Tweets

Dear @Apple,

Please make a backlit Apple TV remote.

Thanks,
Justin

People keep saying Figma “won” against Sketch.

But, isn’t Sketch also a winner? From the outside they seem to have millions of paying customers.

Isn’t that a win?

On Monday, @jonbuda and I are going to celebrate @TransistorFM's 4th anniversary by recording an episode of @buildyoursaas together.

What questions do you want us to cover on the podcast?

Good ideas sweep you up with their momentum.

You don't have to carry them; they carry you.

You apply the same effort to them, but they produce 100x the results.

I started a business so that I could be more meaningfully involved with my community, family, and environment.

Business is a means to an end. It's a tool humans invented so we could have better lives.

Why not talk about what that "better life" could look like?

Does every home in Sicily have a tambourine? https://twitter.com/NicholsUprising/status/1238545438476730369

Right now we have nearly 3,500 podcasts on @TransistorFM, representing almost every country in the world.

I've been podcasting since 2012 (was a listener for many years before that). I love audio, and can't wait to see where it goes next. 👍

Happy #InternationalPodcastDay! https://twitter.com/TransistorFM/status/1178738836643270656

📗 By popular demand, I'm working on an ebook version of @tiny_wins!

🙋‍♂️ My friend @joeworkman says: "It's like a choose-your-own-adventure book for marketing your product."

👉 sign up for early access here:
https://tinymarketingwins.com/book

@adamwathan @sivers @wesbos Top 3:

1. "Getting Real" by @dhh @jasonfried (changed my perspective on software and biz)

2. "Anything you want" by @Sivers (probably the most quotable and memorable anecdotes ever written about biz)

3. Sapiens by @harari_yuval (I could not shut up about this book)

Blurry motley #microconf crew.

It's like a nightmare came to life. 😱

https://twitter.com/ProductHunt/status/927718056213835776

Don't focus inward!

Focus outward; on the people you want to serve. https://medium.com/mega-maker/focus-on-your-own-shit-b8dc14f8c7c0?source=twitterShare-a02dd1574d08-1492281767

@ThePrimeagen @taylorotwell 💯 The most positive and welcoming community I’ve been a part of.

@r00k it's time to update the podcast cover art boys

Friday night. Walking home from the office now.

Have a good weekend everyone!

🎯 I actually love coming into an office, socializing, working alongside people.

🙅‍♂️ But I hated the 2 hours I had to spend in the car every day. https://twitter.com/drorpoleg/status/1394604110716997640

Excited to announce that @TransistorFM now integrates with @DescriptApp! 🎉

If you already use Descript for editing your podcast, you can export your podcast (+ transcript) into Transistor with a couple of clicks. 🎙️❤️

https://transistor.fm/changelog/descript/

If web3 doesn’t involve bringing back the <blink> tag I don’t want to hear about it.

I'm building a list of awesome online community builders.

Who else should I add?

https://twitter.com/i/lists/1410385144528224259?s=20

What kind of business do you want to start?

For example, "$500k in revenue" looks a lot different depending on:

- How complicated and stressful your life is as a founder
- How many employees and other costs you have
- How much you pay yourself as a founder

Margin matters!

Observation: Clubhouse competes with family time.

@JordanGal and @CasJam discussed this in their last episode.

http://bootstrappedweb.com/who-is-the-customer-for-this-saas/

4.5 years later, and I'm still really feeling this. https://twitter.com/mijustin/status/753771080779571200

This @fulligin quote on @IndieHackers is everything:

"People don't get it: IT'S THE MARKET. A good market will excuse poor ideas, poor execution. In a good market, you can flail wildly and still get there."

Current trends 👉

Platforms that help people sell their goods online are doing well:

- Digital ecommerce: @podia, Gumroad, Memberful, @memberspace
- Traditional ecommerce: Shopify, Square, Lightspeed

For years, Disney was knocking on every door, desperate for meetings. People ignored him and treated him badly.

And now, a decade later, he's the toast of Hollywood. Everyone wants to meet him.

