Tweets

We shouldn't call anything "innovative" (AI, web3, social, self-driving cars, robotics, etc) until we've fully considered the social ramifications of said innovations.

Specifically: WHO benefits? If the benefits only flow to an elite 10%, that's not true innovation.

🎯 This is a good way of articulating it.
https://twitter.com/panphora/status/1520112257019129856?s=20&t=nHn7eqisM2htvLqNB1Iyiw

Not enough podcast heads know about @huffduffer: bookmark audio you find around the web and generate a custom podcast RSS feed to listen to later.

https://huffduffer.com/

(Est. 2008!)

Midday espresso @ratiovernon 💯

This prediction did not come true. 😆 https://twitter.com/mijustin/status/773623809282670592

Is there an optimal level of fame?

(At what point do the negatives of “being a known person” outweigh the positives?)

If there was someone local who could come to my office and do what Kevin is doing here, I would hire them in an instant. https://twitter.com/theKevinShen/status/1507084968199016449

🧵 When you're marketing a product, you're really fighting for mindshare.

👉 When people make their purchasing decision, are you on their shortlist?

🎯 "Business all the time isn't healthy."

(I need to get out and snowboard some more before the season is done) https://twitter.com/sherrywalling/status/1504158497075707904

Keyword explorers to try:

- @ahrefs: https://ahrefs.com/keyword-generator
- @moz: https://moz.com/explorer
- @semrush: https://www.semrush.com/analytics/keywordoverview/

Super creative marketing by @threehourcoffee:

1. Create an app that offers a fun diversion
2. Have an animated llama make an appearance and ask you if you'd like to check out Marie's project (@llamalifeco)

https://www.fidgetpage.com/

Marie Poulin: @mariepoulin

Marie has built one of the most impressive online course businesses I've ever seen (http://notionmastery.com). She also shares hilarious anecdotes on Twitter. 😆

I’ve always found I’m more productive at an office, away from home.

Getting out every day, walking to the office, and seeing other people is energizing for me.

A lot of this is about being able to control my environment. In a traditional office you can’t do that.

Rodeo clowns were always a side show, a momentary distraction from the main events: barrel racing, bull riding, etc.

Putting figures like Rogan and Elon at the center of your media diet is like making the clown the main attraction of the rodeo.

@AlbanBrooke Just have lots and lots of moms.

If you haven't heard it, @csallen's interview with @peldi on the @IndieHackers podcast is one of the all-time greats:

Listen on the web:
https://share.transistor.fm/s/208f7362

On Overcast:
https://overcast.fm/+JmiMVSqWg

🙏 Thanks to everyone who gave me feedback.

I'm going to publish this video shortly.

If you could watch it and give it a 👍 I would really appreciate it!

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

@uibreakfast I highly recommend these dynamic mics:

## Budget
🎤 Samson Q2U
🎤 ATR2100X

## Semi-pro setup
🎙️ Shure MV7

## Pro setup
🎙️ Shure SM7B

#packages" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://transistor.fm/how-to-start-a-podcast/#packages

I've shared the most important lessons we learned bootstrapping Transistor here:

https://justinjackson.ca/bootstrap

A good reminder for folks building products in 2022. https://twitter.com/mijustin/status/1354970090895106053

There’s a lesson here in how environmentally-friendly solutions are presented to people.

(Make it fun, make it better, make it faster)

To me, an "effective" homepage results in:

- more leads
- more trials

People come from a google search, WoM recommendation, review site, say: "Yup, I'm in the right place," and sign up for a trial.

Visit/trial % should be:
0.75% - 1% (credit card upfront)
5%+ (no credit card)

But don't listen to me; test your own assumptions!

In the past, I've used @UsabilityHub to run these tests:

- the 5 second test (what do people remember after seeing a page for 5 seconds?)
- first click test (what do people click first?)

https://fivesecondtest.com/

I think indie brands should be referring to big incumbents in their marketing (but not necessarily in their main headline).

The big "category-defining brand" has done all the hard work to educate customers on the category. Ride those tailwinds!

https://twitter.com/listentodaniel/status/1471162991240519687

🎯 Reliably, consistently getting 100s/1000s of new customers every month is true traction.

(And yes: getting that kind of consistent traction can be elusive! But when it happens, it feels amazing) https://twitter.com/delk/status/1469060499148926976

🤔 "How can creators find freedom when there is constant pressure to publish new content?"

