ASK IH: Live streaming building my project via Twitch/YT Live - 'Open Startup'?
Hey folks 👋
I recently came across Pieter Level's startup, Nomad List, and discovered the '/open' page which details all of the metrics, including revenue, users and traffic.
See here: https://nomadlist.com/open
After digging around, it looks like he got some of his inspiration from Ghost (CMS) and Buffer.
At this stage, Baremetrics has a whole page dedicated to such startups which is ace: https://baremetrics.com/open-startups
I love the idea!
Anyway, it got me thinking:
I'm just about to go into full-time build mode on a project I've been working on for a few weeks, and the thought crossed my mind to live-stream the process.
And I mean, all of it.
I.e. screen recording of my monitor with me talking through what I'm doing and why.
To be clear, I'm not just talking about me plugging code — far from it.
I mean the process of me; putting together a marketing strategy, creating the content, design graphics, reaching out to early users etc. etc.
I plotted out the following reasons as to why I'm keen to do this:
- To make the process a little less lonely
- To help keep me focussed and on-track
- To get feedback from smart folks as I go
- To help others learn from what I know
- Also, to help newcomers realise they can do it, too!
A few reasons popped up as to why I shouldn't do this, namely creating competition and so forth, but I'm a recent subscriber to the school of thought that 99% of those worries are baseless and highly unlikely to ever occur, and the potential benefit to others far outweighs the small chance of negative side effects.
I went ahead and sorted out all of the bits and bobs I need over the weekend and have everything good to go, but figured I'd missed out on one vital step.
Validation!
So, herein lies the question - is this something that sounds like a good idea to you, and could be beneficial to others in the community?
At the very least, do you think you'd find it interesting?
Let me know, I'd love to hear the communities (your) feedback and/or suggestions.
Much appreciated, thank-you!
Hey Charlie, love the idea and I was very close to doing it myself. I did a 48-hour startup-athon at home one weekend, and livestreamed the whole thing. It was fun, but here's what I learned.
It's almost too much content. Without a filter of some sort, you end up with just hours and hours of someone grinding. This is cool as an addition to curated content, but I don't think it works without that proper narrative.
Additionally good storytelling needs conflict. Rising and falling action. In livestreaming it's hard to capture conflict. Video game streamers have natural conflict within video games, but building a side project lacks the same digestible conflict.
But hey, I love the Truman Show, maybe it works!
I'm currently building a tool to share your maker story through a timeline, with built in metric tracking (same as open metrics). Same type of concept, though slightly more thought out (but not much more!) content.
Regardless, I love people who just do crazy things and always support people telling their story in their own way!! Best of luck mate.
-Elijah
Thank-you very much for adding your feedback Elijah, I really appreciate it 🙏🏼
I totally get your point about it being too much content, and at that, too much unfiltered, raw content.
Great point regarding storytelling and conflict, too, that's a really neat way of looking at it.
My plan (currently) is to spend the next 7 days or so streaming me getting the project off the ground, and then see where it goes from there - I think it will likely end up as a far less frequent and more 'edited/polished' format thereafter.
Truman Show style is a good way of putting it, love that film (what a head fuck!).
Love the idea of your tool and can definitely see a demand/market for it - I'll go ahead and follow you in the hopes that I'll see any posts you make in the future regarding it (feel free to message me about it in the future if you fancy it!).
Finally, thanks for the support and well-wishes!
All the best mate 👊🏼
I love this community! Rock on Charlie, and don't forget to post your Twitch channel! I'll swing by and hang out with you there ;)
Second that, such as solid community we have here! A real privilege to be a part of it 😊
Come say hello whenever you have a spare minute, I'm live now!
https://www.twitch.tv/thecoppinger/
I threw this lil' info website together yesterday as part of the pre-stream-stream: http://charlie-starts-up.webflow.io/
Hey @elijahmurray, just a heads up that I followed up on this post with an update over here: https://www.indiehackers.com/forum/update-im-going-ahead-with-my-crazy-project-building-livestream-here-s-a-thank-you-info-video-a02baba910
Thanks again for your input! 🙏🏼
Charlie, your idea is fantastic and I'd be up for watching the entire thing. The ideation, research, planning, I mean EVERY part of it from when the project didn't exist until it starts getting used by customers.
Thank-you so much for your feedback, it's super encouraging to read that, I really appreciate it 👊🏼
Thanks to the feedback I received earlier from @MarkSmith and others, I decided to jump right on and start streaming from the very get-go - you can check out the stream right now, I'm streaming myself setting up the final details of the 'proper' stream — very meta ;)
I'm going to try and include every single step along the way as you described, as well as force myself to talk through what I'm doing and why.
Really hoping it leads to others learning from it (what goes well, as well as what doesn't work so well), and others helping me out, too - amazingly which, has already happened twice in the short few hours that I've been streaming.
