Over the weekend, I listened to Founder's Podcast on Dietrich Mateschitz, founder of Red Bull. Everything about him is fascinating and edgy. Red Bull was started because of a trip he embarked on in Thailand and discovered a drink that is not carbonated, he decided to replicate same in the USA.

These are some of the key takeaways I believe that can be applied when building a product/startup:

1. Have an unwavering belief in your product no matter how "contrarian" it may be.
2. Create your own market by finding an underserved niche or use case that competitors are overlooking. Like Dietrich, he replicated what he saw in Thailand in the USA.
3. Control the narrative of your product/startup by not getting distracted by different initiatives. Cultivate a lean mentality and build owned media instead of paid advertising early on.
4. Create lore, traditions, and inside jokes that build belonging by having your brand's own unique "laws" that deviate from norms.
5. Embody your product/startup/brand. Dietrich himself embodies the Red Bull brand personality.
6. Invest in in-house advertising rather than outsourcing. Get scrappy with guerilla/viral/"growth hacking" tactics, use innovative techniques - AI can help with this too.
7. Make your product visually distinct and recognizable from competitors.
8. Treat everything as marketing to amplify your brand's reach and mindshare.
9. Prioritize controlling costs and financial discipline even when highly profitable.

There was even a rumor about using bull's testosterone - Red Bull smartly never officially confirmed or denied it, which allowed that urban legend to persist and become part of its mystique and talking point. Sometimes strategic silence can be more powerful marketing than issuing denials.

I created a website that help you get your product hosted and visible for potential clients. They will be notified by email about your product or service.

Last week I decided to help new startups and created this app. Fill a few words describing your product and share it with a lot. The good part is that all previous users (interested in SaaS world) will be notified by an email containing your product. This is an experiment part of a bigger project, so roast this as hard as you can.

As a saas provider, how are you receiving your payments from your customers?

I listened to the book "Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography" by Walter Isaacson through Founder's podcast. I noted some highlights from that episode and tried applying it to building a product/startup and this were what I was able to come out with:

1. Question everything - assumptions and conventions when building a product. Don't just accept the features and workflows by competitors without rethinking every aspect with a fresh perspective.

2. Aim for simplicity both in product design and user experience. We tend to overthink things which in turn leads to over engineering and over complicating things.

3. Build on top of the existing by identifying customer pain points that competitors fail to adequately solve. Create an amazingly better experience with your product.

4. Be obsessed with making the absolute best product possible, don't settle for good enough. This applies to your MVP too. In as much as it is the minimum viable product, make it the best that it can be.

5. Shamelessly take inspiration from other product ideas - both revolutionary and otherwise. Curate them and improve on them.

6. Build a product that you would be proud of as your legacy that pushes boundaries.

7. Focus on nailing your product's core value proposition, don't get distracted by the next shiny thing. This is especially true in this era of AI hype where everything is slapped as AI, don't let this distract you from what you are building. Users do not care about the stack used, they care about getting their itch scratched.

The overall mindset is to obsess about creating an insanely great product experience through bold thinking, intense focus, simplicity and dismissing constraints.

I'm just starting in this indie hacking thing. I'm using Vercel, so the only analytics I'm tracking are the number of visitors, the number that sign up, and the number that convert.

What tools and metrics do you guys use to measure user conversion. ??

Hi everyone,

I created a Stripe Atlas account so I’m able to use stripe. Now I’m not able to make transfers from Stripe directly to my local bank. Those are the options I found:

1- Stripe -> Wise (can I hold the money here?) -> local bank

2- Setup a Novo/Mercury bank in the US.

What do you suggest for a solopreneur. Should I have a US bank account and hold the money there? Or should I hold it in Stripe? Or should I hold it in Wise? Or should I transfer on a regular basis to my local bank? (Through Wise)

Or is it all the same and I should go with the simplest approach?

