How did you/do you get over the fear?
I just joined Indie Hackers a few days ago and already appreciating how helpful it is and sensing that this is a supportive community so I feel comfortable sharing.
I'm getting closer to launching a bootstrapped directory/listing B2B SaaS website. Estimated market 700,000 workers in the industry in the USA. This will be the first business I've ever created and launched. As I get closer, the fear of launching is getting more intense - specifically the fear that users will react badly, not find the service helpful and not be willing to pay a subscription to use it.
My two biggest fears are:
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There is a free option so members can access resources posted by other members from around the web - much like someone posting an article, podcast or video on Facebook. The resources are relevant to the niche industry I and the members work in. Even though Facebook requires an email address to join, I'm afraid members will consider it a problem to have to provide an email address to access resources that are available elsewhere on the web. The advantage of my service is that all those resources that are relevant to our industry are brought together in one place so the problem of finding them and assessing their usefulness in our industry is removed.
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Part of the paid subscription option is the ability for members to share client referrals with each other - clients that pay them for a service so referrals will directly benefit their income. My fear is that members will consider it unethical to pay a third party (the service I provide) to get referrals from other members. Individuals paying each other/providing kickbacks is not allowed in our industry but paying a third party that facilitates the referral is allowed. Nonetheless, my fear is members will consider my service as unethical even though I'm confident I'm operating within industry guidelines.
I'm not sure where either of these two fears come from. At this point it's holding me back - when the kids are in bed and I have time to work on it, I'm finding myself working more slowly or making excuses that I'm tired but I realize I'm dragging my heals because of these fears. I absolutely have to get over them - I just don't know how. I hope they'll subside after launch when, hopefully, I learn that my fears were either unfounded or will subside.
Can anyone who has experienced this offer insight?
