Many founders have a plan for failure, but what about for success? - **Indie hackers expect to fail, iterate, and relaunch.** But what's your plan for when you succeed? Founders lay it out below. - **Over 80% of American adults intend to travel this
Many founders have a plan for failure, but what about for success?
-
Indie hackers expect to fail, iterate, and relaunch. But what's your plan for when you succeed? Founders lay it out below.
-
Over 80% of American adults intend to travel this summer. With travel bouncing back in a major way, these new opportunities could help founders secure the bag....or, erm, the suitcase.
-
Founder Dominik Sobe recently hit $3,000 in monthly revenue, which allowed him to go full-time with HelpKit, a Notion help center SaaS. Check out the 5 major factors that contributed to HelpKit's success.
Want to share something with over 95,000 indie hackers? Submit a section for us to include in a future newsletter. —Channing
🤓 Planning to Succeed
by Dan Isler
As indie hackers, we know that failure is part of the grind. In fact, failing, learning, and iterating quickly is one of the paths to success.
But do you have a success plan? Let's explore important questions for your next big win!
Don't just do nothing
Inmypjs rejects the idea of doing nothing after reaching a certain level of success:
This dysfunctional capitalistic society that we live in has convinced people that doing nothing is the ultimate goal. This makes sense to most people because they don't like what they do. So, doing nothing is preferable.
But once retired, people who love what they do (as many indie hackers do), tend to quickly realize that they actually want to keep doing things. As long as they actually like those things, they tend to find joy in them.
This really makes a good case for founding your own business!
The myth of final arrival
Channing Allen advises rejecting the idea of final arrival:
"Final arrival" pops into people's heads when they think about winning the lottery, retiring after a long career, selling their company for millions, etc. I suppose they think they'll instantly become Buddhist monks with zen minds and calm lives full of contentment, but in reality, entropy brings new problems to their doorsteps.
Among the "winners" in my circle, I've seen the gamut: Aimlessness, depression, addiction, restless (and ultimately unsatisfying) adventure-seeking, etc. It really depends on the personality and the background.
The exceptional cases that handle success really well are those who reject the myth of final arrival. That is, they don't believe they've reached the end of the story of their own struggles. Instead, they've simply completed one chapter; now it's time to confront the antagonists of a new one.
The practice is important
Marco Rodriguez reminds founders that the journey is as important as the destination:
After I win, will reinvest my earnings into my next project. I will also take a few weeks off to celebrate and recharge.
I also agree with avoiding the myth of final arrival. That idea makes me think of Citizen Kane's Rosebud. In Citizen Kane's subconscious, Rosebud represents the simplicity, comfort, safety, and nostalgia of the past. It was a yearning for something that was seemingly unattainable.
We must understand that, as indie hackers, the practice is as important as the result. If we can grow to love the process and the present, we can build the future that we want.
Take stock
Reflecting on certain essential questions can help you navigate success, Courtland Allen says:
"Succeeding" as a founder can be a bit like a soldier returning home safely from a war. It's the promised day that they looked forward to and dreamed of, yet the challenges of a peaceful life might seem mundane. Ironically, it also calls into question the point of that previous life, full of danger. Here are some guiding tips for success:
- Take stock of the resources gained from the last go-round: More free time, more money, a bigger audience, a better network, more trust, clout, and social authority, etc. Things like that.
- Take stock of the feelings of accomplishment: Did it feel good to make money? Do you have enough purpose and meaning? Did you enjoy the journey and the destination?
- Use your answers to question two to figure out the type of project to start the next time around that will give you more of the things that you want, and less of what you don't want. Then, use your answers to question one to figure out how best to get there.
The inner factors
Arek Szklarczyk finds it interesting that the discussion here could have easily descended into materialistic declarations (buying a Ferrari or a private island), but instead, went metaphysical:
In my case, I will declare success if I can build a business that addresses and expresses all of my inner factors.
In other words, my deepest self, and my mind, skills, gifts, and work will be closely aligned, streamlined, and integrated.
Money is obviously a part of it all, but it is on the periphery. It's almost a side effect.
What's your plan for success? Share in the comments below!
Discuss this story.
📰 In the News
from the Volv newsletter by Priyanka Vazirani
📱 Telegram's premium subscription plan is here.
🤖 Google's "sentient" AI has hired an attorney.
🥩 Someone paid $19M for a steak lunch with Warren Buffett.
🍎 Apple is the world’s most valuable brand.
🍸 Here's how "the drink of the summer" is decided.
Check out Volv for more 9-second news digests.
🧳 Travel, Simplified
from the Hustle Newsletter by Julia Janks
The Signal: Travel is back, baby!
A recent survey found that 80%+ of American adults intend to travel this summer.
But there's a catch: People want the adventure without the admin.
*Source: Subreddit Stats
Since 2020, the r/TravelHacks subreddit, which is filled with tips and tricks for making travel easier, has increased its subscribers 5x, from 34K to 190K.
The "easy travel" trend will be propelled by the "rent everything" economy, which is also on the rise.
We first wrote about Berlin-based Grover last May, fresh off of its ~$70M raise. The startup, which rents out consumer electronics for a monthly fee, has since raised a whopping $1.6B in debt and equity finance.
