Few weeks since I launched Binokl. Here’s what actually happened.
A few weeks ago I posted here about launching Binokl, a financial model builder for early-stage founders. The origin was personal: I got tired of watching founders (including myself) spend weeks on spreadsheet models that break the moment you change a pricing assumption.
Since then, a few things happened that I wanted to share honestly.
What went well:
The AI-powered onboarding works. Founders describe their business and get a complete financial model in about 2 minutes. Revenue, P&L, cash flow, runway, unit economics, all connected. The feedback on this has been consistently positive.
I added a full interactive demo that anyone can explore without signing up. You can click through every part of a real model generated by Binokl: dashboard, projections, P&L, cash flow, team, reports. No account needed. This replaced the free trial and so far it’s working better than I expected. Founders who explore the demo and then sign up already know exactly what they’re getting.
Managed to cut onboarding time by 35% by implementing several UX and technical improvements to the onboarding flow. Faster time-to-model means less drop-off and more founders actually seeing their numbers.
Founders who are actively fundraising get it immediately. They’ve lived the spreadsheet pain. The value proposition clicks in seconds.
The Founders Pass ($149 for 3 years = $4/month ) has been the most popular option so far. Turns out founders prefer a one-time purchase over a subscription when they’re already counting every dollar.
What’s been harder:
Founders who are pre-idea or very early explore the demo, think it’s cool, but don’t convert. The pain isn’t real enough yet. That’s fine. The demo lets them see what’s possible, and they’ll come back when the pain hits.
Without “try it free” as a CTA, every piece of content has to do more work. But “explore the full demo, no sign-up needed” is turning out to be a strong alternative.
What I’m learning:
The no-trial model combined with a public demo is a filter that works. The demo lets anyone see the product without commitment. But only founders with real pain go through onboarding and pay. The challenge is reaching more of the right people.
What’s next:
I’m focused on content and community over the next month. If you’re fundraising or building your first financial model, I’d love to do a free 15-minute model review call. I’ll walk you through the tool with your real numbers and give you honest feedback.
Drop a comment or DM if you’re interested.
