Tweets

When you control the primary distribution channel (like YouTube does), you can:

1) Apply downward pressure on CPMs anytime you want.

2) Decide who gets featured, and who doesn’t.

3) Not allow creators to take their subscribers to other platforms.

https://www.tubefilter.com/2020/04/16/creators-disclose-declining-adsense-rates-coronavirus/amp/

Great bootstrapping chat between @petersuhm, @digitaltrouble, @noahwbragg.

Super 🔥 conversation near the middle about where or not you should have cofounder. (I disagree with some of it, but some good points made!)

https://overcast.fm/+T3ki-Q8yM

I’m not trying to show you a specific wave you should ride. 🏄‍♀️

I’m trying to teach you how to recognize the shape of a good wave. 🌊

It’s up to you to find a good wave that your matches your skill, personality, and experience. 🏄🏄‍♂️

This means you have to *let go* of the things in your life that aren't giving you enough margin.

Another misconception (@jasondoesstuff said I could share)

I'm not saying everyone should start a coffee shop!

"The point of the metaphor is: don’t do demand-generation. Rather go where demand is built-in; then, it's easier (even when there are competitors)." – @asmartbear

Checking in. How's everyone doing?

💚 Doing well. Feeling safe, creative, in a state of flow.

💛 Feeling slightly worried or anxious. Teetering.

🔴 Feeling depressed, desperate, or panicked.

My main shot for video tutorials and live streams had a ton of Gaussian noise (I had my ISO set too high).

Glad Sean pushed me to clean it up. 😉

I wonder what % of SMB software spending is on SaaS? 🤔 https://twitter.com/ZacharyDeWitt/status/1303760141951541248

A good deep-dive for all this is @grigoriy_kogan’s excellent piece:

https://www.gkogan.co/blog/category-creation/

Almost every entrepreneur I know (including me) has gone through a stage where they felt they could "change the culture" or "swim against the current" and win.

But eventually, we all learn the same lesson.

🎯

https://twitter.com/dohertyjf/status/1302012238778171392

@philhawksworth @Netlify @Tzmanics @sarah_edo @cassidoo @shortdiv @jlengstorf WOW! So awesome to see this podcast hosted on @TransistorFM.

We use @statamic + Netlify to host our website (http://transistor.fm), and we LOVE YOU! ❤️❤️❤️

💯 https://twitter.com/adamwathan/status/1296447329042661376

As an entrepreneur and a dad, I really appreciate what @alexisohanian did with the Business Dad podcast.

Conversations with dads (like @hasanminhaj) about balancing careers and family.

https://businessdad.initialized.com/1

(Photo: Russ Roe)

Clarification: I'm not saying you should be getting hundreds of trials right of the bat.

You'll gradually ramp up over time.

Here's how it looked for @TransistorFM:

Love the work @venikunche is doing.

Go follow @DiversifyTechCo and help her get to 10,000 followers! https://twitter.com/venikunche/status/1277240339447808000

Love seeing folks switch to @TransistorFM! 🙌 https://twitter.com/melvyndotme/status/1274845723117236224

Nice Father’s Day 👍

Eye-opening.

Didn't realize that podcasters working with big networks (like Gimlet) don't get a stake in the podcast’s IP or brand.

"The show bears our faces. It's about the unique lens through which Eric and I see the world. Do we not deserve to own even a fraction of it?” https://twitter.com/bmluse/status/1273741795453788160

@nbashaw I’ve been using it for awhile and I mostly like it.

It feels fresh.

My favorite is “Reply all focus mode.”

Everyone thinks that marketing is the hardest part of the equation.

But in reality, it's "How many people want what you're selling?" It's finding a market that has strong demand.

@Abadesi @hustlecrewlive I wanted to let you know that your presentation today was *the best* virtual event I've ever attended. 🙌

You clearly knew your stuff and did a great job engaging with participants throughout.

I've mentioned it to three people already today; really well done. 💯

Folks keep assuming that content creators want their work to be supported by dynamically inserted ads on a central platform.

Look at what YouTubers have to put up with. Lower and lower ad rates.

Increasingly, creators are looking for more sustainable ways to make a living.

