HelpStay.com

Making a marketplace platform like HelpStay work is challenging. It reminds me of the classic "chicken or egg" dilemma. If you say the egg came first, the question is who laid it; if you say the chicken, the reply is that the chicken came from an egg. Either way, you can't win.

When HelpStay started in 2014, we faced a similar challenge: to attract volunteers, we needed hosts, and to enrol hosts, we needed volunteers.

Getting those first hosts was tough—it involved literally getting on the road, knocking on doors, and convincing hosts to take a chance on us. To kick-start the platform, we focused on finding our first hosts on Achill Island, a small island in the west of Ireland with a population of 2,500 people.

I relocated to the island and secured local media coverage. I then enrolled my first five hosts and met with each in person. To help volunteers know what to expect upon arrival, I photographed their properties.

These five hosts were exceptional; they embraced the concept of a help exchange, and some are still listed on the platform a decade later. However, five hosts weren't enough to make HelpStay viable.

Back then, I believed there was a magic number of hosts—maybe 1,000 or even 20,000—that would make the platform successful. This anxiety was often fuelled by potential volunteers who complained online that the service was lacking because there were no stays available in certain locations or there were too few opportunities.

Today, in 2024, we have over 2,000 hosts. What I've learned is that the number of hosts isn't as important as their quality. Quality hosts are the key to a successful platform.

Finding large numbers of hosts is relatively easy compared to finding quality hosts, which is genuinely difficult and takes time.

In fact, attracting a large quantity of hosts is something that can often be achieved with money. You can run Facebook or Google ads and quickly get a flood of hosts eager to join your platform. But here’s the catch: most of those applicants will be unsuitable, making the effort and expense of running the ads hardly worth it.

The digital evangelist Kevin Kelly wrote an essay in 2008 called "1,000 True Fans," which is one of my go-to pieces of writing and can be applied to almost any online business.

The core idea of Kelly's essay is that creators—whether artists, musicians, writers, or entrepreneurs— don't need widespread fame or millions of fans to sustain a successful career. Instead, Kelly argues that having just 1,000 "True Fans" can be enough to make a living.

A "True Fan" buys everything the creator produces. These fans are loyal, buying all products and attending events. Each of 1,000 True Fans spending significantly can provide substantial income, letting creators focus on their craft.

The essay advises creators to build strong connections with a dedicated audience, rather than pursuing a large, shallow fan base.

My thoughts often resonate with Kelly's essay when I think of HelpStay hosts.

Let's call them True Hosts. True Hosts are what HelpStay craves, and when we land them, we cherish having them on board.

But what do I mean by True Hosts? A True Host is simply a genuinely decent person who believes in and practices the principles of hospitality. They are kind, go out of their way to help guests, and ensure that visitors have a safe, enjoyable, and memorable experience.

A True Host that comes to mind is George Whitman (1913–2011) of the Shakespeare and Company bookshop in Paris. The ethos of his store was simple: "Give what you can; take what you need."

True Hosts are personable, approachable, and willing to spend time with their guests, showing them how to perform their tasks. They embrace the help exchange philosophy, understanding that their role goes beyond providing a comfortable bed and good food. They view it as a cultural and skills exchange, where they teach and guide enthusiastic and honest helpers in the tasks at hand.

For instance, a farm host might spend time with a volunteer teaching them how to plant and nurture vegetables or care for animals. Often, these volunteers have never been on a farm before but are eager to learn and engage with the experience.

We've had instances where some of our True Hosts have remained friends with helpers long after their stay.

One such True Host is John, based in the west of Ireland. His farm and summer school project has been listed on our platform for 10 years. In an interview, he shared that he has been invited to two weddings by helpers he met while volunteering on his farm. Many volunteers have returned several times and have become like family.

Another True Host is Mita, who serves as the volunteer coordinator for a school in Gujarat, India. She has been in this role since 2009 and is someone who understands both Eastern and Western cultures and enjoys travelling. Mita ensures that every query and concern from potential volunteers is addressed before they travel to India.

Hosts like John and Mita are the backbone of HelpStay and embody what we strive to achieve. While they represent only two hosts, they are much more than just that.

