Read on Twitter
I was hire #1 at @makerpad (recently bought by @zapier).
A few tweets on why Makerpad won and how I came to leave pre-acquisition
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A few tweets on why Makerpad won and how I came to leave pre-acquisition
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1. At the early stages, generalists win.
Being able to sell, build and communicate well allows you to move incredibly fast.
@bentossell is excellent at this.
Being able to sell, build and communicate well allows you to move incredibly fast.
@bentossell is excellent at this.
2. Ship faster than anyone else.
In an exploding market like #nocode, being able to ship new features yourself gives you an unfair advantage.
Ben would ship every day.
Sometimes multiple times per day.
In an exploding market like #nocode, being able to ship new features yourself gives you an unfair advantage.
Ben would ship every day.
Sometimes multiple times per day.
3. Don't overthink.
To move fast, don't wait for feedback or 'validation'. Trust your gut, try things, kill the ones that bomb, keep the things that work.
Being able to build (code or #nocode) helps here.
To move fast, don't wait for feedback or 'validation'. Trust your gut, try things, kill the ones that bomb, keep the things that work.
Being able to build (code or #nocode) helps here.
4. Got early traction? Go all in.
At @makerpad we managed to outpace everyone else as Ben pushed the chips all-in early.
Raising a small amount of early funding allowed for laser focus, early hires and huge leverage (s/o @tylertringas)
Made it impossible for others to keep up.
At @makerpad we managed to outpace everyone else as Ben pushed the chips all-in early.
Raising a small amount of early funding allowed for laser focus, early hires and huge leverage (s/o @tylertringas)
Made it impossible for others to keep up.
5. Play to your strengths.
Design your work so you can focus on what feels like play to you but like work to others, hire and delegate for the rest.
For example - content (tutorials) was the thing that kept the flywheel spinning and was one of the first things hired for (me).
Design your work so you can focus on what feels like play to you but like work to others, hire and delegate for the rest.
For example - content (tutorials) was the thing that kept the flywheel spinning and was one of the first things hired for (me).
6. Find then focus on the flywheel.
In the case of Makerpad, new tutorial content = new members.
If the activity didn't directly lend itself to this then it is a low priority.
In the case of Makerpad, new tutorial content = new members.
If the activity didn't directly lend itself to this then it is a low priority.
7. Ignore copycats.
If you see copycats emerging, you're on the right track but just smile and ignore them.
They are skating to where the puck was, not where it's going.
Keep moving fast.
If you see copycats emerging, you're on the right track but just smile and ignore them.
They are skating to where the puck was, not where it's going.
Keep moving fast.
8. Lol at 'DoEs iT sCaLe' comments.
Worry about that when it becomes painful.
@makerpad was built and acquired in 2 years.
See tweet 2.
Worry about that when it becomes painful.
@makerpad was built and acquired in 2 years.
See tweet 2.
9. Use automation as leverage.
There are a handful of people working at @makerpad, some full-time, some part-time.
There are hundreds of robots executing 1000's tasks per day working at @makerpad.
Learn how to automate or get smoked.
Humans are slower and less reliable.
There are a handful of people working at @makerpad, some full-time, some part-time.
There are hundreds of robots executing 1000's tasks per day working at @makerpad.
Learn how to automate or get smoked.
Humans are slower and less reliable.
10. Find great people, pay them well and leave them alone.
We had one call per week for 1 hour and that was it.
If you can find a copy of @AmieDelisa, snap her up.
We had one call per week for 1 hour and that was it.
If you can find a copy of @AmieDelisa, snap her up.
11. Not all revenue is worth having.
Early on, saying yes to most revenue streams is smart.
Later on, saying no to most revenue streams is smart.
If it brings in money but causes outsized headaches, there may be a better place to put your time.
Remember the flywheel.
Early on, saying yes to most revenue streams is smart.
Later on, saying no to most revenue streams is smart.
If it brings in money but causes outsized headaches, there may be a better place to put your time.
Remember the flywheel.
12. Content is subjective.
What you think is valuable doesn't matter.
What your customers or future customers think is valuable does matter.
You aren't them.
Create and create often.
What you think is valuable doesn't matter.
What your customers or future customers think is valuable does matter.
You aren't them.
Create and create often.
13. Before product-market fit, MRR is over-rated.
Early on, you want customers who believe in the 1 year plus version of the product.
Charge yearly (and perhaps multi-year/lifetime options).
This allows you to macro focus and not veer off course through monthly churn.
Early on, you want customers who believe in the 1 year plus version of the product.
Charge yearly (and perhaps multi-year/lifetime options).
This allows you to macro focus and not veer off course through monthly churn.
14. Lifetime Memberships as cash flow.
Offering your first 10/100/1000 true fans lifetime deals allows for more cash on hand to support early growth while giving first supporters a great deal.
This seemed to make the peaks and toughs easier to find pre-PMF.