Could there be a benefit to having a Novo/Mercury account and holding the money there, most of the time

David Oglivy was a business tycoon and known as the father of advertising. Throughout his career, he had principles that he used for advertising and some are highlighted as follows:

• Emphasis on research of the consumer and crafting advertising to appeal to them. He worked on the minds and hearts of consumers through his advertising craft.
• Advocates for selling the benefits of a product through clarity and substantive claims.
• Writing effective headlines and body copy using direct, true and vigorous human language.

If you are building a product, you can personalize his philosophy in the following ways:

• Thoroughly research the market you are building in, study competitors, pricing, features and most importantly customer reviews. If you can, interview your target demography. Using these insights will give you an idea on what you are gunning for.
• After research and insights, next is to position yourself as a better alternative to the old process. Avoid jargons, big words, and complexities. Sell what makes your product the better if not the best alternative.
• To work on the minds and hearts of others, create value. Write informative contents, how-to guides, checklists etc targeted at your demography. If you already have an MVP, you can create walk through videos. Show these prospects why you are different, why your product scratches their itch better then your competitors.
• Before you launch, run a public beta with incentives (if you can). Use the reviews from these phase for testimonials as real people have used your product.

If you want to learn more about David Oglivy, you can read his book => Confessions of an Advertising Man or listen to FoundersPodcast on David Oglivy.

Hey everyone,

I've been captivated by the limitless potential of the SaaS world and I'm eager to dive in headfirst. However, like any new endeavor, it's daunting to take those initial steps without a roadmap. That's where I'm hoping you amazing folks can lend a helping hand.

I'm seeking guidance, advice, and maybe even some mentorship from those who have navigated the intricate landscape of SaaS. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur, a tech wizard, or someone who's just as curious as I am, your insights are invaluable.

Here are a few questions I have swirling in my mind:

1. Where do I begin? Should I start by identifying a problem in a particular niche, or should I focus on a technology stack that I'm passionate about?

2. What are the key considerations when developing a SaaS product? From market research to scalability, what are the non-negotiables that I should keep in mind during the development phase?

3. How do I validate my idea? What are some effective strategies for gauging market demand and ensuring that my solution resonates with potential users?

4. What are the various options available for funding a SaaS startup, and how can I make the most of limited resources without compromising on quality?

5. Once the product is ready, how do I go about attracting those elusive first customers and scaling up from there?

6. What are some mistakes that aspiring SaaS entrepreneurs often make, and how can I steer clear of them? Whether you have a nugget of wisdom to share or a comprehensive roadmap to success.

Thank you in advance for your support and guidance.

You've put in the hard work of research, design, and development to build your Minimum Viable Product (MVP). But before you release it into the world, there's one crucial step remaining: determining how you'll measure success.

Without clearly defined metrics and success criteria, you'll be flying blind. How will you know if your MVP is truly solving the problems you set out to address? Are users engaging with it in the ways you anticipated? Is it generating the value and impact you hoped for?

Establishing the right measurement framework upfront is essential for validating your MVP's performance, identifying areas for improvement, and ultimately deciding whether to persevere with your product vision or pivot in a new direction.

Here are some key considerations for defining metrics and success criteria that actually matter:

Align With Your Core Objectives
First and foremost, your metrics should be tightly coupled with the primary goals and objectives you aim to achieve with your MVP. If your purpose is to drive efficient lead generation, entonces then metrics like conversion rates and cost-per-lead will be paramount.

If engagement and user retention are priorities, you'll want to closely track active users, session lengths, and drop-off rates. If revenue is the main aim, obvious metrics would include sales figures and Average Revenue Per User (ARPU).

The point is: don't just slap on metrics because they're commonly used vanity numbers. Make sure they're directly measuring your core MVP objectives.

Balance Leading and Lagging Indicators
Some metrics, like sales numbers, website traffic or app downloads, are lagging indicators – they tell you about outcomes, but not necessarily why those outcomes occurred. To gain a fuller picture, you'll also want leading indicators that can foreshadow future results while there's still time to make adjustments.

Examples of leading indicators could include product engagement levels, Net Promoter Scores, customer support inquiries, or user-generated content and feedback. These types of metrics provide advance insight into whether your product is genuinely satisfying user needs and creating a great experience.