In response to the question of how many hosts a platform like HelpStay needs to be successful, my answer is: I don’t know, and frankly, I don’t care. What I do care about is enrolling True Hosts. With True Hosts, you don’t need a large number because helpers will always want to stay with them, day in and day out, all year round.

So, for anyone considering starting a platform like HelpStay, don’t worry about the quantity of hosts. Instead, focus on quality. But remember, finding True Hosts is challenging.

It's challenging to directly apply the 10,000-Hour Rule to achieving a specific milestone like reaching $1,000 in monthly recurring revenue (MRR) for an indiehacker project.

The rule was originally formulated to explain skill development and mastery in individual endeavours, not necessarily the growth trajectory of a business.

However, if we were to metaphorically interpret the concept within the context of entrepreneurship, we might consider the following:

1. Learning and Iteration: Over the course of 10,000 hours of creating and marketing an indiehacker project, founders would likely gain a significant amount of knowledge and expertise in areas such as product development, market research, customer acquisition, and marketing strategies. This accumulated experience can lead to more effective decision-making and a better understanding of what resonates with customers.

2. Building Momentum: Consistently investing time and effort into creating and marketing a product or service can help build momentum. With each iteration and marketing effort, the startup may gain more traction, attract more customers, and ultimately increase its MRR.

3. Refinement and Optimisation: Just as deliberate practice involves refining and optimising skills over time, entrepreneurs can refine their products, services, and marketing strategies based on feedback and insights gained from their experiences. This continuous improvement process can contribute to the growth of MRR.

4. Persistence and Resilience: The journey of building an indiehacker project often requires persistence and resilience in the face of challenges and setbacks. Over 10,000 hours, founders may encounter various obstacles and learn how to navigate them, ultimately contributing to the project's ability to generate revenue.

While it's difficult to predict with certainty that an indiehacker project will reach $1,000 in MRR after precisely 10,000 hours of creating and marketing, the underlying principles of continuous learning, iteration, persistence, and resilience can certainly contribute to the project's growth and eventual achievement of revenue milestones.

Each project's journey is unique, and success depends on a combination of factors beyond just the amount of time invested.

Today marks our 10th anniversary in business. It's hard to believe we've come this far, but I am grateful that we have. To be honest, it's not really "we"; it's mostly me and a few loyal freelancers.

In 2014, I took the bold step of quitting my IT job. On February 1st of that year, I rented a hot desk in a local office and began building from there. Over the course of the last 10 years, there have been ups and downs.

A significant challenge was the COVID-19 shutdown, which severely impacted the travel industry for almost a year. I vividly recall the day the news of the virus broke and witnessed an immediate decline in subscribers. I suppose if you can survive that, you can survive anything.

Here's to another 10 years.

Have you ever wondered what drives indie hackers to keep going despite the countless disappointments they face?

The life of an indie hacker is an intricate dance with disappointment. For every ten new strategies or ventures attempted to propel their business forward, a staggering nine of them typically end in failure.

Yet, amidst this seemingly relentless cycle of setbacks, what fuels the indomitable spirit of the indie hacker? Is it an unwavering stubbornness, an unyielding refusal to give up? Or is it something more profound—a vital step on the journey towards achieving success?

Tom Hodgkinson, in a recent thought-provoking post on the Idler blog, delves into the intriguing question of dealing with disappointment.

Tom eloquently captures the essence of this dilemma when tells us - 'The only response, I think, is a sort of cheerful Stoicism, and a counting of your blessings, and a giving of thanks for your freedom. As Epictetus put it, “Don’t hope that events will turn out the way you want, welcome events in whichever way they happen: this is the path to peace.” And disappointments, of course, can lead to good things, if treated with patience.'

You can view Tom's full post here - https://www.idler.co.uk/article/how-do-you-deal-with-disappointments/

How do you deal with disappointment?

Let me start this conversation by clarifying that I do not hate all of my customers; it's just one in particular whom I have strong negative feelings towards :(

Running a business that serves consumers (B to C) compared to one that serves other businesses (B to B) presents a notable difference.