Offering your first 10/100/1000 true fans lifetime deals allows for more cash on hand to support early growth while giving first supporters a great deal.
This seemed to make the peaks and toughs easier to find pre-PMF.
15. Pick a side.
It's impossible to be everything to everyone so pick a focus, set the tone and double down.
We taught people how to build and operate businesses without code.
That's it, nothing else.
It's impossible to be everything to everyone so pick a focus, set the tone and double down.
We taught people how to build and operate businesses without code.
That's it, nothing else.
16. Community is king.
Building a community around a shared mission becomes an impenetrable fortress.
Doing it means every day, forever (or until acquired + vested).
It's unsustainable for 99.9% but to the victors go the spoils.
cc/ @theSamParr https://techcrunch.com/2021/02/04/hubspot-acquires-media-startup-the-hustle/
Building a community around a shared mission becomes an impenetrable fortress.
Doing it means every day, forever (or until acquired + vested).
It's unsustainable for 99.9% but to the victors go the spoils.
cc/ @theSamParr https://techcrunch.com/2021/02/04/hubspot-acquires-media-startup-the-hustle/
17. Go wide to go narrow.
When starting out be happy and expect for a large % of your stuff to bomb.
Cast the net wide by trying as many experiments as you can.
You'll eventually land on a couple that does disproportionately well.
When starting out be happy and expect for a large % of your stuff to bomb.
Cast the net wide by trying as many experiments as you can.
You'll eventually land on a couple that does disproportionately well.
18. Build systems and processes as you go.
David ( @_brandswell) is excellent at this.
Do once, do twice, document the process.
Once you nail on a way of working build the docs so the rest of the team know how it is performed.
+ automate what you can. https://scribehow.com/
David ( @_brandswell) is excellent at this.
Do once, do twice, document the process.
Once you nail on a way of working build the docs so the rest of the team know how it is performed.
+ automate what you can. https://scribehow.com/
18. Be smart, play dumb.
Ask stupid questions and don't interrupt. Assume your answer is wrong.
Something I used to be bad at. Now I have it written down and stuck on my desk.
Ask stupid questions and don't interrupt. Assume your answer is wrong.
Something I used to be bad at. Now I have it written down and stuck on my desk.
19. No-one can compete with you at being you.
People find disproportionate rewards when what they are great at matches with an uptrend.
A great example is @jackbutcher with Visuals + NFTs and @davidperrell with Writing Online + Cohort based Courses.
People find disproportionate rewards when what they are great at matches with an uptrend.
A great example is @jackbutcher with Visuals + NFTs and @davidperrell with Writing Online + Cohort based Courses.
20. Expect others to see things in you before you do.
Ben saw I had the creator bug before I did at the back part of last year.
He told me what I was thinking word for word on a call in the same way @rrhoover told him at @producthunt. https://twitter.com/bentossell/status/1352251188511727620?s=20
Ben saw I had the creator bug before I did at the back part of last year.
He told me what I was thinking word for word on a call in the same way @rrhoover told him at @producthunt. https://twitter.com/bentossell/status/1352251188511727620?s=20
21. Sharpen the sword
In 2020 I taught 1000's to build without code and created 100's of apps and automations in the process.
I've also been lucky enough to work with internet beasts like @jackbutcher, @david_perell, @will_mannon and @mariodgabriele to learn from the best.
In 2020 I taught 1000's to build without code and created 100's of apps and automations in the process.
I've also been lucky enough to work with internet beasts like @jackbutcher, @david_perell, @will_mannon and @mariodgabriele to learn from the best.
22. Have faith when it's time to jump.
Makerpad enabled me to find what I was good at and @bentossell knew when the time had come to dive off the deep end.
So, since January I've been working on what's next...
Makerpad enabled me to find what I was good at and @bentossell knew when the time had come to dive off the deep end.
So, since January I've been working on what's next...
Here's, phase 1 of the master plan.
The "Shiny Object Social Club".
I'm all-in on the intersection of Creators x Automation x No-code & this community is where it starts.
It's organised chaos and the entry point for what's possible.
You can join here! https://shinyobjectsocial.com/
The "Shiny Object Social Club".
I'm all-in on the intersection of Creators x Automation x No-code & this community is where it starts.
It's organised chaos and the entry point for what's possible.
You can join here! https://shinyobjectsocial.com/
I have big plans for the place so if you want to dive in feet first and drink from a firehose, I'd love for you to join.
If you're more of a newsletter person then you can get my personal newsletter here also ↓ http://www.tomosman.com/the-trail
If you're more of a newsletter person then you can get my personal newsletter here also ↓ http://www.tomosman.com/the-trail
Thread here for folks looking for more info on the Club!
Open for 5 more hours until next week. https://twitter.com/tomosman/status/1369393805875703810?s=20
Open for 5 more hours until next week. https://twitter.com/tomosman/status/1369393805875703810?s=20