@nbashaw For business strategy, @aprildunford is 💯

All of you startup folks saying “just let the free market work” love to ignore all the free open-source tech we get to use to run our businesses.

(Not to mention the open protocols we depend on; many of which were funded by the government and academia)

Grubhub is not “adding value” here.

They’re taking advantage of a business sector that has razor-thin margins, and is barely keeping its head above water.

They’re going to growth-hack their way to destroying the livelihood of all their customers.

“Luck & hard work” don’t seem to encompass everything that’s needed for success.

A garden needs hard work (and some luck!) to grow, but it also needs fertile ground and good seeds.

@wesbos wait, your profile says you only have 212k followers not a bajillion

“I’m working on an idea for a new app.”

If you’re reasonably good at execution, what matters is *whether people want what you’re building.* That speaks to the strength of the idea.

Agree, and also: high-speed passenger trains. https://twitter.com/FionaMcK/status/1251981529418432513

“Creativity’s biggest enemy is desperation.”

This is my post on 2014.

It over-emphasizes “rugged individualism” but it describes the research on the cognitive affects of “money stress” in more detail:

https://justinjackson.ca/desperation

The current research here is pretty clear:

“Lacking the resources to satisfy one’s needs has a profound impact on [long-term, goal-oriented] decision making.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6575633/

Seeing WAY more cold outreach spam emails and twitter DMs now than before the pandemic.

(In my mind, all I can hear is Zack de la Rocha screaming "WAKE UP!" eight times)

https://justinjackson.ca/exposed

Fascinating documentary by Japanese filmmaker @RyoTakeuchi2333, who is living in China.

He shows what it's like to live in Nanjing after the #covid19 outbreak.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfsdJGj3-jM&feature=youtu.be

Is this our future?

Today on the podcast I had an incredible conversation with @mjwhansen.

"Eye-opening, especially for indie devs with a family." – @yarobagriy

https://share.transistor.fm/s/e32f9a8d

Such a crucial distinction!!! 🎯 https://twitter.com/rjs/status/1234619338910396417

@ArlanWasHere @rihanna That was beautiful. I cried a bit watching it.

We have limited influence over:

- What kinds of things customers want
- How bad they want them
- Global supply

But we have almost zero influence over:

- How many customers there are
- How much they can spend
- What their alternatives are
- Socio-political trends

Love this description:

“Urban parsley.” https://twitter.com/wrathofgnon/status/895150796563730432

Whoa. This is really in-depth. Lots of data!

And best of all: a checklist of actions (ranked by efficacy). https://twitter.com/embrein/status/1222574151572979712

@tnorthcutt @shl @TransistorFM 👋

@m1guelpf now everyone just uses dial-up modems

Just found this, and it relates so much to this thread:

“Adding more and more layers to a system intended to avert disaster often makes catastrophe all the more likely.”

https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/cautionary-tales/

(It's the new year, and lots of folks are contacting me because they want to start building an audience in 2020. Above is the general advice I give)

Below I'll give more practical tips.

For folks replying “but... China!”

Yes, China’s emissions matter, but can we at least do something about our own actions?

Let’s not abdicate our responsibility here.

https://twitter.com/noahpinion/status/1051676756933894144?s=21 https://twitter.com/Noahpinion/status/1051676756933894144

My 11 year old discovered @songadaymann’s “Baby Yoda” song on YouTube, and has listened to it (on repeat) for the last hour.

He’ll do this every day now, for the next two weeks.

(Thankfully, I love @songadaymann and Baby Yoda, so it’s 👌)

https://youtu.be/gZ93V_igqPQ

@helena Definitely “Atomic Habits” by @JamesClear.

Another illustration of what I'm describing here. The fact that Rob is "a founder" isn't terribly pertinent.

But (from a market perspective) what's more interesting is that he's "a founder who spends money on X."

https://twitter.com/robwalling/status/1197195813920706563

BTW – you’re free to do whatever you want.

If you want to start a business based on your gut, go ahead! 😜

But if you want to reduce your risk, look for existing demand in your segment (or in a parallel category).

You can easily link to a podcast, but (unlike video and web articles) they won’t be consumed immediately.

On the web, a steady stream of links to your article / video generally increases your audience. But that technique doesn’t help podcasts as much.