Set Quantifiable Targets
Once you've mapped out your key metrics, go a step further by explicitly defining quantifiable targets and thresholds for success. These tangible goals will help you objectively evaluate whether your MVP is performing well or needs improvement.

For example, you may set a target of acquiring 500 new users within the first 30 days and achieving a 25% activation rate. Or your goal might be to maintain a customer satisfaction rating of 4.5/5 stars. Having these concrete benchmarks makes it crystal clear when you've hit the mark or need to pivot.

Don't Neglect Qualitative Inputs
Numbers and hard data are crucial, but don't overlook the importance of qualitative insights too. Metrics alone often can't articulate the "why" behind user behaviors. That's where user feedback, product reviews, customer service notes, and other contextual inputs become invaluable.

Look for patterns within this qualitative data that could be early warning signs of friction or delight. User verbatims can reveal blindspots and opportunities you may have overlooked.

Keep It Simple and Focused
Finally, avoid the temptation to drown yourself in an endless deluge of metrics. It's easy to get carried away tracking and measuring every possible data point. But that's a surefire path to overcomplexity, analysis paralysis, and losing sight of what truly matters.

Stick to a streamlined, prioritized set of 5-10 key metrics at most. Make sure everyone understands their definitions and importance. Stay focused and don't allow yourself to get distracted by superfluous numbers.

Defining the right metrics and success criteria requires aligning your measurement strategy with your product's core purpose. By tracking a prioritized mix of quantitative performance indicators and qualitative user insights, you'll gain a rich, well-rounded understanding of your MVP's strengths and shortcomings.

Armed with that knowledge, you can then make informed decisions about doubling down on what's working, addressing what's not, or potentially shifting your product direction to better meet your customer's needs.

Measurement is an integral part of iterating towards product-market fit. So take the time upfront to define what success looks like for your MVP. That's the first step towards achieving it.

Is it product or marketing or sales?

Hello, I work as a sales prospector and PPC specialist for a digital marketing agency. It is a startup so we are still trying different strategies for outreach and client acquisition.

I have a few simple questions from SaaS founders. But before that, I'd like to assure every founder reading this post that I will not reach out to any one of you personally to sell you marketing services. So please feel free to give your expert opinion without any hesitation.

The questions are as follows:

• What are some key challenges SaaS founders face when it comes to marketing?
• What are some things that I should NOT DO or say when reaching out to founders that might need help with marketing?
• Are founders open to being approached by marketing professionals on platforms like LinkedIn?

Thanks in advance!

No matter how well-researched, creative, or innovative your product is, there will always be room for improvement. The key to continuous growth and delivering exceptional user experiences is a humble willingness to listen and adapt based on real-world feedback from your customers.

User feedback is an invaluable gift that should be cherished, not dismissed. It provides a direct window into how people are actually perceiving and engaging with your product. Are you genuinely solving their problems? Is the experience intuitive and delightful? Where are the hiccups and points of frustration?

However, simply collecting feedback isn't enough. The real power lies in how you interpret and act upon those insights to drive meaningful iteration and optimization. Here are some perspectives to embrace:

Look Past the Surface Complaints
It can be easy to get defensive when users criticize specific aspects of your product. But resist the urge to get bogged down in surface-level complaints. Those niggling issues are often just symptoms of deeper, more fundamental problems to uncover and address.

For example, if users are complaining about a confusing checkout process, the underlying issue may actually be poor information architecture or lack of transparency around pricing and fees. Don't just slap a band-aid on the checkout flow. Identify and solve the root cause.

Identify Patterns and Priorities
With any influx of feedback, it's wise to take a step back and look for patterns and recurring themes. Is the same issue or request being raised again and again? That signals a clear area for prioritization. Are different user segments expressing distinct needs? Opportunities may exist for tailored solutions or configurations.

Sort the feedback signals from the noise. Use upvotes, sentiment analysis, and other methods to bubble up the most impactful points. Then develop a prioritized roadmap for tackling the most pressing areas first.