Suddenly, he doesn't need to bang on doors; they're just opening for him.

What you build isn't as important as who you help (my chat with @adamwathan) https://justinjackson.ca/who/

⚡️ Want an influencer to share your landing page? Not likely.

Instead 👉 write a case study that tells a compelling story about how you helped someone overcome obstacles in their life.

That's waaaaay more shareable. 👍

Testing out a new camera + lights https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1MYGNgypbjzJw

@AmandaMGoetz This list of drinks is still the most popular article on my site. 😉

https://justinjackson.ca/nobooze

Don’t try to take your shirt off while wearing glasses and airpods.

It just can’t be done.

Demand isn’t just a function of “do people want this?” but also “how many people want this?” and “how much will they pay?”

@ajlkn This is what makes finding a business idea difficult!

There needs to be alignment between:

1. What the market wants
2. What you can provide
3. What you’re passionate about

@patrickc @stripe We (at @TransistorFM) incorporated with Atlas in 2017.

Since then:
- Jan 2018: launched beta
- Aug 2018: official launch
- Apr 2019: I went full-time
- Aug 2019: @jonbuda went full-time

Today we’re still bootstrapped, and have more than replaced our old tech salaries! 🙌

Fuck Grubhub.

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/venessawong/grubhub-phone-order-call-fee-coronavirus

Today’s newsletter is out.

Lots of folks found this one helpful (multiple email replies and a text this morning!) 👌

You can read the whole thing here:
https://justinjackson.ca/beach

Want to know how to stand out in 2019?

Don't use chatbots. 🙅‍♀️

People are continuously surprised that I personally answer live chats on @TransistorFM, and replies to my email newsletter.

"How do you know what users want?"

@dominicstpierre and I are working on a tool that helps you capture and organize market research insights.

Interested?

We have an email list here where we'll be sharing our progress: http://clearuser.com

😭 Sad to be missing #microconf this year (one of my favorite confs).

Decided to sit this year out so I had time and energy to do some conferences in the podcasting space, and focus on @TransistorFM.

(But I've definitely got major FOMO right now)

Amazing to see the progress I've made with pull-ups.

Started at the start of the year only being able to do 3 reps (max).

So difficult and awkward to do them in the beginning.

Can now do 5 sets of 5 reps.

There is so much last-minute stuff to do before a launch!

At the Toronto airport finishing up the final details ahead of tomorrow's @TransistorFM launch.

Can't wait to show you what @jonbuda and I have been building. 🙌

(Look for us on @ProductHunt!)

If Apple is smart, they'll create features that help people use their iPhones LESS.

We know that smartphone addiction is a thing.

People initially loved their phones, but now their devices make them feel overwhelmed.

The new product trend will be engineering for LESS usage.

Don't start by thinking about what *type* of product you'd like to build.

Rather, ask:
1. Who do I want to help?
2. How can I help them?

This data from @tobias_petry confirms something I've previously observed:

Laravel has a pipeline problem: young devs aren't learning @laravelphp in bootcamps or college. (They're learning JavaScript, React, Next.js, etc)

What are some creative ways to fix this?

Spotted at the downtown bus station.

(I love how they hand drew the band names. So sick)

It’s been incredible to be in-person with the @TransistorFM team here on our retreat in Montreal. ❤️🇨🇦

How many bootstrapped/indie SaaS have been acquired for $50-100 million in the last 5 years?

"There's this myth, with indie makers, that you have to create something unique, innovative; that you need to enter a market with no competition."

Had an awesome chat with @calebporzio yesterday.

https://youtu.be/b-BGlRl4FBc

Managed to push myself out of the office and go on my first trail ride of 2021.

Nothing crazy (for #vernonbc) but it felt good. 👍

I mean look at this. 😍

I love the aesthetic here (naturally); but more than that, I support the point that @brad_frost is making:

https://deathtobullshit.com/

Multiple people have told to me they now go to the pricing page *first* because it shows them exactly what the product does, and what it’s features are.

https://twitter.com/trevmckendrick/status/1276743427472814080?s=21 https://twitter.com/TrevMcKendrick/status/1276743427472814080

We need leaders, bloggers, podcasters, founders, and creators who bring their whole selves to their craft and their community.

