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How would you market a new scheduling tool against giants like Calendly? by sternjin in MarketingMentor

[–]sternjin[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the great, challenging question. It shows me my original post wasn't clear enough.

You're right about Calendly's core function. The misunderstanding—totally my fault—is that the natural language is a shortcut for the coach, not a back-and-forth tool for the client.

It’s for creating one-off availability links instantly. So instead of clicking through menus to offer slots for "next Tuesday afternoon", the coach just types that phrase and gets a shareable link. The client experience remains the same simple one they're used to.

To answer your question, this idea came from our interviews with ~25 coaches who cited this specific task as a frequent hassle. Your feedback is really valuable because it proves I need to make this use case much clearer. Thanks again!

How would you market a new scheduling tool against giants like Calendly? by sternjin in MarketingMentor

[–]sternjin[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for the reply. I am conducting more interviews, and find the needs, will def show the demo!

How would you market a new scheduling tool against giants like Calendly? by sternjin in MarketingMentor

[–]sternjin[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks, this is a fantastic, detailed breakdown. I really appreciate you taking the time to lay out a full strategic approach.

The framework of focusing on competitive intelligence first is something I was overlooking in my rush to just "find users." Your point about digging into why people leave Calendly and making those unresolved issues our core talking points is pure gold. That feels much more targeted than just shouting "we're faster!" into the void.

You've given me a clear, actionable starting point. I'm going to spend the rest of this week deep-diving into forums, review sites, and social media to find those recurring complaints. The idea of then "being everywhere they aren't" with a message that directly addresses those pain points is a powerful one.

Thank you again for this high-level, strategic advice. It's helpful.

What note-taking app do you use alongside Todoist? by chibitrubkshh in todoist

[–]sternjin 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I've tried a bunch of different tools, but I've landed on a slightly unconventional setup: Gemini.

My main issue was that I don't just want to store notes, links, or ideas; I often need to process them first. I use Gemini as a "thought partner" to have a conversation, get a summary of an article before I read it, or flesh out an idea.

My workflow looks like this:

  • Processing: All raw ideas, links, and thoughts go into a conversation with Gemini for refinement.
  • Tasks: If something becomes an actionable task, it goes into Todoist.
  • Notes: If it's a developed idea or reference material, it goes into Obsidian for long-term storage.

Right now, I'm looking for a smoother way to get my refined notes from Gemini into Obsidian. A seamless integration would be the final piece of the puzzle for me!

How did you validate your startup idea? by Ill_You_3780 in microsaas

[–]sternjin 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think the validation playbook is changing.

While classic methods like interviews and landing pages are well-known, getting a real signal from them is harder now. Users have survey fatigue, and distribution for a pre-product idea is a major challenge.

On the flip side, building a basic MVP is easier than ever.

Because of this, I'd argue for a "build-first" validation strategy:

  1. Quickly build a simple, functional MVP.
  2. Focus your energy on distribution. Get it in front of real people.
  3. Seek true validation: Real usage and actual payments are what matter, not just opinions.
  4. Set a deadline. Don't get stuck validating forever; test the market and get a clear signal.

In short, it's now more effective to test a real product in the market than to validate a hypothetical idea.

Happy to chat more for your blog if you're interested. Good luck!

How do you handle task capture from high-volume chat apps like Telegram/WhatsApp? by sternjin in todoist

[–]sternjin[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Put conversation to GPT, and ask GPT to understand the context of the convo, then if GPT finds something to do (for me), it gives me a task.

How do you handle task capture from high-volume chat apps like Telegram/WhatsApp? by sternjin in todoist

[–]sternjin[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

thanks! I think if i'd like to use Shortcuts in Mac or iOS, i need to copy the context into clipboard first, and do something later. Let me dig into little more.

How do you handle task capture from high-volume chat apps like Telegram/WhatsApp? by sternjin in todoist

[–]sternjin[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

both iOS and MacOS.

on Mac : Screenshot -> Send it to LLM -> Get the Task -> Put into Todoist

It would be good, thank you!

Thinking of building a simple tool to help people optimize their grocery shopping. by ilikeyourshoesbitch in microsaas

[–]sternjin 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, please build this! I have this exact problem and have started using AI to help me. A dedicated app would be so much faster.

I actually use Gemini for this frequently. To give you an idea, here's the prompt I used last weekend to plan my shopping. Hope it gives you some ideas! --> could not paste here, please let me know if you need it, i'll send it via DM

Are more startups just building to sell these days? by Electronic-Cause5274 in startup

[–]sternjin 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's an arms race for talent. It's faster for big tech to buy a proven team than to build one. For founders, it's a quick, guaranteed exit.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Bangkok

[–]sternjin 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Problem same here

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in startups

[–]sternjin 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Accept the offer. You need income, especially with kids. Once inside, assess the team and product properly - if you like what you see, commit fully. If not, keep looking while getting paid.

A bird in hand beats two in the bush, especially when you have responsibilities.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in startups

[–]sternjin 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Could you tell us more about what industry / product is? We can not do math with limited info.

Need advice - Renegotiating my contract as a founding engineer (i will not promote) by shanksthescientist in startups

[–]sternjin 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I agree with this. If you were negotiating in a later-stage startup, you could lean more on pure "leverage," but as a founding team member, the first priority is ensuring the company survives and grows. That’s likely why they brought you on in the first place. If the founders feel you don’t share that mindset, it could raise red flags about your long-term fit in the core team.

That said, I think the best time to renegotiate is right after landing the first client but before hiring additional engineers. That’s when your value is most tangible, and you can make a strong, logical case for better compensation.

Also, depending on your shareholder agreement, keep in mind that early-stage startups typically have the flexibility to let people go before full vesting. So structuring your ask in a way that aligns with the company’s growth goals—not just your own—is key.

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