Any.do’s Post

One of my favorite parts about working in B2B SaaS is how many cool tools I discover during the process. In my latest piece for Zapier, I tested out the to-do list app, Any.do. And honestly? I'm blown away. Any.do has SO many features that are just perfect for productivity nerds like me. I'm actually in the process of shifting away from Todoist to Any.do simply because of perks like WhatsApp reminders and location-based alerts. Dropping the link to my Zapier piece in the comments so you can check out my full review.

Something controversial for your Monday morning - cost of #MVPs. I meet with different types of #founders and I find that with some folks, I really have to focus on the M of MVP - you're doing too much, you don't need this until version 2, you don't need this until someone asks, etc. A really good example is something as simple as profile picture. Of course you want your users to be able to change it... but do you really need that on day 1? Chances are - no. On the other hand, I work with a lot of founders where I have to focus on the V - is it viable? For example, not being able to choose a username or a profile picture is not a deal breaker for a B2B MVP (leave it til 1.2), but it might be for an Instagram-like social app. And because of this, costs of MVPs tend to vary a lot - you can get super aggressive in some industries and get in under $30k, but in another industry, you won't have anything viable until $300k. But I find that somehow, most MVPs tend to land at around 70k (that's fair value - not dev shop with 70% margin costs). And that 70k has been going up for several years. Here's a screenshot from a workshop I run for Founder Institute. If you've recently (in the last 12 months) launched an MVP, comment with your dev cost and let me know if it's dev shop or direct. I'm curious!

Happy Monday! Unlike most, I actually look forward to Mondays. It’s my chance to recalibrate after a weekend of rest and dive into a new week of progress. So, what's on my agenda this week? I’m focusing on direct marketing for my mobile and web app business. After a great 1:1 with Claire Meddings, a successful businesswoman from Amplify Your Growth, I compiled a mailing list of my LinkedIn connections. Unfortunately, LinkedIn’s system only provided around 8 emails, as it only shares addresses if people have given permission. But no worries - I found a solution! By downloading my email history from the past 10+ years, I was able to extract and validate over 5,000 email addresses. I don’t expect massive replies, but if you receive an email from me and we haven’t connected in a while, feel free to reach out! Lastly, if anyone is interested in a tool to replicate this process without needing to be a programmer, I’m considering creating a small SaaS solution. Let me know if that sounds useful! #business #smallbusiness #businessgrowth #toolsforgrowth

My 10.000€ fun side-project 💻 ESO-Stats 👉 https://eso-stats.pro was my first SaaS, launched in November 2023, marking my entry into the "indie-hacker" world. It has been more successful than I ever imagined possible. To date, it has generated approximately 4,000€ in revenue through PayPal and 5,397€ through Stripe, and counting! It taught me these essential lessons that every founder should know: - Just do it. Be a do-er not a talk-er. - Know your audience well. - Interact directly with your audience. - Spread the word naturally. (LinkedIn already shows you that no-one likes a sales-bot) - Focus on building first, not on making money. Most apps and ideas succeed because they prove to be superior to their competition, not because they are new or innovative. That is exactly what my app is doing; from a list of dead and outdated sources, ESO-Stats emerges as the number one source of knowledge. I believe that wins teach us more than losses. Safe to say this is just the beginning! Big thank you to Josh Norris for motivating me to post this 💪 #indiehacker #sideproject #saas #10k

Ever wondered why some B2B apps skyrocket while others fizzle out? Our client had a game-changing idea but needed a laser-focused strategy. A client from a F500 approached us with a big idea but needed clarity. They wanted to create a B2B app that would do a bunch of things. But what was its true purpose? We sat down with the client, diving deep into their vision. “Why this app?” we asked. “What problem are we solving?” They realized they wanted to support their team with one single process. Next, we needed to define the app’s goals. “What’s the true goal of your MVP?” we asked. The client hesitated, unsure. “Demonstrating traction,” we suggested. “Showing internal stakeholders that companies find value in this app.” Together, we identified the core features for the MVP. We built it, launched it, and collected feedback. The client’s big idea was now a reality, thanks to a well-defined purpose and clear MVP goals. What’s your app’s true purpose? #AppDevelopment #MVP #ClientSuccess #SidekickInteractive #MobileApps

I am frustrated. A business I love is lost. Drifting. Coasting. Riselabs. It was created to build cloud-based software. But years of reading and learning from experts have left me feeling frustrated that it’s such a generic term. What is cloud-based software? It could be anything. Your doorbell app? Cloud-based software. Deliveroo? Cloud-based. E-commerce website? Cloud. Which has led me going around in absolute circles trying to define a consistent marketing message. As app and software developers are everywhere. What makes us different? For a long time, I’ve focused on “efficiency”. But, isn’t all software supposed to be efficient? So, what on earth is our USP? I’m sharing this as I am genuinely stuck with what to call Riselabs. Which has lead to a rather stressful place of frustration. What do you think Riselabs does? Because it does something. For 8 years it’s turned a profit. But I’m frustrated trying to explain why.

Last week I went to cancel an app subscription on my phone. Per usual, the cancel button was buried and hard to find. When I pressed it, did it cancel? Nope. Instead, it drew out the process for as long as possible with condescending questions as if I hadn't already made up my mind. “Want to pause your account for 1 month instead?” “How about a 50% discount for 3 months?” “Are you sure you want to cancel?” Now, I don’t mind getting some options communicated upfront…but once I hit that cancel button, EVERY additional hoop I have to jump through is going to really, really annoy me. Doesn't matter if your product is a $5 /mo app subscription or a $100k B2B software solution — the only reason it should be painful to cancel is because your product is THAT GOOD, not because the cancellation process is THAT BAD. I believe that making it easy to cancel is one of the best ways to get valuable feedback, keep the door open for the future, and even generate customer referrals. Anyone else get worked up about cancellation experiences or is it just me? 😅

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Does your business need a fresh start in the new year? PayWhirl is more than just another subscription app; it’s a flexible powerhouse of a professional subscription management provider. No coding skills are needed, but advanced APIs, webhooks, and workflow tools are available. Find out 6 key benefits of partnering with a professional subscription management provider here:

It's time. Our beta test on the new app is coming to a close and we will be out of stealth mode shortly. We have confirmed that we have built something incredible. We hit a target no one else saw. 🎯 The product works, it works well, it works consistently, the value is instant, the result is measurable to the bottom line, and the profitable impact will make our users tons of money. Not only that, the product can be deployed instantly, and user onboarding takes just a few minutes. If you're smart enough to know how to fill out a mad-libs form, you have all the skills you need to get measurable profitable results. Not only that, the product is insanely affordable. 💰 It is important to me that small business and enterprise alike see our price and say, "I would be crazy NOT to buy!" And on top of all that, it's the most fun B2B app you will ever use. 🏓 On the day of launch, I will share with you here on LinkedIn how we are going to make a ding in your universe 💥 Social media marketing is never going to be the same.