Too many folks build a product, and then shop around for a market that might want it.

That’s backwards.

Instead, look at what the market is already shopping for and build that.

There's a myth that, regardless of which niche you choose, the internet is big enough to make your business a success.

But in reality, most successes come from targetting a big (or fast growing) market.

Having a phone call with a customer is such a gift.

Just had a 40-minute chat with an agency who is using @TransistorFM with their clients.

Got an unbelievable amount of insights about customer motivation, how his side of the industry works, and how we can help. 🙌

I’m not convinced that startups can solve for the “customers signing up and not using the product” problem.

The motivation to use a product seems completely based on the forces in someone’s life.

That “pull” has to be consistent/strong enough to translate into regular usage.

My daughter is doing a podcast research project.

She is especially interested in knowing if Gen Z listens to podcasts?

Here is her survey: https://forms.reform.app/pF4xrZ/make-us-better/d9906d

(It's quick, only 6 questions)

She's got 2 responses so far; she needs at least 100! 🙏

"How many people want what you're selling?"
"How much are they willing to pay?"
"What does it cost to serve them?"
"Do they want to buy it from you?"
"How often will they show up?"
"How can you reach them?"

Your success in business will be determined by these questions.

If folks aren’t already buying what you’re thinking of selling, don’t start that business!

90% of the time, when a friend wants a website, a one-page site on http://carrd.co is good enough.

If you’re a geek, and people ask you to make them a website, just get a pro subscription for yourself.

Authentic > Polished

It’s ok if your idea fails.

There’s no shame in trying something, and it not working out.

If it’s not the right idea, the best thing you can do is let it go.

🌊 MAKE WAVES

Be known for something! Speak up. Share your thoughts (blog, podcast, video). Run experiments and publish the results. Don't be obnoxious, but have the courage to challenge the status quo. Craft your own point of view.

If you like listening to podcasts about people building early-stage startups, I'd love it if you gave @buildyoursaas a try.

Every week, @jonbuda and I share the story of what it's *really* like to build a web app in 2019.

https://saas.transistor.fm/subscribe

2019: I'm giving up alcohol until @TransistorFM hits $10k in MRR.

http://transistor.baremetrics.com

Focus on the people you're going to serve, not your competitors.

Business to Prosumer is an underrated business model, and it's accelerating.

(Many apps have been categorized as B2B or B2C but are actually B2P).

Today, more people than ever are Prosumers:

- Someone who upgrades to a nice camera and lights so they can make better YouTube…

🐣 Young folks:

What do you hope to achieve by the time you’re 40?

Me: "Don't these NPM errors just give you anxiety? 'Warning! Success!'"

@adamwathan: "It's just npm man; you just become numb to it. Basically, it always looks like it fails, but it works."

🎯

"Marketing isn't a single event. It's the sum total of everything your company does that a potential or actual customers sees or interacts with, from emails to casual conversations to tweets."

– @pjrvs, Company of One

People complain.

They complain when things are good, they complain when things are bad.

If you messed up, own it and move on.

But...

Remember, sometimes people complain even when things are AMAZING.

So don’t let it get to you.

"People think being an entrepreneur means doing what you want. It's more like doing what you need to do even if you don't want to"- @hnshah

In my family, we've had household incomes of:

$35,000
$60,000
$80,000
$120,000
$250,000+

Every time our income has increased, we've had a greater sense of well-being.

Want to reduce your blind spots?

Have a diverse set of peers who question your assumptions, and aren't afraid to confront you in your DMs.

As a bootstrapper, this 2013 post-mortem from the founder of Fab is 🤯

“In 2 years, we’ve spent $200M and we have not proven that we know what customers want to buy.”

I just don't believe this narrative that indie entrepreneurs can magically:

- build-up momentum in a market that has none
- create a new category that didn't exist before

Mostly because it's (almost) impossible to change the behavior of a mass of people, all at once.

My 10-year-old just destroyed me in trampoline wrestling.

Last week, I wrote about how Walt Disney persisted for 10 years before seeing any success.