It’s true. https://twitter.com/simplebits/status/1182349734939385862

You can subscribe to @taylorotwell's podcast here 👉

 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-laravel-snippet/id1451072164
👖 Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/Hq1Z
🌥️ Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1451072164/the-laravel-snippet
💻 Google: https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy50cmFuc2lzdG9yLmZtL2xhcmF2ZWwtc25pcHBldA%3D%3D

What context generated demand for Slack?

* Prevalence of smartphones, and employees using their phones for work.
* Increase in remote work.
* We were used to “newsfeed” apps (Twitter, RSS readers).
* A generation that grew up on IRC came of age and joined the workforce.
* Emoji.

It's a challenging question because it's not really something someone else can answer for you.

Primarily because "seeing the opportunity" usually means you're already deeply embedded in that market.

The challenge?

Most of the time you can't reason with toxic people.

Remember, for them "it feels good to feel bad."

As Lane, Hull, and Foehrenbach point out:

"They have a recurring need for activities that eliminate pleasure and induce a state of dysphoria."

Good general rule on pricing from @dhh:

“If you wouldn’t pay to use your own product, don’t expect that anyone else will either.”

https://overcast.fm/+JptgDCm-g

🎯 https://twitter.com/jackmcdade/status/1163917919753056258

Fred is awesome! Hire him! https://twitter.com/fredrivett/status/1163412656671383552

Tumblr was doing $25 million in revenue in 2013 when Yahoo bought them.

https://twitter.com/mijustin/status/335783024098672641?s=21

The teaser video we published last week already has over 26,000 views and generated tons of discussion:

Full episode here: https://saas.transistor.fm/episodes/what-we-learned-in-new-york

#laracon

Can someone explain to me how SSO works?

Is it as simple as allowing someone to log in with their work email? Does that require us to integrate with their email provider? (Like Gmail?)

My friend @pjrvs has one of my favorite personal websites of all time.

I've stolen so many ideas from this site over the years.

Beautifully (and simply) executed.

Getting lots of nice messages about this one today. Thanks for the encouragement. 👌 https://overcast.fm/+MBmWnw2aQ

Interactions like these are why I think @TransistorFM will invest in customer support for our first hire.

Customer support is marketing + sales + retention + a feature all in one.

People now expect bots by default, so when a real human shows up, it instantly sets you apart.

I’m curious: are any companies currently using remote pair programming tools (like @PairWithTuple) for job interviews?

Seems like a good idea. 👌

(hat tip: @glenmccallumcan)

https://glenmccallum.com/2019/06/25/why-code-challenges-are-bad-practice-for-hiring-senior-developers/

Many of the companies we look up to have multiple founders:

- Google (Larry and Sergey)
- Basecamp (Jason Fried and DHH)
- Fathom (@pjrvs & @JackEllis)
- MailChimp (Ben Chestnut, Dan Kurzius, Mark Armstrong)
- Atlassian (Mike Cannon-Brookes, Scott Farquhar)

That's no accident!

Since teaming up with @jonbuda on @transistorfm I've been able to move way faster, and I'm expending less energy than I have in the past.

Jon takes care of the things that used to make me spin my wheels.

My favorite part about our brave wireless future is when my keyboard runs out of battery. 😩

It's easier to use what everyone else is using. Suggesting something else adds friction.

The friction is both social and functional in nature. Social, because we want to fit in. Functional, because everyone has it installed, and understands how to use it.

Again, this makes me think about comedians.

Lots of new comics will invite all their friends to their first show. And they'll kill!

But then they'll go on the road and bomb. The audience doesn't know them; their material has to stand on its own legs.

Is it a good idea to build integrations into your software? https://saas.transistor.fm/episodes/how-big-of-a-market-should-you-target

But, I think you still need to look at the broader picture: what is the *total* addressable market?

If you need to get 1,000 customers to make something viable, but the total market is only 10,000, it's going to be really difficult to convert enough people to customers.

I'd forgotten about this album!

(I was 15 when this came out.)

Yes, it will take some effort to position your product properly.

Yes, you might need to find the right distribution channels.

But ultimately, people should be coming to you on their own. It shouldn't feel like a grind.

“The market is the thing you have to figure out first. That’s your job.”

