Building Engyne as a technical founder and sharing lessons along the way | Techstars '24
I'm pivoting Engyne after 12 months. Here's why. Last year, I had a thesis. Anyone can code a SaaS but selling is the real bottleneck. Most companies die because they can't find customers. If you could solve this, *technically* you could have <5 person teams building $1B businesses. My mission was simple: To create an inbound marketing machine with SEO for B2B businesses. I was bullish af last year, not anymore tho: - It's becoming a commodity - The common strategy seems to be to spin up the top 10 Google search articles into a new article (not something I'm fond of) - Google algo changes are becoming very unpredictable As a business, it's pretty clear why this won't work: - SEO isn't growing 10x next year - ROI for SEO shows up after ~6 months, marketers get fired in 3, not ideal - Stuck at $1-2K MRR I've paused new signups and let customers know to transition off in the next few months. So what's next? It's not all bad news. My mission is still the same but the direction will change. I'm validating another hunch in GTM, too early rn but be on the lookout 👀
You're thinking here is very strategic. Agree with your conclusions. You don't want to be an also-ran.
I started my own SaaS and also thought SEO was the golden ticket. But you're right - the market has changed. Love that you're brave enough to make this tough call and switch directions. Your point about ROI timing vs job security is spot on - never thought about it that way. Looking forward to seeing what you cook up next in the GTM space!
👍🏻 congrats on pivoting fast, that's the key to finding the right idea with pmf!
Sometimes a pivot is just what you need! I’ve found that stepping back can lead to fresh ideas. Excited to see where you go next! 👀 #GrowthMindset #Marketing
That's quite a pivot! What insights from your journey will guide your next steps in GTM?
Smart move! Defs want to be surfing a big wave and SEO is choppy water right now. Excited to see the new direction/next product!
I respect your perseverance and ability to recognize the signs that it’s time to transition. Onward and upward!
Its a part of the journey, all the best for whats next!
Good move - I’m excited to see what direction you end up pivoting in!
Unlocking Talent Potential with AI | 3X Founder | Sharing My Startup Journey & Talent Insights
15hI think your core thesis is even more relevant today with the explosion of AI coding tools. These tools empower technical founders, but the challenge remains: they often lack the sales and marketing expertise needed to grow.