We are not one-dimensional figures. ✌️

Getting tons of responses to today's newsletter:

"The myth of the niche market" ✨

https://justinjackson.ca/niche

2014: "Teach me how to do it so I can do it myself."

2018: "PLEASE JUST DO IT FOR ME."

Your landing page should prove that you "get" the customer:

1. Where are they now?
2. Where are they going?
3. What stands in their way?

Nature fights back against drones.

https://vine.co/v/edHiphgVOnd

New idea: create a small (maybe silly) project for EVERY ONE of the domain names you’ve bought, but haven’t used.

Ship one a week.

First day of @LaraconUS

#laracon

Love this time of year.

Our last launch on @ProductHunt happened 2 years ago.

Today, we're launching something new:

https://www.producthunt.com/posts/ai-podcast-transcription

We'd love your support! 🙌

We just finished a feature that's super niche but that the podcast nerd in me loves:

Now when you upload an MP3 with chapters to @transistorfm, you can insert those chapters as timestamps in your show notes.

It's like having your show notes populate automatically. ✨

90% of their net worth in crypto!?!

This is sure starting to feel like a speculative bubble. https://twitter.com/ericosiu/status/1454934978832343047

Based on my experience (and the folks DMing me) $100k founder salary at $1M, and $150k at $2M is *very* low for bootstrapped founders who are running profitable, lean SaaS companies.

Why be a founder if your success doesn't translate into a better life?

https://twitter.com/pjrvs/status/1425132249712939008

How long before banks realize that MRR is far better proof of income than someone’s old tax returns (or a W2 form).

🤣 too real https://twitter.com/grinich/status/1382550826367873026

It's a vicious cycle:

1. New social platform grabs your contacts from your address book.

2. You (and millions of others) help create an incredible ecosystem where connection thrives.

3. Platform locks down your reach and monetizes by selling ads (or your data).

A disagreement on Twitter,
A Skype call,
And now a podcast.

Listen to my latest chat with @jasonfried:

https://overcast.fm/+MBmVFcx0U

Holding on to summer as long as I can.

Flip-side: the most successful founders I know are constantly jumping on calls, getting advice, sharing numbers, asking for favors, and demoing things for each other behind the scenes. https://twitter.com/Suhail/status/1273340757668016128

The ability to identify a good idea takes a lifetime of effort! It’s the culmination of the experiences you’ve had, the markets you’ve observed, the customers you’ve listened to, the experiments you’ve run.

In software, the execution piece (building it) is easy by comparison.

Just published my 2019 year in review:
https://justinjackson.ca/2019-review

Jon and I are building a small company (@TransistorFM).

Sometimes, it's tempting to pretend we're bigger than we really are.

This quote from @basecamp's "Getting Real" is a good reminder:

"Be truthful to yourself, and your customers."

A very common question @jonbuda and I ask each other (as co-founders):

"Should we say 'yes' to this?"

Lately, we've been saying 'no' to a lot more things, and it feels GREAT. 👌

You know how sometimes you're exercising and you overdo it and pull a muscle?

I feel like I do that with work sometimes.

I'll overdo it, and it feels like I've pulled a "brain muscle."

The single best thing you can do for your business isn't A/B tests, conversion optimization, or ads.

It's talking to your customers.

“I’m heartbroken that so many Americans did not find Donald Trump’s behavior to be disqualifying.”
– @jodyavirgan

Same. 😞

Exactly.

The trope is one-dimensional and silly from a variety of perspectives:

$75k in 2010 ≠ $75k in 2022
$75k NYC ≠ $75k in Boise, ID
$75k for family of 1 ≠ $75k family of 4

https://twitter.com/cgimmer/status/1560700713315057673

New in @TransistorFM: now you (and your listeners) can link to a specific moment in your podcast episodes. 🎉

(you can share a timestamp URL that links to that part of your audio)

Most of us would get destroyed if we hopped into a ring at the UFC.

