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27 Comments

How about a startup framework web app?

Hi guys!

First post! Thanks for this awesome community!

Quick background on me:

  • 26 yo, Belgian, been an accountant for 4+ years
  • started learning web dev on my own, next month starting Le Wagon bootcamp, passioned about entrepreneurship

My problem: -

  • I often find difficult to clearly define my project ideas in a linear manner
  • this is the first time I ask for validation (because I never knew how/where to easily do that)

My idea:

  • creating a web app that helps you build up your idea by answering question (e.g. what, why, how, push, pull, personas, MVP, ...).
  • it will also help by reminding you to validate your idea (and how to do that) and by giving you a list of assumptions and milestones.

Then we could imagine that each idea is automatically posted somewhere for validation and that the project holder is given a list a freelancer able to help on it.

Two more things:

  • I’d like this app to be focused on solving meaningful problems (inspired by Agenda 2030 for sustainable dev)
  • it would be free to use

Questions:

  • do you also have (have had) the same problems?
  • what is your current process for developing an idea?
  • would you be using such web app?

A great thanks in advance for your help/time/love!

  1. 3

    Very cool concept. Check out landen.co - created by IndieHacker @Felixg. It's a great landing page builder that asks a series of questions to walk you through building the landing page. Some principles that work from that, in my view:

    • Focusing on narrowly. Landen is more tailored to product launch pages rather than personal portfolios, for example.
      -Restricting user choice. The fact that Landen limits my ability to style the page go crazy with fancy components really helps me to implement the "ideal" style in a way that works.
    1. 1

      Thanks a lot for sharing that! It's very interesting!

  2. 3

    Hi.

    I personally feel there should be an e-book or weekly newsletter of 7 ideas delivered to people who are looking for freelance work and interested in the development of ideas.

    I believe every business and individual has had these problems and it will exist in the future.

    I currently work on an idea for a week and then post it online to (ph, ih or social media)

    I will surely use such app but it has to be of high value/resources and frictionless.

    All the best. Namaste.

    1. 1

      Many thanks @shu8ham for your feedback!

      The app I am thinking about is designed for first-time entrepreneurs who are not sure where to start and where to go with their ideas.

      I want it to guide them through the whole early process (from idea to validation) while giving them insights and best practices from famous books (like From Zero to One or The Lean Startup).

      Wishing you great success for your projects!

  3. 3

    Hey Loic - Andrew here. I've been a business builder at Human Ventures, a startup studio, for 3 years, and I fully agree that the early stages of creating a new venture are lacking in support and structure.

    That said, I don't quite believe that you can distill the work needed into a guided web app... what I think you need is a more dynamic community. I'm working on that, it's called Day One. If you'd like to jam, hit me up, I'd love to share more.

    1. 1

      Hi Andrew,

      Thanks for your valuable feedback! I indeed would love to learn more from Day One (sounds like a community I could be part of).

      Surely, there's a lot of work involved in starting a company and that's why startup studios like Human Ventures exist.

      However, I believe that there's a great deal of "pre-work" that can be done before getting some help from third parties (i.e. startup studios or communities).

      Hence, people could use such web-app to have guidance on the questions that need to be answered first when you have an idea you want to transform into a project or business. So when they come to see you, you can deliver your full value-added and tailor-made service.

      What do you think?

      1. 1

        Yes indeed! I think we have very similar perspectives on this. Let's chat - you can email me andrew at joindayone dot com. Would love to connect and dig in!

  4. 2

    It's a neat idea but knowing budding entrepreneurs this sounds like the boring things we don't like to do :D
    especially if you're targeting first time entrepreneurs, they always think they're going to rule the world and everybody will love their product.
    Why not target people a bit further down the ideation path?
    You could keep it simple and do an interactive BMC, a bit like canvanizer.

    What did you have in mind in terms of monetization?

    I think it could be a good exercise to try this process on your own idea:

    creating a web app that helps you build up your idea by answering question (e.g. what, why, how, push, pull, personas, MVP, ...).

    You could just do it as a mockup before building it :)

    Congrats on starting Le Wagon by the way.

    1. 1

      Thanks for your feedback!

      I am indeed targeting first-time entrepreneurs because I know it can be super overwhelming when you have an idea but you're not sure what the next step should be.

