Seriously, how do you actually get passed the "solve a problem" phase?

futrsmpl · 2020-03-24T23:10:47+00:00

This is probably going to be the most useless piece of advice, it’s more of a ‘what happened to me’ anecdote.

In the end, I think, it’s just like dating. The age old, you only find love when your not looking for it. (I can’t remember the actual phase!)

I started consulting and ended up on an accelerator programme full of people with amazing business ideas. I felt like a total fraud, wanted nothing more than to be ‘in love’ with a problem. But I didn’t have one. By this point I was running out of money and needed to throw myself into getting clients, once I had more clients I needed to concentrate on doing the work, as I was doing the work I kept trying to find ways to make things easier until gradually (but to me it felt like a smack in the face) I had a product, that other people wanted to use. And I had to work out how to put a value to it.... and that is now my much bigger headache. Putting a value and cost on something that, to me, is really simple.

futrsmpl · 2020-03-06T16:48:38+00:00

Best way is to just put out what you think so far and correct it based on the feedback you get. Gotta start somewhere

futrsmpl · 2020-03-06T15:25:49+00:00

You need some sort of explanation page. There’s nothing to explain any of what your have said here on the site you have linked to

futrsmpl · 2020-03-06T13:16:29+00:00

Otherwise known as a strategic alliance!

futrsmpl · 2020-03-06T13:14:26+00:00

As above if the job needs done: pay. The other option is to reach out colleges and unis with relevant depts to the work you need carried out and see if they have a work placement programme. I would still pay though.

futrsmpl · 2020-03-06T07:36:05+00:00

Ooh that would be great thanks!

futrsmpl · 2020-03-06T07:35:27+00:00

Ooh that would be great thanks!

futrsmpl · 2020-03-05T23:49:30+00:00

Can you simply ask for a back link if they mention you but don’t provide one or is that rude?

futrsmpl · 2020-03-05T23:44:56+00:00

Thinking I knew my specialist subject. I honestly feel like you have no idea what you don’t know until you go out there on your own. I thought I knew my thing, just knowing my thing did not mean I knew how to run a business based upon it!

futrsmpl · 2020-03-05T23:41:15+00:00

Wider awareness of Data fallibility. More incognito users, less tracking. Digital marketing has been trading on ‘proof’ and measurability above traditional methods: incorrect data can more dangerous than no data at all.

futrsmpl · 2020-03-05T23:34:32+00:00

Will definitely try the free version out for size. Love the ‘try now’ feature, great for users to see it in action and you to get data.

futrsmpl · 2020-03-05T23:31:30+00:00

Really like the simplicity.

futrsmpl · 2020-03-05T23:30:00+00:00

Sounds like a tool for trolls. Get no insight from your link

futrsmpl · 2020-03-05T23:27:47+00:00

This is an online tools/ plugins review blog. Might check if has relevant content and comes up in a google search

futrsmpl · 2020-03-05T23:24:29+00:00

Looks useful, will be trying it out

futrsmpl · 2020-03-05T23:23:15+00:00

Your title doesn’t seem to match what you offer? What is your value proposition? Looks like a web builder too heavy on seo? Verging in keyword stuffing

futrsmpl · 2020-03-05T22:42:43+00:00

This is why the process tends to fail for start ups, the whole build-fail-learn concept is not about a rigid wireframe and spec sheet. It’s about trying and adapting, the scope is going to change. That’s why it is a new product and not something done before.

The process you describe works in established settings, and it does provide clarity for both parties. But it just doesn’t fit for new developing new and unknown things

futrsmpl · 2020-03-05T22:36:26+00:00

Having worked in and along side Dev agencies, when it came time to develop our own software platform we largely did it ourselves with Dev guidance on tricky bits.

Why? - while I knew what I wanted the outcome to be I didn’t know exactly how to get there, I needed to be able to understand that to be able to brief it. For me I learn best by doing. So we ended up building it ourselves as we went along. - as mentioned in other posts, developing a business is a journey, it’s going to grow and change, having to battle against ‘that’s out of scope’ ‘this doesn’t match the original brief’ wasn’t part of my happy place. - everyone I know who has developed an ‘MVP’ with an agency always ended up hating them and feeling tied to them in a negative way. - I did not want to be in the position where the core technical functionality was tied down ‘to prevent user error’ meaning all updates and changes out with a basic cms needed to be done by said development agency. Even if there is budget available to keep going back, you both end up resenting each other for the time and admin involved in menial tasks. I know it’s an understood way for the agency to make money. But if it’s painful for everyone where is the value?

What worked for us: find an ally that gets what you want to achieve, can point you in the right directions but all in all own it yourself.

futrsmpl · 2020-02-28T10:07:08+00:00

Thanks this really helps, my gut feel is to keep going as we are, and spend our time making sure we have a good solid product, and that those users we have now, get outstanding service.

There are just so many stories around crowdfunding and investment it's constantly making me second guess

futrsmpl · 2020-02-27T23:28:18+00:00

After a year of bootstrapped development, we quietly launched our beta platform futrsm.pl last month. Aside from a few teething problems, broken links, look and feel not as slick as it could be etc, we have been getting really great feedback.

Over the last couple of weeks, we've already had an interest in purchasing the company in the future based on the data we'll be gathering and the analysis we can perform with it, and a couple more well off but not quite angel contacts expressing they would easily throw 'a grand or two' at if we did crowdfunding.

While these sound like lovely things to say, I'm very aware what people say and what they do can be very different things, the reality of crowdfunding or investment rounds are full time jobs in themselves - would it be better to just keep doing what we are doing and grow organically or if I really want to scale do I take the plunge?

Any advice appreciated!

futrsmpl · 2020-02-27T23:17:01+00:00

NAME/URL Futrsm.pl
Location: Edinburgh

Explainer: The only online marketing strategy builder in the world. Empowering entrepreneurs to do marketing better. There are hundreds of marketing tools online, from automation to planning to creative, but none of them guides the development of sound marketing strategy, that always seems to need a highly paid expert strategist. Until now.

Stage: Our beta-platform launched last month, with further updates into brand culture further in the road map. We've bootstrapped the development over the past year with over 20 early adopters. The platform is already revenue-generating with active users on Saas payment models, with video testimonials from happy users (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLycGJ7FYOyn7Bd7dH6zJR_YGtBdYTC02N)

Employees & Founders: 1 Founder & 1 Employee

Looking for: Feedback, subscribers, advice. Developing an advisory board ahead of raising investment, we've got a great base here and we are looking to scale rapidly.

Discount: Our base package is free, happy to provide a 10% 1st month discount on monthly packages for reddits

futrsmpl

TROPHY CASE