STARTUP TOPIC
How founders found their first buyers: direct outreach, existing relationships, communities, and paid pilots.
A free software period can work when existing consulting customers already pay for a service and the software becomes part of that service.
The SaaS Podcast2025-06-12
Charge when a B2B product already solves a measurable problem; use feedback from people who are willing to pay.
The SaaS Podcast2015-03-09
An email signup can indicate curiosity without proving that someone will pay. Finding a narrower customer and a relevant offer mattered more than the initial launch numbers.
The SaaS Podcast2019-10-28
Free adoption was not enough to establish the business. Asking customers to pay and speaking with them directly changed the evidence available to the founder.
The SaaS Podcast2019-07-15
Seeking advice and customer evidence must be weighed against the practical risks of keeping an idea private. Customer case studies are a separate sales asset that require customer participation.
Startups For the Rest of Us2026-09-29
Customer conversations can change the product and business model, but a pivot is often ambiguous while it is happening.
Startups For the Rest of Us2026-09-22
Customer research and a paid commitment can precede software development. A completed product is not the only way to test an idea.
Smart Passive Income2013-09-26
Bootstrapping affects the pace of growth, who gets paid and which risks a founder can take. Customer funding and personal investment shaped ConvertKit’s early choices.
Smart Passive Income2016-12-14Free software for existing consulting customers
An ad-tech consulting business with existing paying clients.
Charge when the product solves a paid problem
Stripe analytics for online software businesses.
Signups are not the same as paying customers
Social media software for marketing agencies.
Practical discussions about independent software companies, early customers, recurring revenue, and founder decisions.
Founder interviews about product decisions, acquiring customers, sales, and software business growth.
Interviews and strategy discussions about online businesses, audiences, products, and creator businesses.