In a B to C business, there is a closer relationship between you and the customer. Customers pay for the service themselves. Consequently, if something goes wrong while they are using your service, they tend to direct their anger and frustration towards you, regardless of fault.

On the other hand, in a B to B setting, the end user is often an employee of the business. The business owner pays for the service. The connection is not as emotional or personal. If there is an issue with your service, they will work with you to find a resolution. Emotions usually do not run as high in these cases.

It's important to note that these observations are anecdotal and based on my personal experience.

Now, let's address the customer who has been causing significant difficulties for me over the past week. This customer's behavior is erratic, as they tend to wake up in the morning and immediately send me 2 or 3 emails with their latest grievances. Today, they're accusing us of spamming them (BTW - totally false, they're actually spamming us).

Currently, I am in the process of refunding them, not because they are right and entitled to it, but in the hope of removing them from my life.

Hopefully, this action will make them finally go away and my peace of mind will be restored :)

Investing in a .com domain for your website is a smart move, especially if you have a long-term vision for your brand.

While extensions like .io and .co can be great to start with, a .com domain is considered the most valuable and prestigious extension, and it's the one that people are most likely to type into their browsers.

If you're serious about building your brand and generating consistent revenue, you should consider purchasing the .com domain as early as possible. While the cost may seem high initially, it's often more cost-effective than trying to buy it later when your brand has already established a following. As your brand grows, so too does the value of your domain, making it a worthwhile investment in the long run.

In summary, investing in a .com domain early on can give your brand credibility, authority, and a long-term advantage. It's a smart move that can pay off in the long run, especially if you're committed to building a successful brand.

Years ago, I received the above advice from an experienced entrepreneur. I didn't ask for this advice; it came up naturally during a conversation with the entrepreneur who had recently sold their own enterprise.

At the time, I was still in the early stages of my own entrepreneurial journey and was eager to listen and learn.

Recently, I was approached by someone interested in buying my project. While I've had inquiries in the past, they were not genuine, so I didn't give them much thought.

However, this time was different, and I was intrigued enough to consider the offer. But as I thought about it more, I realised that the idea of selling made me uncomfortable.

The true advantage of an offer to buy your project is that it forces you to re-examine your motivations for starting your project in the first place.

After nine years, I had forgotten my original goal: to be free and in control of my own life.

Now, I can confidently say that I have no desire to sell, not now or in the future.

A little over three years ago (March 24th, 2020), I published an update on this platform titled 'We're Hibernating to Survive'.

At that time, the Covid 19 pandemic was in full swing, and air travel worldwide had come to a halt. As we operate in the travel and hospitality sector, our website traffic had decreased by 70%, and our revenue from new subscribers had dropped to zero. Overall, our revenue had vastly reduced.

Today, the travel sector is rapidly growing, and things are good again. Everyone is happy!

However, it makes me wonder what the next big challenge will be that we'll face in the future.

Will it be a universal bank crash, World War III, tech outrage, or a new virus?

Only time will tell.

During 'The Tim Ferriss Podcast' with James Clear, the author of 'Atomic Habits', they discussed the importance of Instagram followers and email subscribers. However, they both agreed that having an email list was more valuable.

Based on their conversation, it seems that having 1 million Instagram followers is equivalent in value to having 20,000 email subscribers. This translates to a ratio of 50 to 1.

What is your opinion on this? How many Instagram followers do you think are equal to one email subscriber?

Conventional wisdom tells us that before you start a business that you should do research and get advice -- talk with your friends, family, investors and potential customers to see if it's viable.

Looking back on my journey, I believe that you should tread with care when seeking outside counsel. Such advise very nearly put me off doing what I am doing now.

I recall that the advise that I received at the time was mainly negative. Remember, you never really know what the motive is of the person giving you the advice.

I received advise such as 'don't do it, it won't work', 'Customers won't pay for it', 'Stick to your day job, it's a guaranteed wage', and 'What would you want doing that for?'.

By far, the worst advice I received was from potential customers, telling me that I should provide the service for free.

Looking back, I think it's important that you get it clear in your own head as your the only person that counts.

Afterall, it's your dream!