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If I wanted to bootstrap a new SaaS business in a way that minimises my likelihood of success, here are a few of the things I'd do...
1. Most of the people who can pay me a lot of money *and* speak my language live in the US/Western Europe.
So I'd move to somewhere in a timezone that makes it super difficult and unattractive for me to prioritise talking to my customers.
Eg Chang Mai.
So I'd move to somewhere in a timezone that makes it super difficult and unattractive for me to prioritise talking to my customers.
Eg Chang Mai.
2. I'd try and find an audience to sell to who have...
a) very little discretionary purchasing power
b) the technical skills to build their own solutions
c) and the time/inclination to do so
Eg other indie hackers. Probably technical ones.
a) very little discretionary purchasing power
b) the technical skills to build their own solutions
c) and the time/inclination to do so
Eg other indie hackers. Probably technical ones.
3. Understanding your customers while *simultaneously* figuring out marketing, sales & customer success is easy.
So I'd ramp up the difficulty by using this opportunity to learn about a completely new tech/industry.
You know, so — when I fail — at least I didn't waste my time.
So I'd ramp up the difficulty by using this opportunity to learn about a completely new tech/industry.
You know, so — when I fail — at least I didn't waste my time.
4.I'd focus all my energy/ time into "the idea".
That way, there's no chance of me growing to care about & understand my customers so much that I accidentally uncover a valuable product opportunity.
Better to have a finished product in search of a (likely nonexistent) audience.
That way, there's no chance of me growing to care about & understand my customers so much that I accidentally uncover a valuable product opportunity.
Better to have a finished product in search of a (likely nonexistent) audience.
5. Even with all of the above, there's a *tiny* chance that I manage to find enough customers before I run out of money.
So I'd make my product free or very cheap for the first few months, avoiding upfront annual plans.
cont.
So I'd make my product free or very cheap for the first few months, avoiding upfront annual plans.
cont.
5 cont.
Otherwise, there's a chance I might accidentally extend my runway and discover what product/marketing changes I need to make to attract high-value customers *before* I run out out of cash.
Otherwise, there's a chance I might accidentally extend my runway and discover what product/marketing changes I need to make to attract high-value customers *before* I run out out of cash.
6. That should be enough to ensure I fail.
BUT...
There's still a danger that I learn the right lessons from my mistakes, and end up making the next business a success!
So instead I'll write a blog post describing "the journey" as if it were inevitable and post it to HN.
BUT...
There's still a danger that I learn the right lessons from my mistakes, and end up making the next business a success!
So instead I'll write a blog post describing "the journey" as if it were inevitable and post it to HN.
Just imagine if we had a bootstrapper community that didn't warn new founders to avoid these "hard mode" steps.
Who maybe even told them to *copy* the 0.1% of founders who took these steps — got lucky — and succeeded.
How crazy would that be?
Who maybe even told them to *copy* the 0.1% of founders who took these steps — got lucky — and succeeded.
How crazy would that be?