I'll drop you a PM with details around the actual stream once they're ready, but for now you can catch me awkardkly trying to get used to the whole concept here:
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/thecoppinger/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqVH5Ga0UVk
Awesome, I'm watching your stream right now on Twitch :D
Glad you decided to swing by! :)
Hey @futurehacker93, just a heads up that I followed up on this post with an update over here: https://www.indiehackers.com/forum/update-im-going-ahead-with-my-crazy-project-building-livestream-here-s-a-thank-you-info-video-a02baba910
Thanks again for your input! 🙏🏼
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I concur with others -great idea.
Whether this will create competition - well, it might, but much more likely it will attract supporters in my opinion. It will also be helpful for marketing and hiring.
Best of luck, Charlie!
Hey @Mitko, just a heads up that I followed up on this post with an update over here: https://www.indiehackers.com/forum/update-im-going-ahead-with-my-crazy-project-building-livestream-here-s-a-thank-you-info-video-a02baba910
Thanks again for your input! 🙏🏼
Thanks for the encouragement Dimitar, much appreciated 👊🏼
I'd find it interesting, go for it!
Hey @MarkSmith, just a heads up that I followed up on this post with an update over here: https://www.indiehackers.com/forum/update-im-going-ahead-with-my-crazy-project-building-livestream-here-s-a-thank-you-info-video-a02baba910
Thanks again for your input! 🙏🏼
Great, day two, you are onto something. I really like what you’ve donde so far. Specially, leaving the links of everything so we can see what’s join on in a glance without having to spend the 8-10hrs watching the videos.
BTW, are you collecting emails already? Or getting more subs on your twitter? And puttting this elsewhere? (Reddit, Wip, etc). Be sure to take advantage of this experiment to grow your network.
Thanks mate!
I'm not collecting emails, but thanks for reminding me - it's probably worth chucking a mailchimp signup on the website so I can keep people up-to-date on a weekly/bi-weekly basis with how things are going.
I'll chuck it into the task list live, on stream, right now! ;)
Awesome, see you at the stream! You are doing great, it’s only 7 days 👍🏼
Thanks for the feedback @MarkSmith, appreciate it!
I was beginning to worry the only responses to this question would be the chirping of crickets ;)
lol, it seems to me that the forum is less active on weekends, do not worry, the community here is very responsive.
I honestly think that people would find it interested.
Have you seen Pieter Levels videos on building a startup in 7 days? he got a decent amount of attention.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FN144KdOIGM&list=PLbxK0KU3lQET-Ba0aGITJUJ3wKkxUQe7j
I hadn't seen Pieter's videos, that's super helpful, thank-you!
Looks to be exactly what I had in mind - so much for originality, eh?
He seems to have gotten a pretty solid response on those videos, so that's good enough for me to give this the green light.
T-Minus 2 hours or so until I'll go live, heeeere we go!
link?
And we're live!
Decided to livestream the preparation stuff, you can check out the stream(s) here:
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/thecoppinger/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqVH5Ga0UVk
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
just realised you're also a kiwi!
Kia ora!
I like to think of myself as a Kiwi, but I originally hail from the UK. Been in Welly for 5 years though, and love it! Such an amazing country.
Glad you're enjoying it here :)
I think this would be very helpful. Especially for indiehackers like myself who don't have much experience
Thanks for letting me know Cosimo, appreciate it. Super motivating to think it might help others ☺️
All the good reasons you mentioned make sense! And, that doesn't mean you can't change your mind later (for example, if you don't enjoy it anymore).
Personally, I won't have time for watching but I think it is interesting and I'm sure it will be valuable for you.
Hey @Jereze, just a heads up that I followed up on this post with an update over here: https://www.indiehackers.com/forum/update-im-going-ahead-with-my-crazy-project-building-livestream-here-s-a-thank-you-info-video-a02baba910
Thanks again for your input! 🙏🏼
Wise words @Jereze, thank-you!
Hi Charlie,
I do this myself and there is definitely some interest though outside of visitors from here most of my viewers are there for the code.
Yeah you don't really have to worry about people stealing. Most people that could have their own ideas they are busy with.
I started with the intention of streaming everything and have cut it down to a 1 or 2 hour stream every weekday. It slows you down so much streaming if you want to interact with the community that I just didn't find it possible to do it all on stream. Your experience may very here but it seems common from other streamers I've spoken to.
Good luck and have fun with it.
Thank-you very much for your input Shawn, appreciate it!
I figured that might be the case (re: community interaction = slowdown).
I'm going to give it a run streaming all out and see what gives.
Cheers mate 👊🏼
Hey @shawn_maplegum, just a heads up that I followed up on this post with an update over here: https://www.indiehackers.com/forum/update-im-going-ahead-with-my-crazy-project-building-livestream-here-s-a-thank-you-info-video-a02baba910
Thanks again for your input! 🙏🏼
Cool idea!
I don't have the time to watch the whole thing live, but if you tag specific clips I'll check out the ones that sound interesting to me.
Thanks for the feedback Zak 👊🏼 - I'm tentatively planning on editing together a stream 'highlights' video each week, seems like it'd cater well to most people who don't have the time/aren't interested in watching the stream.