Maybe fancy SaaS startups ain’t my thing?
TL;DR: Failed to market SaaS. Failed to monetize a mobile app. Failed to launch a web app. Decided to make an educational site about crypto. Launched it on PH today.
Hello, fellow hackers! I, long time lurker and occasional commenter, decided to write about my recent success (or fail) with startups and also launch my recent site.
My first “serious” attempt to make a startup was Enso Paper, web app to make notes. It didn’t get initial momentum, and I didn’t know how to sell it to people. So I shut it off.
My next project was an Android application. I did it in a week, got users, but couldn’t monetize it. I put it on maintenance.
My other project was a web app, again. I finished it but decided not to launch it even though it was 100% ready. Yes, stupid and irrational, I know. Probably wasn’t my thing anyway.
So far I didn’t get success with the traditional way of making startups. Maybe it’s not for me? Maybe I just can’t sell SaaS and apps.
So I started something different. I am interested in cryptocurrencies and like to learn something new. I got the idea about researching coins and writing technical reviews based on what I learned. I decided: “Why not?”
And today, after 2 months of working on this project and doing more than 10 reviews, I am launching it on Product Hunt today: https://www.producthunt.com/posts/longcaller. I would love if you check the site and leave some feedback about articles. Thoughts on design and UX are also appreciated.
I actually have zero interest in crypto :)
I'm more interested in the apps that failed and ones you didn't launch... What did you need to do to launch your 100% ready app but decided it wasn't ready?
Haha, it seems like this is a popular question, as both you and @ykpclsz asked it. Ok, here's the story.
I decided to collect helpful resources for makers: products, guides, courses, etc. The idea was to split the process of making into smaller steps, like coming up with an idea, designing, developing, growing it, etc, and provide helpful guides for each of the steps.
I collected A TON of resources from Medium, Youtube, Udemy, and other places. I also hand-picked a lot of products that can be helpful for makers from Product Hunt.
So, I made the list, and then I made a site, and I even put it on the domain. But after I made it I realized I don't like it and don't think that it can be helpful anymore. So I just silently killed it.
I still have that list on my hard drive, categorized by steps. I guess I can share it in some way if someone still interested in it.
If you still have the site I'd recommend launching it and turning it into affiliates style business recommending products etc.
I'm not interested in crypto world but what was the product you didn't publish?
Not sure if the site is specifically geared to non-BTC coins, but I found it odd that you don't mention Bitcoin anywhere on the homepage.
Yeah, you right, it's odd. I decided to spend more time on Bitcoin and Ethereum to make sure they will be easy-to-read and complete, so I am still working on that 2 pieces.
The project is still super early so many great coins are missing now.
Sounds like my story :) I also launched an educational website but in the newsletter form called www.cryptoda.sh
To be honest has been enjoying it much more than anything else so far! And funny enough got very similar responses on IH - no interest in crypto but then there are many parts to it, since its overhyped, lots of wrong people and projects, more of a speculative interest than a tech one. Instead maybe good to focus on different tech aspects like DAG, chains, interoperability, dApps and real world applications...
Cool! Not a real fun of newsletters tbh, but I signed up to give it a shot :)
Yeah, many people are not interested right now, and many of those people won't be interested in future. That's fine. It's a niche thing, and it's still very early. People don't see the potential or they don't want to risk to spend time on a fragile thing like that. They're right actually.
I think I wouldn't spend time on it if I wouldn't like it, but like you said, it is so damn joyful and addictive.
Hey Timur
I've read a few coin articles now (selected some of my favourites), and I really like the length of each review. Very digestible. Newsletter sign up for these delivered to my mailbox will be great.
The only criticism I have is that some sentences are too shortened to the point where you've cut out a word or two to shorten things. IMO this breaks the reading flow and would be better with the full sentence.
E.g.
"All transactions are written into public blockchain"
Would become
"All transactions are written into a public blockchain"
Hope you get some good signups!
Thanks, Sean. I suspected that some of the sentences sound artificial. So it's true... Yeah, gonna work on that!
There quite a few ways to get reviews for cryptocurrencies, on youtube, steemit, reddit, etc. And it will be kinda a challenge for you to keep doing this before a lot of other people do. Something that I see becoming a thing, and still has a lot to be done, is blockchain content for developers. Courses to development on Ethereum, Lisk, NEO, Bitcoin itself, etc. This is something I'm actually looking for right now, and would pay for sure, if it was a quality content.