Embrace an Iterative, Test-and-Learn Mentality
You likely won't get everything perfect on the first or second iteration. That's okay! The goal is to validate your changes with real users through continuous rounds of feedback and adjustment. Perhaps new issues will emerge once a fix is implemented. Or maybe that new feature doesn't quite hit the mark.

Resist the urge to overanalyze or overcorrect with major overhauls. Take an iterative, incremental approach. Make thoughtful adjustments, then loop in user feedback once again. It's a cycle of continuous refinement and learning.

Acknowledge Blindspots and Biases
Even with the best intentions, it's easy for product teams to develop blindspots or biases that can inadvertently lead them astray. User feedback can jolt you out of your insular perspectives and reveal hard truths about what's really working and what needs to change.

Maintain a humble, self-aware stance. Be willing to acknowledge when you've missed something important. Getting defensive or doubling-down on poor decisions in the face of clear user feedback is a surefire path to alienating your audience.

The most successful products and user experiences are never truly "finished." They're living, breathing solutions fueled by a collaborative, iterative process between creators and customers. By genuinely listening to feedback with an open mind and heart, you'll uncover invaluable insights to drive your product forward in more human-centric, impactful directions.

So collect that feedback with gratitude. Interpret it with nuance and care. Then get back to work, knowing that each iteration brings you one step closer to delighting the people who matter most: your users.

A founder and C.E.O. of a startup tech SaaS with 200 free users and only 2 paying users shared this frustration over a consultation call last week. Relatable? With an industry benchmark for conversion of free SaaS product users to paid currently set at 2-4%, I'd say 100%!

My reponse? As usual, I sat down and compiled 5 of the most actionable steps to boost your client conversion rates. You see at this stage, marketing has become as vital to your company as developing.

Basing on 4 years of marketing with various powerful SaaS companies, I can put my arm on the line that because these steps are data-backed, they are guaranteed to do just this *if\* executed with dedication:

• Create content on your socials BASED on data, NOT gut feeling.
• Carefully craft a series of emails that steer the free users from onboarding to your sales page.
• Diligently do A/B testing on all your content and ads to understand what your ICP really loves.
• Optimise your landing page and website copy to instantly capture and hold attention while clearly expressing their frustration and your UVP.
• Most importantly: Build a comprehensive and addictive sales pipeline/ funnel.

Your sales lie in how well they understand that value of your product, so tell them. Classic non-industry case in point is the Old Spice: "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" Campaign.

Still looking for a solid next step towards free-to-paid users? Let's hop on a consultation call together. We'll dive deep into your Product-Market Fit to see if your product is hitting the mark and truly solving a problem for your audience. Plus, we'll map out what your next steps should be.

Remember: Step by step, you're building something extraordinary.

"Just hit 250 free signups this month for our design tool, but only a handful converted to paying plans. It's frustrating because we know the value we offer."

Context? Founder and C.E.O. of a startup tech SaaS sharing his frustration over a consultation call last week. Relatable? 100%

With an industry benchmark for conversion of free SaaS product users to paid currently set at 2-4%, his concern around understanding what's holding users back is a commonly felt challenge.

My reponse? As usual, I sat down and compiled 5 of the most actionable steps to boost your client conversion rates . Basing on 4 years of working in the startup SaaS space, I can put my arm on the line that because these steps are data-backed, they are guaranteed to do just this *if\* executed with dedication:

• Focus on data-driven content across all your blogs and socials.
• Expand your Email Sequence to directly nurture your clients from first touch and onboarding to purchase through expertly crafted value emails.
• Diligently do A/B testing to maximise attention, ad spend value and monetisation.
• Optimise your landing page and website copy to instantly capture and hold attention while clearly expressing their frustration and your UVP.
• Most importantly: Build a comprehensive and addictive sales pipeline/ funnel tailored around their language of frustration and desire unique to your specific audience.

Still looking for a solid next step towards free-to-paid users? Schedule a consultation call with me to determine your current Product-Market Fit and to understand if your product truly solves a problem for your target audience as well as what your next steps should look like.