*Source: Crunchbase
Here are three niches that could take off:
1. Gadgets and gear:
Have you heard about Airbnb's massive summer update?
One of the biggest changes is the ability to search by category rather than location. Categories include activities like camping, golfing, skiing, and boating.
People are clearly craving adventures. There is an opportunity to make activities more accessible, so that intrepid travelers don't have to invest in all the gear before they go.
Companies like TRVL Porter and The unPack deliver a suitcase straight to your accommodation so you don't have to worry about traveling with bulky, hard-to-pack items like coats, umbrellas, and boots.
You could offer a similar service with curated equipment for specific activities, i.e., waders for fishing, jackets for skiing, binoculars for birding, etc.
2. Parents:
How much are parents willing to pay to make travel with kids easier? We don't know for sure, but we're guessing it's a lot.
Startup BabyQuip is cashing in on the opportunity. The company leases out cribs, strollers, car seats, etc., and recently raised $3.5M.
Take the concept one step further by providing a turnkey solution that also connects parents to vetted babysitters, daycare, and doctors in the area.
The idea would work for the pet space, too. While there are very few things you'd need to rent if you travel with a dog, you could connect pet owners to trusted pet sitters, dog-friendly restaurants, and vets.
3. Wardrobe:
The r/OneBag subreddit, "a minimalist urban travel community devoted to the idea of lugging around less crap," has grown by 280%+ since 2020.
*Source: Subreddit Stats
Dorrine Mendoza floated the idea of affordable wardrobe rental for business travel in the Trends Facebook group, writing:
I just spoke with someone who worked at Rent the Runway. She said there isn't anyone in the low to mid-price space, and that, even if it started just with shoes and outerwear, it could solve a big pain point.
Other Trendsters weighed in with related ideas, including:
- Luggage rental for people who travel infrequently and don't want to buy or store suitcases.
- An offering targeted at remote workers.
- An offering that provides toiletries as well.
*Source: Facebook
Would you launch a service that helps simplify travel? Let's chat below!
Subscribe to the Hustle Newsletter for more.
👥 10M Users, Zero Funding
by Aytekin Tank
Staying healthy and happy:
Get help sooner than later.
Filters and automation can only take you so far. If you’re drowning in emails, communication, administrative tasks, and every day details, it’s time to get some help. I just hired a fantastic personal assistant after 15 years in business. I probably should have taken this step 10 years ago. Don’t wait until you’re slipping further underwater.
Discuss this story.
💪 Dominik Sobe Hit $3K MRR and Went Full-Time
by Dominik Sobe
Hi, I'm Dominik Sobe, and today marks the third big milestone for me as an indie hacker. HelpKit, my 100% bootstrapped SaaS, has reached $3K MRR! We have over 130 paying customers. From small ambitious content creators, to publicly traded companies, 130+ people are now using HelpKit and Notion to serve their knowledge bases.
This is also huge for me because it allows me to go full-time with my business while still being in school (I need to finish my thesis ASAP!). My goal for this summer was to reach $1K for ramen profitability. I've now tripled what my original goal was, and it's so incredible! I am very grateful for the experience thus far.
For the past few months, I've had the luxury of working from beautiful Lisbon, surfing and working at the beach of Costa da Caparica. And soon, I will be flying to Bali to live and work there for a few months.
Working on HelpKit (and my other products) has taught me more than any MBA could ever have. I went from being extremely nervous about my first few customer meetings, to now having confidently handled 100+ calls. I've gotten much better at backend DevOps, pricing, marketing, incorporation, international taxes, and handling obnoxious customer tickets. I have received (and turned down) a handful of acquisition offers, and have even had people reaching out asking to work for my company!
Here are five short lessons that I have learned along the way:
1: Full focus: One of the biggest contributors to HelpKit's success was me forcing myself not to work on my other products. It was so hard to resist, but this way, I couldn't procrastinate. Consistency > motivation.
2: Don't overthink your pricing: In the beginning, you need to make an educated guess about your pricing. There's no way you will know what works and what doesn't. Pick a price and go. Don't overthink. With time, you'll find the right value metrics for your customers.
3: Stop worrying about eventualities: There will be things in your product that will make you feel like it's not worth the price, or wonder whether it meets your user's needs. Unless a user addresses it, stop worrying. I had countless worries that actually never turned into realities.
4: Be a human: Don't hide behind the corporate "we." One powerful advantage we have as indie hackers is that we can build closer, more personal connections with our customers. Hop on a call and tell them your story. They might become your ambassadors.
5: Take your time: If you don't feel like working on your project, take a break. Go to the gym, play with your pets, go surfing, etc. It doesn't matter if you need one day or one week. It can be so easy to lose yourself in work. This is not a sprint, it's a marathon.
If you're interested, check out more from me here!
Discuss this story.
🐦 The Tweetmaster's Pick
by Tweetmaster Flex
I post the tweets indie hackers share the most. Here's today's pick:
🏁 Enjoy This Newsletter?
Forward it to a friend, and let them know they can subscribe here.
Also, you can submit a section for us to include in a future newsletter.
Special thanks to Jay Avery for editing this issue, to Gabriella Federico for the illustrations, and to Dan Isler, Priyanka Vazirani, Julia Janks, Aytekin Tank, and Dominik Sobe for contributing posts. —Channing