Yes!!! @StarrHorne, @stympy, and @joshuap nail it here. 👇

https://overcast.fm/+RSdHPtJIo/22:04

Awesome to see all the folks starting podcasts on @TransistorFM. 👍

https://twitter.com/TransistorFM/status/1125123891133681664

Why do some people and businesses weather storms better than others?

This new Seth Godin podcast is really good:

https://overcast.fm/+L0YXSHoZQ

Profit First is 💯.

https://twitter.com/mattgiovanisci/status/1122994375800213504?s=21

@tranhelen 💯 "As you build it, tell people to come."

@wilburpowery That's @TheStreaksApp

If Apple wants to win against Netflix and Spotify in the world of streaming, they should start where they have the biggest advantage: PODCASTS.

60% of listeners use @ApplePodcasts.

They own the biggest podcast directory.

They have editorial control over what gets featured.

@jasonfried I dig this idea.

It's already working this way with podcasts that give supporters an ad-free podcast feed.

Supporters get the content, and the podcaster often gets paid better than they would with ads. 👍

If you're worried about what your competitors are doing, you should check this out. 👌

https://overcast.fm/+MBmXushe8

Congrats, @theleviallen, for hitting 100,000 subscribers on YouTube! 🎉

(He has one of the only channels I watch regularly)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJXz-QU2_KU7pSuWr12XTHA

Interesting observation by @papernewsletter.

Big cultural shifts often occur when an individual does something bold, and captures the imagination of the masses.

Every movement needs a trailblazer.

Looking for a word that means:

"In-between two realities" or more succinctly "that place in the middle where you've left an old reality, but haven't fully arrived in your new reality."

Kind of like "no man's land?"

Really impressed with @natalienagele's leadership at @Wildbit.

Great write-up in Fast Company! 🙌

https://www.fastcompany.com/90277702/this-company-shifted-to-a-four-day-workweek-and-its-going-great

I guess the industry term for this is "Decentralized Cloud Computing."

(and it sounds like companies like @storjproject are working on it)

There's definitely been a lot of anti-FB/Amazon/Google sentiment lately. I wonder if we'll see a return to more distributed solutions.

Chatting live with @r00k about building new products, whether bootstrappers should get funding, and cheesecake. https://www.pscp.tv/w/bs7QUTM4NTU1MXwxeW5LT09uUnJaV0tSqdCn8Pn_u7z4ZW6d7qGML5PV4s_8LyfpKnuUFOLm1Cc=

The sign of a good podcast is where you're yelling at your phone saying: "I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY!"

This conversation between @r00k, @CasJam, @JordanGal is good. 👍

(It gets really 🌶️ spicy in the last 13 minutes)

https://overcast.fm/+WWECy0EI/39:34

Live now: setting up @laravelforge, Server Pilot, or Runcloud + Digital Ocean to save on server costs. https://www.pscp.tv/w/bqC1gTM4NTU1MXwxZFJLWmdhcWtRZEdCuip8BoeL7hPhLlpOJsh31cKW6M8XsxNwNF1NozM7KBI=

Who else played Doom or Duke Nukem over a dial-up modem with friends?

@jonbuda and I reminisce in our latest @transistorfm episode. 🎮

This is the book I'm reading right now. It's flipping my mindset on goals (how effective are they?), hustle vs daily practice, and identity vs outcomes.

Just search for "Atomic Habits" by @JamesClear. (I think it's currently on sale on Amazon)

omg. this is real. (this video is still their pinned tweet)

https://twitter.com/StevieBuckley/status/1051762443851112448

@halvo Yes. What impressed me about their story is *how long they were willing to wait*.

So many of us are in a rush for our side-project to become our full-time thing.

"To be a winner, you need to be a loser."

☝️ doing a livestream in 15 minutes for Patreon supporters + @prodpeopleclub members on this topic.

(I might release it as a podcast later)

Dan just had me on the @TropicalMBA podcast. We talked about the untold story behind many bootstrapped startups.

🎧 Listen here:
http://www.tropicalmba.com/costofbootstrapping/

Already wrote a guide here! 🙌
https://justinjackson.ca/livestreaming/

https://twitter.com/VineetDevaiah/status/1045078371829518336