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24 Comments

What is stopping you from launching your side project?

Are thinking about launching a new site, project, idea, web... but you are stuck somewhere in the middle?

What is your biggest problem? What is stopping you?

Leave your comment with your biggest challenge and we'll try to push you to do it!

  1. 3

    I used to think it was the lack of time. If I'm honest with myself, it's nothing more than a lack of discipline.

    I work full-time as an engineer in oil and gas. I'm a hobbyist developer (mobile applications and websites) and would typically only have time to work on my side-projects after returning from the office/field. With COVID, I've been working from home for a few months (and will continue into next year). I have nothing but time now, and while I've made some progress, it's been difficult to do much.

    My discipline has definitely improved the past few weeks, however, the initial anxiety-induced shock of "wow, it's really not my lack of time" was quite enlightening. Glad I had the realization, because it takes a lot more than just time to get stuff done. It's very true that the busiest people find the most time.

    1. 1

      Thank you for sharing this. I've fooled myself long enough thinking that it's lack of time, but it really is lack of discipline.

    2. 1

      Try to focus on one tiny thing and ship that. And do so based on habits. Discipline works sometimes but is just driven by willpower and this fades fast.

      What is the smallest thing you can ship. Break it down into steps and tackle one each day for 30 min. If 30 mins too much reduce it to 10. You might do more anyways once you started. Focus on shipping the tiny thing. If it takes 2 weeks it is to large. Reduce scope.

      Goal is tp build up habots not making the Best thing ever.

      1. 1

        This is great advice. I've definitely moved toward the "chunking" type work style as you described and it's much more effective than what I've been doing previously.

  2. 2

    I really want to release my project, but it just not ready yet. I need to complete a lot of boilerplates like payment, account management, emails, and clean up UI. I keep picking too ambitious projects that take forever to complete on a part-time basis.

    1. 1

      Did you already share a landing page? If so, good! If not, do it as soon as you can!

      I understand how you are feeling. But I would suggest that many things you can do them manually. Or remove them for now!

      Payment? Use Gumroad or Paddle, and change it later.

      Try to remove all the things that are not the core of your product. It is going to take you time to get people in. Like 99% stayed on the landing page, work on the copy better than using your time with the payment or with cancel/updating/upgrading, etc...

      I did all of those things before launching and it wasn't worth it.

      If you share more details I will happily review your site to give you further feedback!

      Good luck with your project! And thanks for your comment!

      1. 1

        I'm actually started to work on the landing page this week. It is here: https://pointr.app. Would appreciate feedback/help on it.
        And also started to work on the twitter account to get some traffic. I hope to launch in the next month or so, and I'm trying to cut everything I can.

        1. 2

          Could you share it on my twitter? I am doing first impressions for free and I'd love to have your site there.

          Here: https://twitter.com/jrleonr/status/1278574421234548737

          1. 1

            Thanks, Jose! Just posted it there!

        2. 2

          The above the fold landing page is really great. I think you have a clear idea of your product. You should slash features like payment and just build what youthink makes is a 2X wiki !

          1. 1

            Thanks! I still don't think that "wiki" reflects the power my product gives to teams. So I scrapped that message and will try to be more straight and less "smart".

  3. 1

    My biggest problem at the moment is that in between I doubt my idea for various reasons, e.g.:

    • I think I can't get a foot in the market because there's a lot of competition
    • I don't know if my idea will really find buyers

    Some Background: I want to build something in the area of data protection and data security (several SaaS products and consulting based on each other). The main focus is on the SaaS products, but I would take the consulting to get some revenue and make a name for myself.

    Furthermore, I'm not sure if data protection and data security will remain relevant in the future or becomes a niche, because it is often interpreted as a blockade for innovation or cool new business cases / products.

    1. 1

      Probably you need to speak with some people that are already paying for something similar and ask them what they think.

  4. 1

    I'm to busy thinking people will actually like/use my platform at all... I'm looking for a way to validate the business without building the complete platform beforehand...

    1. 1

      Create a landing page, put a payment button, and test it!

  5. 1

    Fear of losing money, as well as the idea not being good.

    1. 1

      Ideas don't need to be good. Ao don't worry about that and juat ship some mvp to test the waters.

  6. 1

    Myself. I fear people will not like/appreciate what I'm giving to them. Fear of not connecting with the public, to be rejected.

    1. 1

      Know that. What helped me is to just publish tiny things and seeing that nothing bad happens. At worst you get a bad review but that is better than no reaction.

      And always remember let lose of the thing you published. It is not you and critic about your thing is not critic about you.

  7. 1

    I have so many ideas that I can't decide which one to go with next.
    Usually I end up spending a few hours doing some surface level research on each until something really grips me.

    1. 1

      Welcome to club of people having too many ideas. I trained myself to not act on them immediately. Maybe write them down, maybe not. If the idea is important, it will pop up in my mind again. If so, it might be an important one.

      I also learned that i can not go after every idea. My brain capacity is limited, so i have to let lose more than i pursue.

  8. 1

    Q: What is your biggest problem? What is stopping you?

    A: In most cases it is one of these:

    • No time
    • The other "active" side projects
    • The long list of other ideas
    1. 1

      Or in short, lack of focus. I had to learn that too and with it that most ideas have to go. Got limited time and brain capacity, so only a few things can be pursued.

      The hard thing was picking what to focus on. Everything else juat felt into place.

    2. 1

      100%! And what about yourself?Suffering form any of that?

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