This week, I want to write about "when you should give up."

What do you think? When should you quit working on your startup?

Here's your competitive advantage: most stuff isn't that good.

Make better stuff.

Seth Godin nails the problem with NFTs:

“They use an astonishing amount of electricity to create and trade. Together, they are already using more than is consumed by some states in the US.”

https://seths.blog/2021/03/nfts-are-a-dangerous-trap/

Answering support tickets from the chairlift. 👍

“That sounds like a lifestyle business.”

Building an audience is all about consistent effort, in one direction, over a long period of time.

It seems like there are more than 5 types of SaaS companies. 😉

806 users paying $1,704/year (@Baremetrics)
25,525 users paying $708/year (@ConvertKit)
1367 users paying $226/year (@TransistorFM)
73,417 users paying $276/year (@buffer)
9,998 users paying $600/year (@Hubstaff) https://twitter.com/JeffChang30/status/1171048361547456513

You can't charge more if your product doesn't give people something they desire:

relief
utility
status
safety
progress
belonging
significance
breakthrough
entertainment

99% of marketing is having a solid product that delivers outcomes that people want.

Everyone's focused on the 1% (ads, content, etc..)

🎯

"Doing more things" to earn more $ is a slippery slope.

Each project/job you add might increase your revenue, but it also increases your chance of burnout.

Doubling down on 1-2 things that are really working is far better than trying to maintain 10+ projects at once.

Business idea:

💰 Charge $200+
👩‍💻 for a 1-hour Zoom call,
📹 where you evaluate people's streaming setups (camera, mic, lighting, sound, room treatment).
✨ Give them practical tips to improve their setup.

When we launched, we had $750 in MRR (from 51 beta customers).

In the last year, we’ve grown to over $22K in MRR (and 1,183 customers)!

So thankful to everyone who’s supported us along the way. 🙏

The hardest part about being in my late 30s was this realization:

"My life turned out differently than I dreamed it would when I was 20."

Just updated my list of "tools for bootstrappers:"

https://justinjackson.ca/tools

Every once in a while, I'll think about:

- What my dad was doing at age 43 (real work)

- What I'm doing at age 43 (searching frames for that perfect YouTube thumbnail)

The pre-requirement for a successful SaaS is customer demand.

If there’s no existing desire from customers, it doesn’t matter how good your marketing is (or how passionate you are).

Customer demand forms the baseline for your company’s trajectory.

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

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

The playbook is always the same:

FB/AMZ/GOOG/MSFT/APP/SHOP/TWTR use indie devs & businesses to build and substantiate their platform.

Then, when they've gained significant distribution power and market share, they use that leverage against the people who got them there.

As a Canadian, this is my definition of full stack. 🇨🇦 https://twitter.com/tlakomy/status/1185929305202802695

@Shpigford In 2012, I got rid of all my paper books and went digital.

And then, in 2017, I had a realization that made me switch back to paper books.

"Don't process credit cards, it's too complex."
Stripe: "Nah."

"Don't build html emails they're the grossest thing ever."
MailChimp: "Nah."

"Don't build anything on top of PHP, it's yucky."
@taylorotwell: "Nah."

Fight common wisdom. 😉

https://twitter.com/jackmcdade/status/1060735625958174720

🗣️ The two most important questions in product dev are:

1. Who is it for?
2. What is it for? (What superpower does it give them?)

🤔 Those are the questions you'll need to ask first.

🔍 They'll give you clues as to whether your idea is worth pursuing.

Lots of folks want to be @garyvee.

Here's his typical day as CEO:

6am - Work out
7am – Time with kids
8am – Meetings outside the office
9am - 6pm – Meetings at the office
7pm - 11pm – Meetings outside the office

☝️ if you don't want that, you don't want his life.

The idea of being a solopreneur used to appeal to me.

In my mind, it meant less drama, less pressure to increase revenue, and more autonomy.

Two things changed my mind:

1. Partnering with Jon on @TransistorFM
2. Hiring a great team

Working with great people makes life better.