For me:

👉 creating community > constantly creating content
👉 one-time fee > ongoing subscription

https://meeps.app/newsletter/wncl0t

@ahrefs You should definitely check out @coreyhainesco' stuff:

🎙️ Everything is Marketing – https://www.swipefiles.com/everything-is-marketing

⚡ Community – @SwipeFilesco

Am I the only SaaS founder that has a static HTML pricing table? 😅

You can't all be generating your marketing assets based on JSON...

"The problem is, there's no church for atheists."

Ironically, the biggest thing I've missed since leaving the church is... church.

Sitting in pews. Singing songs. Hearing someone speak about life and meaning. Afterwards, drinking coffee, eating cookies, and hanging out.

In the tech world, "optimism" seems to be code for "let's just not think about the consequences, as long as it makes us money."

"There are things in life we think won’t apply to us: Panic. Addiction. Depression.

I thought that was for other people.

But I learned so much empathy that day. These things that only seem to happen to other people can happen to me."

– @sivers
https://sive.rs/dive

@AngeZanetti @arvidkahl @shl @robfitz @JamesClear @bhorowitz Definitely add @mjwhansen’s book: @DeployEmpathy.

https://deployempathy.com/

@DanPriceSeattle @TimHerrera That story is an old Louis CK bit:

https://youtu.be/cx6nhHu84zc

What kinds of activities really energize you?

This is the danger with clever headlines: you run the risk of people not understanding what you offer. https://twitter.com/_andypeacock/status/1444333313959895051

Need a new microphone?

@TransistorFM is giving one away today for #InternationalPodcastDay https://twitter.com/TransistorFM/status/1443638319791804437

Got to see some live music tonight! 🤩

#vernonbc

I’m honestly trying to give crypto a chance.

But I’m increasingly concerned that this revolution isn’t delivering on its promises of egalitarianism and security.

This theory, from @kylefox, is compelling; definitely makes me reevaluate how I think about the future of crypto. https://twitter.com/mijustin/status/1433616885736685568

Fewer receipts, bank statements, expense reports, and transactions means way less work for you and your accountant.

That $5 receipt you kept can end up costing you way more in bookkeeping time / reconciliation.

I've had @seanwes and @BretFisher jump on Zoom calls with me to give me advice on my AV setup. Immensely helpful.

Bret helped me fix this mic-camera sync problem:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtpxIVTr7jA

AV setups are finicky. More people should invest in improving their setup. 👍

In private, most marketing professionals will admit that much of the data we collect is "dirty." (Not accurate)

The repercussions of making decisions based on faulty data are big!

https://twitter.com/mijustin/status/1195092928638509056

Your goal in life should be to accumulate meaningful experiences, skills, and connections.

Nobody is going to be able to give you an answer to "what idea should I pursue?"

Good opportunities emerge from your personal experience.

The only way to find a good market, that's a good fit for you, is to explore.

People are asking me how we track funnels.

After years of using Mixpanel & Google Analytics to track events, I decided to simplify.

Now I track campaigns in https://www.getrewardful.com/?via=justin, using referral links with a 30-day cookie.

We've tracked nearly $500k in new revenue this way!

██████░░░░░░░ 48% towards our goal!

Thanks to these companies who just signed up for @stripe Climate:

- @apideck
- @BurnRate_io
- @abinaya_rl at http://remoteleaf.com
- @irisdotfm

(I'm going to sleep now, I'll update this again tomorrow)

Andreessen Horowitz seems to think they can help "build" by launching content sites like https://future.a16z.com/.

How about investing real 💵 to *build* real solutions?

(Also, @a16z has tweeted about "climate change" exactly once).

Didn’t realize this was happening in Germany!

Heatwave and drought here in North America, torrential rain and flooding in Europe. 😞

https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/16/europe/germany-floods-belgium-climate-change-grm-intl/index.html

@r00k Even "B2B" if a funny categorization, as it includes everything from SMBs who can afford $99 / month, all the way to enterprises pay $9,999 / month. 🤔

@spencerfry My main critiques:

1. Overcapitalization can ruin industries, and has numerous knock-on effects.

2. The desire for outsized returns can drive unhealthy demands on entrepreneurs and employees.

3. The propensity to kill startups that, even when profitable, aren’t “big” enough.

@Shpigford At @TransistorFM we're big fans of @crisp_im.