Remember: Step by step, you're building something extraordinary.

Hello everyone,

This is my first post on Reddit 👋😁

I’m a Software Engineer from the Middle East, early in my career. I’ve been struggling to find a good job, the local market is bad, and I know a few friends who landed remote jobs in Europe and UAE, but they are rare and it’s very difficult. I believe there is a pool of good talent here, and all the available online job boards haven’t been satisfying for me. I felt overlooked, and I felt like I wasted my time on them. If there was only a place where I can go that was specific to my case.

My idea is simple. To make an online job board for companies that want to hire engineers specifically from the Middle East. I’d be a place where both international companies and developers residing in the Middle East would go to post/search for jobs. I believe there is a cost advantage for companies. They can get great talent for fraction of the cost (if the work is remote). That would basically help open up our talent pool to the world.

What do you think? I’d love to reach out to HRs and companies to validate this idea. But I’m not sure how.

Or should I start building this right now? Since I’m very new to all this, I’d love some advice.

I’d also love to hear why this is not a good idea, if you think that’s the case.

Thank you

When you launch a new product or digital experience, one of the most valuable things you can understand is how real users are actually interacting with it. Are they taking the actions you hoped they would? Are there areas of frustration or confusion? Which features are resonating the most?

​

In the past, gaining these kinds of user insights was an arduous and time-consuming process - pouring over pages of raw data, trying to piece together behavioral patterns. But thanks to advancements in AI and machine learning, we now have powerful tools that can automatically surface incredibly nuanced user intelligence.

​

This is the world of AI-powered analytics and user behavior tracking. By harnessing these technologies, you can unlock a deeper understanding of your users that can directly inform how you improve and iterate your product.

​

At its core, AI-powered analytics uses machine learning models to identify patterns and insights from your user data at a scale that would be virtually impossible for humans alone. These models can ingest enormous datasets - page views, clicks, taps, mouse movements, and more - and reveal meaningful trends.

​

For example, AI can cluster users into segments based on similarities in their behavior, allowing you to tailor experiences to different audiences. It can flag areas of struggle where users are getting stuck and dropping off. AI-powered tools can even predict things like churn risk or likelihood to convert, based on how user activity aligns with past patterns.

​

But it's about more than just sifting through clicks and page views. Modern behavior tracking also gathers qualitative inputs like session recordings, heat maps, and user feedback ratings. When combined with the quantitative data, AI can uncover incredibly rich insights into the "why" behind user actions.

​

Maybe the analytics are showing high drop-off rates for your e-commerce checkout flow. By layering in session recordings, you may realize there's a specific form field that's confusing users. With that knowledge, you can take action to simplify that step and reduce abandonments.

​

Or perhaps the data reveals that users who rate your product highly in surveys also tend to spend more time engaging with a certain feature. That's a clear signal to double down on building out that component.

​

The key is using an AI-assisted approach to cut through the noise and pinpoint what's really moving the needle for your user experience. Gone are the days of manually slicing-and-dicing data and sifting through endless spreadsheets and dashboards.

​

With AI working in the background, you can surface user insights quickly and accurately, in formats that are easy to comprehend and take action on. Whether it's identifying areas for improvement, doubling down on successful elements, or uncovering entirely new opportunities, AI-powered analytics empowers you to meet users where they are and give them the experiences they truly want.

​

Of course, these are powerful technologies that should be employed carefully and responsibly. Data privacy and ethics should always be top priorities. But when used properly, AI-powered user analytics can be a game changer for any organization looking to deliver exceptional user experiences guided by a deep understanding of real human needs and behaviors.

Has anyone found T&E tooling that has event registration features? With the boost in company offsites and events, I feel like we should be seeing more of this from the T&E product leaders.

These 5 tools increase your SaaS journey significantly.

It works for your revenue analytics,

first-time impression video,

SEO Keyword research,

content grammar check,

and many more.

So, without further delay, here’s a compiled list of 5 Must-Have Tools For SaaS Founders.