But in business, anyone can hop in the ring and say “I’m an entrepreneur!”

It should come as no surprise that “most businesses fail.”

When anyone is allowed to jump in the ring, most will get knocked out.

Bootstrapping with kids!

While recording a new episode of the @megamaker podcast, @joshuaanderton's boys were making noise in the background.

"Enjoy the interruptions; it goes so fast."

Listen here: https://podcast.megamaker.co/subscribe

The best thing about the podcasting world is still RSS.

No big player (Apple, Spotify, Google, Amazon, FB) has enough leverage to completely control/centralize distribution.

Even though RSS is “messier” than centralized distribution, it’s way better for independent creators.

Excited about this! 🎉

Here's a sneak peek at @TransistorFM's new dynamic audio insertion feature: https://youtu.be/nqKjCdVSbgY

For podcasters stuck in complicated enterprise DAI systems, this will be a great alternative. 💯

Get on the list here: https://transistor.fm/newsletter/

People seem to be enjoying today's newsletter.

You can read it here:
https://justinjackson.ca/marketing-steroids

@adamwathan For me it'd be @TransistorFM. 😅

- Gradual-growth market (not a crazy rocketship)
- Can be run by less than 5 people (ideal team size)
- Good margins (financial, time, energy, maintenance)
- A true calm company (very little drama)
- Very few "lows" (much better than employment)

I think today's the day I remove Mixpanel from @TransistorFM, and make our marketing website/app 100% tracker free.

Exerting “more effort” does not necessarily bring you “more success.”

Paradoxically, sometimes the biggest successes come from the least amount of effort.

❌ "This kind of app is easy to build."
❌ "This is what I think people might like."
❌ "This is what people told me they might like."

Look for evidence of folks

✅ spending money, time, or effort to solve the problem.
✅ who have an economic incentive to seek out a solution.

I’ve heard folks say success is “luck, skills, and hard work,” but that really doesn’t encompass a lot of the success I see.

To me, “connection” is a big factor.

Almost every founder success I hear about involves meeting a series of people, who helped in different ways.

After sitting out last year, I've just booked tickets for #microconf (Growth).

👋 See you in Minneapolis!

Just got off a voice call with @adamwathan.

There's something incredible about chatting with someone who has enthusiasm for what they're doing. Good ideas just "appear." The energy creates momentum. 🏄‍♂️

BIG MILESTONE! 🎉

It's been 7 years since the first episode of @productpeopletv.

I just published EPISODE 100. 🕺💃

This is my interview with @JamesClear. He really brought the 🔥.

It would mean the world to me if you gave it a listen:
https://overcast.fm/+MP59ARSO4

When you buy from an independent maker, you're investing in their lives.

Instead of lining Bezos' pockets, you're supporting middle-class families.

If you like someone's work, it's the best way to ensure it continues!

OK, I don't think I'm supposed to be sharing anything out of @JamesClear's new book yet (I think it's out on Oct 16th?) but this section just changed my life.

A few of my regular recurring business expenses.

~$454 per month currently. 💸

How have you reduced your monthly costs? Any tips?

Don’t ask customers: “what do you want?”

Ask them, “what have you been doing lately?”

Actions > words

My book, @marketingdevs, is getting even better.

Doing a big update this month. Get free a chapter here: https://devmarketing.xyz

“The only 2 people who can give you real feedback about your product are those who just purchased and those who just canceled” – @jasonfried

Population growth (and increasing consumption) is the only economic model we have.

Who is working/thinking about an alternative economic theory that might work at scale?

If you’re a founder, entrepreneur, indie hacker, and this current recession scares you, you should really pay attention to the climate crisis.

The economic and societal fallout from an inhospitable planet will be way worse than anything we’re experiencing now.

Update from the @TransistorFM team retreat in Montreal.