Incredible value for what you get!

“People think if we fuck up here on Earth we can always go to Mars or the stars. It’s pernicious.” – Kim Stanley Robinson

“As far as anyone knows, Earth is the only habitable place in the universe.” – @jetjocko

@davorminchorov Warren Buffett called the 30-year mortgage one of "the best instruments in the world."

The ability to borrow that much money, at a fairly low rate, gives you way more leverage than paying it in cash (as long as you can afford the pay the payments).

Today’s goal for @joshuaanderton and I:

Get 100 subscribers on this @meepsapp waiting list.

If you’re interested in the creator economy, memberships, or building community, please subscribe and share. 🙏 https://twitter.com/benjieitech/status/1409875299555287050

BTW – by “bigger company” I'm not really thinking of FAANG or massive enterprises, but teams that are 20-50 people.

(Heck, if the culture was right, I think even a company with 1,000 people could be ok.)

But once you get to true enterprise-level (10,000, 10,000) that's hard.

As an example:

In 2017, I was making about $190k/year as an indie creator.

But I was stressed. Three launches didn't work out. I had some personal issues going on.

At the time, I would have gladly taken a $250k/year salary, *especially* if it was a great company.

What’s happening today?

Which decade produced the most iconic brands/IP, that still resonate today?

70s - AC/DC, Star Wars, NERF, SNL
80s - Macintosh, Super Mario, Ninja Turtles, Air Jordans
90s - Friends, Pokemon, Fresh Prince, Simpsons
2000s - Monster, iPhone, Discord
2010s - Minecraft, Android

@PelagicDev 2014: Managed to get a contract (on retainer).

2015: wrote and published @marketingdevs on the side.

2016: was earning enough from M4Devs and @megamaker to quit consulting.

2018: started Transistor.

This is today!

Come ask me anything on the r/SaaS Reddit, and tune into the Twitter Spaces. 👍 https://twitter.com/chddaniel/status/1399809893402656780

Indie makers, leaders, tech workers, founders, writers, podcasters, creators...

It's what we repeatedly do that matters. Every action is a vote for the kind of person we'll be.

https://twitter.com/JamesClear/status/1212366465678151680

n1C3! https://twitter.com/Esquiring/status/1388336577793990657

The UI for adding a show in Apple Podcasts should definitely be changed.

If you had just created a new podcast on a hosting platform, which option would you choose? 🤔

Really confusing for new podcasters.

If was in my 20s now, I'd skip business school.

Instead, I'd try to work for someone like @CorbettBarr.

The folks he's mentored over the years have gone on to do impressive entrepreneurial work: @chasewreeves, @CalebWojcik, @BarrettABrooks, @stephcrowder_.

And what about after?

What do people do in their 50s? (2030-2040). Will my wife and I have an empty nest? What will we do with all that time and space? I assume I’ll still be working? 🤔

What about 2040-2050? Is there anyone in their 60s still running an internet business? 😅

Listening to @nbashaw and @danshipper really is like having co-founder therapy.

I really appreciate their willingness to “work through the hard stuff” in public.

https://overcast.fm/+n7WTgl8JM

@hunterwalk 🙄 Hearing Zuck and Ek bemoan the loss of the "open internet" is laughable.

At @TransistorFM, Jon and I have always done support.

For the last two years, we’ve also had help from P/T contractors. (Very helpful, especially for other time zones or when we want to take time off).

We are in the midst of hiring a F/T Director of Customer Success. 🤞

Have questions for me about bootstrapping, SaaS, marketing? https://twitter.com/jmckinven/status/1371205367204610053

Plus, “a more efficient blockchain” is still likely to increase overall energy consumption.

(Jevons paradox)

@themsaid AWS on the other hand....

Windy. Cloudy. But still beautiful.

(And a nice layer of new snow! 🏂)

It's no secret that Clubhouse rewards a certain type of person: folks with lots of (uninterrupted) discretionary time.

Moderators, specifically, are rewarded with more followers when they host rooms that last long hours.

https://twitter.com/laurenakleinman/status/1350306041704050688

@adamwathan If it needs a blog, then @statamic.

