Tag: Startup
Limited output is a feature
Great startups don't win because they write more code, they win because they think differently.
Umans Cancels Founding Plans
R&D for the alarm clock that shocks you
In 2017, I worked with a team of 3 User Experience Designers to research and design an onboarding flow for an experience that could be rather ...alarming.
Startups are waterfall
Process note: One of my lessons-learned from Subconscious was that project management for startups should be done via deadlines and workbacks not via agile methods. Agile is designed for steady-state maintenance. But when you are going from 0-1,…
Tanner Linsley built TanStack to outlive him
Tanner Linsley built TanStack into a thriving open source community. Now he needs to turn it into a sustainable business.
Cognitive Debt and the Cost of Staying Wrong
Being wrong is unavoidable. The real damage comes from allowing a bad assumption to shape everything you build on top of it.
Cognitive Debt and the Cost of Staying Wrong
Being wrong is unavoidable. The real damage comes from allowing a bad assumption to shape everything you build on top of it.
Cognitive Debt and the Cost of Staying Wrong
Being wrong is unavoidable. The real damage comes from allowing a bad assumption to shape everything you build on top of it.
Playing to your outs
"Playing to your outs" is a term from poker by way of Magic The Gathering. The idea is, when you're bound to lose, you gotta stop making sensible plays. Instead, you must identify a specific card or sequence that could still win you the…
Software that gets distributed to every employee trends toward commodity
Put another way: commodity work breeds commodity software. This is why suites emerge (Office suite). They are lowest-common-denominator, but everything works together. Exception: software for teams that drive direct business value. If a product…
Colin Sidoti | The Build Log
Colin Sidoti, co-founder and CEO of Clerk, says an exit isn't the goal for him.
This is a test Document
Not that that matter or anyhtign
My 2026 Developer Tech Stack
The tools I use as CTO and product engineer at a Y Combinator-backed startup in 2026.
My 2026 Developer Tech Stack
The tools I use as CTO and product engineer at a Y Combinator-backed startup in 2026.
The Science of Spotting Hidden Product Ideas
The best product ideas hide in plain sight, in your habits and everyone else's. Watch what people actually do, not what they say they want. Build for that.
The Science of Spotting Hidden Product Ideas
The best product ideas hide in plain sight, in your habits and everyone else's. Watch what people actually do, not what they say they want. Build for that.
The Psychology Hack Hiding in Great Products
Every message is a moment of influence. Make the nudge helpful and you'll create power users and build loyalty.
The Psychology Hack Hiding in Great Products
Every message is a moment of influence. Make the nudge helpful and you'll create power users and build loyalty.
Work back from UI
Work back from the UI. How to prevent over-abstraction: start from the UI and work backwards. Abstractions should grow out of actual practice. Never abstract before you build the simple, concrete, non-abstract thing that closes the loop.
Founder Math: When to Stop Searching and Start Choosing with the 37% Rule
How do you know when to stop searching and just choose? A classic bit of math offers a simple rule.
Founder Math: When to Stop Searching and Start Choosing with the 37% Rule
How do you know when to stop searching and just choose? A classic bit of math offers a simple rule.
Your MVP is too damn big
Your first product version needs to be smaller than you think. Much smaller. Probably embarrassingly small.
Your MVP is too damn big
Your first product version needs to be smaller than you think. Much smaller. Probably embarrassingly small.
My 2025 Developer Tech Stack
A list of the tools and tech I use as a professional product engineer in 2025.
My 2025 Developer Tech Stack
A list of the tools and tech I use as a professional product engineer in 2025.
Themes Beat Resolutions Every Time
Reflection fuels growth. The coming year is your chance to make meaningful changes to your work, life, and relationships.
Themes Beat Resolutions Every Time
Reflection fuels growth. The coming year is your chance to make meaningful changes to your work, life, and relationships.
Mad? Use It to Start Something Big
Sometimes, being mad is the best way to start something new.
Mad? Use It to Start Something Big
Sometimes, being mad is the best way to start something new.
Dunbar's number: focusing on your core supporters for network effect growth
Focus on building strong connections with a core group of 50 advocates to fuel sustainable, network-driven growth.
Dunbar's number: focusing on your core supporters for network effect growth
Focus on building strong connections with a core group of 50 advocates to fuel sustainable, network-driven growth.
Don't just listen. Interpret feedback wisely.
User feedback is your product's compass. Listen intently, act wisely, and stay true to your vision to navigate towards success.
Don't just listen. Interpret feedback wisely.
User feedback is your product's compass. Listen intently, act wisely, and stay true to your vision to navigate towards success.
Nobody Wants a Big Reveal: Why Keeping Secrets Hurts Your Work
Avoid the temptation of the dramatic reveal. Here's why openness and transparency are your real competitive advantages in product development.
Nobody Wants a Big Reveal: Why Keeping Secrets Hurts Your Work
Avoid the temptation of the dramatic reveal. Here's why openness and transparency are your real competitive advantages in product development.
How Contrast Elevates Perception
Why a seamless experience can make your work feel superior - even if it's not.
How Contrast Elevates Perception
Why a seamless experience can make your work feel superior - even if it's not.
Stay Sane: Mental Health Strategies for Startups
Burnout is your team's worst enemy. Here's how to prevent it.
Stay Sane: Mental Health Strategies for Startups
Burnout is your team's worst enemy. Here's how to prevent it.
You're 8 episodes away from being in the top 20%
A shift in perspective can help you stay motivated on your journey to the top. Set achievable goals and measure your progress to keep moving forward.
You're 8 episodes away from being in the top 20%
A shift in perspective can help you stay motivated on your journey to the top. Set achievable goals and measure your progress to keep moving forward.
Your tastes will always outpace your skill, and what to do about it
Powerful advice gleaned from a quote by Ira Glass - your taste will always outpace your creative abilities.
Your tastes will always outpace your skill, and what to do about it
Powerful advice gleaned from a quote by Ira Glass - your taste will always outpace your creative abilities.
Struggling with TypeScript: why not?
One of your biggest skills as a person-on-the-internet is your ability to research and learn new things.
Struggling with TypeScript: why not?
One of your biggest skills as a person-on-the-internet is your ability to research and learn new things.
The Aesthetic-Usability Effect
When building something new, what's more important: that it works, or that it looks good? The Aesthetic-Usability Effect says that users perceive more aesthetically pleasing designs as easier to use than less aesthetically pleasing designs.
The Aesthetic-Usability Effect
When building something new, what's more important: that it works, or that it looks good? The Aesthetic-Usability Effect says that users perceive more aesthetically pleasing designs as easier to use than less aesthetically pleasing designs.
Shrimps is Bugs: Red Lobster ate itself to death
Red Lobster's bankruptcy and the importance of understanding your product's pricing and business model, especially for founders and indiehackers building Saas products.
Shrimps is Bugs: Red Lobster ate itself to death
Red Lobster's bankruptcy and the importance of understanding your product's pricing and business model, especially for founders and indiehackers building Saas products.
The Endowment Effect: why useful trials make for sticky products
The endowment effect is a psychological phenomenon where people value things more highly simply because they own them. How can you use this to make your product stickier?