Il primo numero di "Solo Startup Stories"
Hi there,
This feels like standing on a stage, ready to deliver a speech to a large audience. This is the first issue of my newsletter, something that's been long overdue. I've listened to countless podcasts, each with the same message: start building your email list from day one. Well, we're not at day one, more like day 5,000 or so.
But as the saying goes, better late than never.
That might not be the only advice I've ignored. Another clear message from these podcasts was to confirm market demand before building a new product. On that front, I've missed the mark too. But more on that below.
First, let's start with an introduction, so everyone knows what this is all about.
What happened so far
I began my career as a software developer at Digital Equipment, a major U.S. company known for its mini computers. After spending 11 years there, working on customer projects, I started freelancing as a project manager.
A few years down the line, I became a partner in a software development company that eventually got acquired. This led me to start TenForce, a self-funded software product company. Following a management buyout 16 years later, I became a partner and CEO at Q1.6, also a self-funded software product company.
Solo Entrepreneur
Since mid-2022, I rebooted as a solo entrepreneur, painfully aware that there was a lot to learn (hence the name of this newsletter: Solo Startup Stories). That's where NoFaceMeeting.com comes into the picture: a Saas product to set up and manage async meetings.
It gave me a clear goal: get the service up and running, which meant learning about NoCode tools, web servers, JavaScript, networking, and marketing. I wanted to master all the supporting skills before validating a product idea in the market.
What We've Learned So Far:
- Meetings are ubiquitous, but transitioning to asynchronous versions isn't an easy sell. Though many people express frustration over the many meetings they attend, this doesn't necessarily mean they're ready to actively seek out alternatives.
- Approximately two-thirds of the feedback we received suggested that tools like NoFaceMeeting should integrate with established communication platforms like Slack or Teams. The development tools market, particularly those catering to Scrum and Agile methodologies, do integrate with these platforms but is already saturated with feature-rich tools struggling to make sales. Thus, working on this integration and going after the same market will pose significant challenges.
- The product-market fit for NoFaceMeeting will likely emerge in a niche market with distinct needs. While remote teams operating across different time zones seem a natural fit due to their inherent need for asynchronous communication tools, we believe there are other markets where our tool could prove beneficial. We're keen to explore other opportunities and applications for NoFaceMeeting. Do you know of a niche market or specific need where our tool could add value? We welcome your ideas and insights. Please share your thoughts with us.
What's next
I am continuing my work on NoFaceMeeting.com, with plans to tailor it to a specific niche. Simultaneously, I'm developing a new product, SafeAssistant.Online. This innovative platform is designed to enable organizations to use ChatGPT in a secure, auditable, and well-managed way.
80% of business owners have strong doubts
Through my interactions with various business owners, I discovered that about 80% have reservations about their teams using ChatGPT:
- Concerns about the AI providing incorrect yet convincing responses.
- Uncertainty about the sources the AI uses for its responses.
- The AI's generated content is too broad and lacks a personal touch. Some fear this could negatively impact customer relationships.
- Confidentiality and reliability are also major worries. Several companies either ban this technology or enforce strict guidelines, mainly due to GDPR, privacy, and intellectual property rights concerns.
An assistant to help your team use ChatGPT
SafeAssistant.Online includes features that help alleviate these worries:
- All ChatGPT interactions are logged and can be audited,
- Support to escalate ChatGPT's proposed suggestions to a colleague or manager,
- Encryption of sensitive information like names,
- Automatically flagging 'dangerous categories' based on company-specific rules.
Use Reddit posts as test input with surprising results
We've been testing our prototype by using work-related problems posted on Reddit. We were surprised to discover how providing ChatGPT with different sets of Company Values & Beliefs influenced the suggested solutions. In one experiment, we asked a question from an office worker who was struggling with a noisy work environment. We used two very different sets of Values & Beliefs. Interestingly, our Values & Beliefs were limited to handling customer complaints:
-
In one scenario, we emphasized the careful handling of customer complaints and the importance of customer satisfaction. The company went the extra mile to turn the complaint into an opportunity to please the customer and earn positive reviews.
-
In another scenario, we emphasized strict rules for justifying customer complaints. The company prioritized profitability over glowing customer reviews.
What surprised us was the different responses to the 'noisy work environment' issue. The customer-focused company was more sympathetic to the employee's complaint, while the profit-oriented company was more pragmatic, offering a few practical solutions.
These experiments convinced us to investigate further. We now support sets of Values & Beliefs for specific categories of interactions with ChatGPT. Let us know in case you want to discuss this further.
At this point, I've gathered sufficient material to proceed with the validation process. I've begun engaging with business owners to get feedback on their experiences and expectations when integrating ChatGPT or other Machine Learning tools into their teams.
Bye bye NoCode tools
In all likelihood, I'll shift away from using NoCode tools for reasons detailed in this post.
My ask for you
I'm eager to hear your thoughts on this first issue. Furthermore, I'd love to know which topics you are interested in. My vision for this newsletter is to be a collaborative space where we can discuss and review the fascinating developments in our industry. I look forward to receiving your input and feedback to address future issues.
Expect the second issue of this newsletter in about a month's time. In the meantime, I invite you to explore my blog. It offers my (very personal) perspectives on business and startups. A majority of its content is based on my responses to questions asked on various online forums.
So go ahead, hit reply and drop me a line (even one word will do!) to let me know your thoughts!
ps. In case you're wondering, the picture at the top of the newsletter was taken a few weeks ago in Riva Del Garda, at the northern end of Lake Garda in Italy!