If it’s just a few HTML pages I’m using that Vite approach you showed me. 😄

BTW – I'm not talking about charging $5/month when all your competitors are charging $99/month.

I think @crisp_im is a good example: they charge $99/month for their unlimited plan, which is significantly cheaper than what Intercom charges.

More value, at a lower cost. 👍

Alright, I'm testing @crisp_im out (live) on http://transistor.fm.

Want to come chat with me and help me test it out?

(Happy to answer your 🎙️ podcasting questions as well 😄)

There are definitely some possible long-term negative affects of social audio that need to be considered.

The fact that they consume so much time is particularly concerning.

Folks keep saying "Clubhouse could monetize via paid memberships."

Have we seen memberships work at a "$10B valuation" scale?

The biggest player that I can think of is Patreon, and their annual revenues are currently around $35 million (valued at $1.2B).

The scale seems off.

After hearing @adii on @SlowSteadyPod I ordered a copy of his new book:

https://adii.me/book/

Predictions about Clubhouse vs podcasts:

1. Podcast listeners increases by ~20% in 2021.

2. Social audio won’t be widely adopted in 2021. Will be primarily used by early adopters, but not the general population.

3. Once the pandemic ends, social audio app usage will diminish.

Yessssssssss!

@FounderQuest is back! 🙌

https://overcast.fm/+RSdFPxIh0

“Treating social media providers as [a public utility] threatens to convert natural monopoly or essential facility claims into self-fulfilling prophecies.”

https://www.mercatus.org/system/files/Perils-of-Classifying-Social-Media-Platforms-Public-Utilities.pdf

The President can also communicate on all these channels:

- National televised address
- News conference (with every major outlet in the world present)
- A massive email list
- Government websites
- His own website
- Emergency broadcast system
- LinkedIn 😜

The President can literally text every phone in America.

https://www.newsweek.com/fema-test-presidential-alert-system-allows-trump-you-text-messages-1122602

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

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."

Sometimes you need to travel to Mordor, save Middle-earth, and come home again.

And once you’re home, you start living again: you eat a second breakfast, tend your garden, and smoke your pipe.

The reason you have the journey is to arrive so you can start living.

@yongfook Ruby/Rails and PHP/@laravelphp FTW

A concerning trend that accelerated in 2020: income inequality.

It's likely to get worse in 2021.

There are millions of folks who suffered economically during the pandemic. Without assistance, they won't be able to recover.

This will mean more homeless camps and social unrest.

For 2021-2022, I think these sectors will continue to suffer:

- oil & gas
- movie theaters
- business travel
- storefront retail
- targeted advertising
- commercial real estate
- gasoline & diesel vehicles

Before you build a product, you should be curious:

“How many people might want this if I built it?”

And you can look for evidence for how much demand there might be.

You don’t just want to build something in your basement, and hope on a prayer that folks will want it.

Wow. Really inspired by these @convertkit podcasts.

@IsaAdney's narration is 💯.

(I wish I could sound this good on the mic!)

https://convertkit.com/creator-stories-vannesia-darby

I’m inspired by ⁦@patrickc⁩’s format here:

- an ongoing list of examples of a phenomenon (with citations)
- a big question: “why is it this way?”
- an ongoing list of research and hypotheses

I’d like to use this template myself for a few topics. 👍 https://patrickcollison.com/fast

DoorDash and UberEats have shown us that rapid, local delivery is possible.

But... the incentives are mis-aligned.

Local shops should own delivery co-ops.

Good chat between @r00k and @derrickreimer here:

"How big of a company do you want to be?"

https://artofproductpodcast.com/episode-149

The former Governor of Pennsylvania (and a Republican!) called this out right away: https://twitter.com/GovRidge/status/1324515990697365505

Ok, now even FOX NEWS is calling out Trump’s lies.

Strangely, my family and friends who voted for him still haven’t said anything...

https://twitter.com/zoeschlanger/status/1324722753581293570?s=21

BTW - if you want to buy me an early Christmas present, this one is 😍

Agree.

And would add:

- choose a good market

(market demand is the foundation that you’ll build everything else on) https://twitter.com/mikaelcho/status/1318913285253718018

Podcasting opened up my world.

Through the show, I was able to connect with the most incredible people. Many of these people became my friends.

These connections lead me to almost every opportunity that's come my way.