      But most important that's an app I would be using a lot for my personal use to have all my ideas written in the same manner, with the same framework and in the same order (easy after that to classify, to compare or to combine ideas).

      There will be no monetization, it will be my small pro bono contribution to the world :)

      1. 1

        Oh okay I get it now,
        so it's a "notes" for ideas, for personal use mostly then?
        Instead of using a google sheet or notebook?

        haha pro bono is good too, it doesn't always have to be about making money.

        Best of luck :)

  5. 2

    Hey Loic, It is an interesting idea. If an app like that existed, I would have given it a try. It reminds me of a combination of a checklist and a sounding board. For my projects I usually start with a checklist of product questions that I should have the answer to, then a mockup, then I consult people for feedback and reiterate and repeat.

    I get your idea, so I will tell you the product that I can imagine from what you described above. I would start by entering my idea and then I can get step by step questions about market research( if any product like mine exists, the differences or similarities to my idea etc), then it could move on to the customers (target audience, geography, age, etc), then it would go on workflow (what do I begin with first, who should I contact, where can I find the resources, etc). So it will be a place where I could build my project under the guidance of the app algorithm, set my timelines, and take it up to launch phase. So I guess it would be like a guided idea to prototype building app.

    Did I get it right? Also, congrats on joining Le wagon. Let me know your review.

    1. 1

      Thanks @BB_27 for your feedback! You indeed got everything right!

      1. 1

        Great! Let me know if you need any help.

  6. 1

    I tried to build something similar.
    You can check it out on
    Https://land-ified.com

    It's doesn't seem like it going to be a successful project.

    1. 1

      I really like what you've built! I believe it could actually be a success. Maybe can you try to amend your first page by making it a smoother experience?

      For example, it may be cool once we arrived on your home page to be able to iterate right away on a landing page without the need to first register or whatever.

      What do you think?

      1. 1

        Hi! thanks for your feedback!
        You can see an example right away.
        However in order to have your own landing page I need the user to register.
        That because of the way I built it...
        I can't think in a way where I can avoid the registration process. otherwise, I would not be able to store the user data

  7. 1

    I like this idea @Loicboset. I do agree that the complexity could get tricky with the variety of ideas and that might make it more complex for sharing the best freelancers to help wit hit.

    However, you could remedy this by keeping it more broad to begin with and helping with guidance on how they can take first steps!

    1. 2

      Thanks a lot @gordon for your feedback! Very valuable!

      1. 1

        You are very welcome !

  8. 1

    I think the complexity could easily go exponential, because of the differences between each projects.
    Id suggests that you start by similar businesses. Like some specific niches: like eCom — what are the questions/checkboxes for starting & running an eCom. and then go from there, because is a good idea but can get messy quickly

    1. 1

      Thank you very much for your feedback! Much appreciated!

  9. 1

    Hi,

    Do you also have (have had) the same problems?

    • Actually no, I start with some rough idea and then with feedback it gets very concrete over time. At least for me, I think it's more of a creative thing instead of a fixed process, and I like it that way. So I kinda agree with Andrew here.

    What is your current process for developing an idea?

    • Well, it's creative, dynamic. Starting somewhere, ending up somewhere else.. Depending on what I learn from users, I set the goal of what I want to learn next. E.g. now I work on a tool for employee engagement with melbado, but originally I wanted to build a tool where employees can give universal feedback for company products. Even one key insight can change everything.

    Would you be using such web app?

    1. 1

      Hi,

      Thanks for your feedback! These YC questions are very interesting and basically what I had in mind for my web-app.

      I understand that both you and Andrew would not use such app because you already have some knowledge about launching a product.

      Thanks though!

      1. 1

        Loic, what is the current status of your project? Would love to know/learn more.

        1. 1

          Hi!
          This project is paused during my time at Le Wagon Bootcamp :)
          However, happy to have your thoughts on it!

  10. 2

    This comment was deleted 2 years ago.

    1. 1

      Hi!
      Sorry for my late reply! I am currently doing a web-dev Bootcamp and hence have less time to chill around on IH!

      Your app look really great and indeed shares some ideas with mine :)

      I will actually pitch my idea next Monday as part of my Bootcamp and, if the idea is select, I will work on it to have some sort of working version by the beginning of September.

      Meanwhile, I am super happy to exchange thoughts on our ideas!

      I will drop you an email most probably this weekend! :)

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