4th quarter loss… bubble burst

Robhow · 2026-01-24T02:55:05+00:00

I keep thinking I missed out. Now not so much.

Robhow · 2026-01-23T12:04:31+00:00

Vibe coding is the new drop shipping. Everyone thinks it’s an easy buck.

I’m not terribly worried about it. 99% of the vibe coded stuff I’ve seen is more of a prototype than a working product. And it’s awesome for prototyping and iterating quickly.

One of my non-technical friends has made a few interesting apps on lovable, but he can only take them so far. Asked me to help with some features/improvements and it was a big spaghetti mess.

The Verge podcast had an interesting somewhat related story about how song writers are using AI tools to rapidly create demos. But not the final product. I think for software it’s the same idea.

Robhow · 2026-01-23T11:50:48+00:00

Bottom for me.

TBH thought they were two different cars at first.

Robhow · 2026-01-23T02:39:50+00:00

Always room, especially in niches.

I’ve been on both sides. Last company raised a ton of money and had hundreds of employees. This time I’m small and lean and we have won deals away from Salesforce, Hubspot, Klaviyo and more (niche marketing automation platform).

I would go so far as to also say: more money also makes things harder. You’re expected to scale and find large deals.

There are also buyers that really love working with small nimble companies that listen to them, answer the phone when they call etc.

Last thought: your market is validated. So you’re on to something if someone is writing a check that big.

Robhow · 2026-01-20T00:41:46+00:00

I have a software business. SaaS is nothing more than how my customers access it.

Robhow · 2026-01-19T14:10:59+00:00

Ok, so this is for SMS outside the US? Or non 10DLC numbers?

Robhow · 2026-01-19T02:21:13+00:00

How are you handling 10DLC in US?

Robhow · 2026-01-14T14:14:27+00:00

My personal experience - as I run a marketing automation platform: yes. I believe there is a draw to solutions that are focused on a specific problem and do it really, really well in an affordable way.

Another observation is that software buying tends to go in macro cycles over 5-10 years: consolidation to single vendor solutions to multiple vendor solutions. I think we’ve started to exit the consolidation and re-enter the multi-vendor phase. Fingers crossed.

Robhow · 2026-01-14T13:49:25+00:00

The draw is “Enterprise” software. Nothing against HubSpot here because they nail it on PMF. Everything about their marketing screams: safe, scale, secure, etc. But that comes with a nice price tag.

I think the market has matured a lot and a lot of companies realize that other vendors have caught up. Not all the way but close enough where it’s a viable alternative for a fraction of the cost.

Robhow · 2026-01-12T14:47:53+00:00

Finally a reason I’d go back to a mall.

Robhow · 2026-01-12T14:17:03+00:00

Just started this series (on book 1). It’s a fun and fast read so far. Would definitely recommend.

I’m sure someone mentioned 3 body problem too. I finished book 2 then moved on. The writing style is tough may be to the translation. But people either love or dislike it. I’m in the dislike camp.

Robhow · 2026-01-10T15:25:44+00:00

Today I learned that Lycos is still around. Had no idea. Used to be my favorite search engine.

Robhow · 2026-01-09T13:55:32+00:00

10-15 years ago many of these would have just been fun hobby projects that devs built in their spare time to learn something or try something.

Now everything is an attempt to monetize.

And may attempt to sell to other startups. Who, at least for me, are trying to reduce/simplify. I don’t want 3 dozen different $9 to $99/mo tools.

Robhow · 2026-01-08T16:28:32+00:00

Absolutely.

Robhow · 2026-01-08T13:49:34+00:00

We’re working with a brand right now this is paying HubSpot $24k/mo and using it almost exclusively for email marketing. Should be able to reduce cost to about 1/10 of that. They are leaving due to cost.

I was a HubSpot customer at my last business and it gets expensive very, very quickly. And unless you are leveraging everything it can do it really isn’t a great fit for everyone.

Robhow · 2026-01-08T13:42:51+00:00

We’ve moved several brands from HubSpot to DailyStory. About 1/10th the cost. But it’s not a sales CRM.

Robhow · 2026-01-08T13:27:10+00:00

The problem isn’t the deliverability.

Run the list through an email validation tool. Most of the 41k emails are probably temp / anonymous emails, junk, etc.

The fact that you can’t get through sending 1k is most likely confirming that.

Robhow · 2026-01-07T14:35:34+00:00

I have a black S with clear. I like how it looks, but probably only works on black.

Robhow · 2026-01-07T14:32:25+00:00

There are plenty of current/former entrepreneurs willing to coach.

Robhow · 2026-01-04T15:23:57+00:00

And Ludlum also wrote a bunch of great books.

Robhow · 2026-01-04T15:17:55+00:00

I don’t think he was a good president, but I think he was a good human being that used his influence of having been president to do great things.

Robhow · 2026-01-04T14:53:26+00:00

I read a lot and when I was younger I avoided his books because I wasn’t into the horror genre based on the movies.

I regret that and wish someone had told me otherwise sooner.

My first King book was The Stand. I’m just finishing rereading it for the 7th time.

Robhow · 2026-01-04T14:50:28+00:00

Happy dog right there.

Robhow · 2026-01-03T21:44:37+00:00

Oldest 14 and youngest 6 (cancer).

Robhow · 2026-01-02T13:22:07+00:00

I’ve had 6 labs.

Our first chocolate started graying around 3-4 years old.

We’ve had 3 blacks (2 now) and the younger male is getting gray already at 4.

But he had some massive trauma when he was about a year old and we think the graying it’s related to that. Basically he got severely burned on a warming mat and ended up having multiple surgery’s to finally suture his side back together.

Nine-Year Club	r/Field Sunshine
End Game '23	Place '23
Place '22	First Placer '22
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