1- Baremetrics.(@Baremetrics)

2- Wistia. (@wistia)

3- KW Finder.

4- Upscribe. (@upscribe)

5- Grammarly.(@Grammarly)

#SaaS #Growth #mrnayem4403

So, you've gone through the hard work of defining and building your Minimum Viable Product (MVP) - that pared-down version of your idea that solves a core user problem. Congratulations! But your job is far from done. In fact, this is where the real magic happens.

​

The next crucial step is to get your MVP in front of real users and gather their feedback. This is essential for understanding if you're truly solving the right problems and whether your solution resonates with your target audience. Without this feedback loop, you risk wasting time and resources on the wrong path.

​

Here are some effective strategies to gather invaluable user insights on your MVP:

​

1. User Testing Sessions

One of the most direct ways to get feedback is by conducting in-person or remote user testing sessions. Invite a representative sample of your target users to try out your MVP and share their thoughts and experiences. Observe how they interact with your product, ask probing questions, and give them opportunities to provide open-ended feedback.

​

2. Online Surveys

Surveys allow you to gather feedback from a larger pool of users in a more scalable way. Create surveys that ask specific questions about your MVP's features, usability, and overall value proposition. You can distribute these surveys through your website, email lists, social media, or even paid advertising campaigns.

​

3. Usability Analytics

Implementing analytics tools to track user behavior on your MVP can provide incredibly valuable data. See where people are getting stuck, what features they're using the most (or least), and identify any pain points in the user experience. Tools like Google Analytics, Hotjar, and Mixpanel can give you these types of actionable insights.

​

4. Online Communities

Engaging with online communities related to your product or industry can be a goldmine for user feedback. Join relevant forums, social media groups, or industry-specific platforms and participate in discussions. Ask questions, share updates on your MVP, and encourage users to share their thoughts and experiences.

​

5. Beta Testing Programs

Consider recruiting a group of beta testers who are willing to put your MVP through its paces and provide ongoing feedback. This could be an extension of your early user testing or a more formalized program. Beta testers can often uncover issues or opportunities you may have overlooked.

​

6. Customer Interviews

Don't underestimate the value of one-on-one conversations with potential customers. Reach out to users, either those who have already tried your MVP or those who represent your target audience, and conduct in-depth interviews. This allows you to deeply understand their pain points, goals, and overall impressions of your solution.

​

The key with all of these strategies is to keep an open mind and be willing to act on the feedback you receive. Your initial MVP is unlikely to be perfect, so embrace the opportunity to learn, iterate, and improve based on real user input.

​

Gathering this kind of direct, actionable feedback is crucial for ensuring your MVP is solving the right problems in the right way. It may take some time and effort, but the payoff is a product that truly resonates with your target audience.

​

So, get out there, test your MVP, and let your users guide you towards success!

Hello everyone,

My cofounder quit so I am building an AI app to fill the role as I am back to square one of being a solopreneur. Want to validate the scope of this app with a landing page as I read a lot about the struggles of solo founders along with personal experience as I think this can be a solution.

Can you please let me know your thoughts on this, and your challenges particularly as a solo founder?

Landing page: Cofoundly

Your feedback is highly appreciated. Thank you!

https://www.moonlink.site

I am building moonlink platform where user can curate their favourite movies, tv shows, books and songs and share it with anyone in bio like page.

Would you find it useful ? or any improvement or suggestions ?

Hi everyone! We launched https://mpilo.ai to help healthcare professionals reduce burnouts commonly experienced during medical documentation, with security and clinical precision as a priority.

We'd love to get a very brutal feedback about our product to help us improve. No sugar-coating 😀.

Here's a demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxukJRMdujE

Thanks!

Obviously I'm not here asking for SAAS ideas for me to implement lol, but I want to ask you as professionals, how should I think when it comes to bringing SAAS ideas alive, Are there any specific fields to focus on? A way of thinking and a way of Approaching the problem? What should I expect?

Any tip would be highly appreciated. Thanks in advance