Here's a relevant clip from @Tobsch's interview with @taylorotwell:

"There's still no fullstack JavaScript framework that's equal to Rails productivity, and that's an 18-year-old framework."

https://overcast.fm/+a3I0uVCRs

This is fucked up.

A meme like this isn’t in good taste from anybody, much less a CEO with as much influence as Musk.

The tech culture needs to stop admiring him. He’s a 50-year-old man acting like a child.

This isn’t a funny joke; it’s reprehensible. https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1494216634822766594

😮 At @TransistorFM we're super close to hitting a substantial milestone (for a small indie company).

🤞 We'd love to hit it before the end of 2020.

🎙️ If you're starting a podcast (for fun or at work), we'd love to have you as a customer!

https://transistor.fm/?via=justin

This is what the smoke (from the 🔥 in Australia) looks like in NEW ZEALAND.

This isn’t a “far away” problem.

Because of climate change, these are the kind of fires we’re going to be getting everywhere (especially in the Pacific NW).

It’s apocalyptic.

https://twitter.com/MissRoho/status/1212328768078934016/video/1

🤔 Thinking out loud here:

The size of the platform you target is a big multiplier for how successful your business will be.

Example:
"My niche is Facebook ads"
"My niche is Shopify stores"
"My niche is PHP developers"
"My niche is foodies on Instagram"

Landing page cheat sheet:

1. Who is this for?
2. What is their struggle?
3. Your solution
4. Why should they trust you?
5. CTA

I like this marketing strategy that @aarondfrancis and @steve_tenuto are using for their new course:

"Give them a taste!" 🍨

You click "start watching," and you're immediately in the course; no signup, no credit card.

Only once you've made progress do they ask you to pay.

First day on the lake this year! #vernonbc

Absolutely breathtaking in #vernonbc today.

@jadechip @Mark_Goldberg_ @elonmusk I was skeptical about this story, but it checks out!

Just found this interview with @realGeorgeHotz:

https://cleantechnica.com/2020/08/01/george-hotz-teslas-going-to-win-level-5/

Good storytelling is good marketing.

- Builds donut shop
- Makes delicious donuts
- Nobody comes
- A cry for help
- People respond
- Donuts sell out!

https://twitter.com/hibillyby/status/1104473014291185665?s=21

My boys (10 and 8) made me an amazing stop-motion animation for Father's Day. ❤️

(Here's a little segment of it)

⚡️ If you're selling products, activation is EVERYTHING.

You can't build a business on people who buy your product and don't use it.

Activation leads to:
- positive outcomes for your users
- word of mouth, reviews, case studies
- repeat customers, upgrades, expansion revenue

When someone reports a bug and tells me to check the logs.

Got off Slack. 👍 https://twitter.com/jasonfried/status/1203369724517724161

@TransistorFM I realize this might not mean much on the "Silicon Valley scale."

(Heck, just paying a single dev salary + taxes + benefits in SF can run you over $30k / month)

BUT, for bootstrappers like @jonbuda and I, this is a big deal.

Outside of SF, $30k gives you a lot of mileage.

I asked my subscribers: “What books do you recommend often to friends?”

One interesting finding: “shareable” books all have a single compelling idea that can be distilled down to a single line.

The book itself can be just “OK” as long as it represents an idea worth sharing.

Wrote the most honest year in review I could.

"Sometimes you need to experience pain in the short term so that you can win in the long-term."

If we're optimizing for learning, our charts can't always go "up and to the right."

https://justinjackson.ca/2018-review

@levelsio Skateboarders criticized Tony Hawk. "That's not a skateboarder."

Hockey players criticized Wayne Gretzky. "He's too small to play pro."

People critique when they feel threatened.

⚡ Getting a lot of response from this post:

"Bootstrapper's paradox" https://justinjackson.ca/bootstrap-reality/

We definitely need more models outside of traditional VC / angel money. 💸

After months of hacking on @TransistorFM in different countries, @jonbuda and I are in the same room together. 👍

We'll officially launch on Aug 1st. 🎉

In the meantime, we've got lots of work to do! 👨‍💻👨‍💻