Adam Robinson

It was like 3 million ARR, 50% profit. I had two co-founders. But it was like an email marketing business and the customer count was shrinking by a percent a month. But it's a low-term product category as net revenue expansion because you're charging people based on their list size. And they don't switch that much because it's where the data is being stored.

It was like 3 million ARR, 50% profit. I had two co-founders. But it was like an email marketing business and the customer count was shrinking by a percent a month. But it's a low-term product category as net revenue expansion because you're charging people based on their list size. And they don't switch that much because it's where the data is being stored.

So it was kind of just stably at $3 million ARR, but at some point it was going to end, which was not a great space to be in. And then... I think the perfect combination is like rework fundamentals, but Y Combinator orientation towards growth. If you can think about product market fit and growth from the Y Combinator lens, which I really don't think rework emphasizes that much.

So it was kind of just stably at $3 million ARR, but at some point it was going to end, which was not a great space to be in. And then... I think the perfect combination is like rework fundamentals, but Y Combinator orientation towards growth. If you can think about product market fit and growth from the Y Combinator lens, which I really don't think rework emphasizes that much.

So it was kind of just stably at $3 million ARR, but at some point it was going to end, which was not a great space to be in. And then... I think the perfect combination is like rework fundamentals, but Y Combinator orientation towards growth. If you can think about product market fit and growth from the Y Combinator lens, which I really don't think rework emphasizes that much.

I'm not sitting there reading the rework book and being like, I need to strive to have a truly excellent product that has incredible word of mouth. before I even take anything to market. That's not the vibe that I get from that. The vibe that I get from Y Combinator is it's all about your product. It will solve all of your problems.

I'm not sitting there reading the rework book and being like, I need to strive to have a truly excellent product that has incredible word of mouth. before I even take anything to market. That's not the vibe that I get from that. The vibe that I get from Y Combinator is it's all about your product. It will solve all of your problems.

I'm not sitting there reading the rework book and being like, I need to strive to have a truly excellent product that has incredible word of mouth. before I even take anything to market. That's not the vibe that I get from that. The vibe that I get from Y Combinator is it's all about your product. It will solve all of your problems.

The reason you're going to get burnt out is because it's not growing anymore. The reason it's not growing is because the product's not good enough. If you kind of marry those two ideas, I think you can be in this perfect world of entrepreneurship where it's like,

The reason you're going to get burnt out is because it's not growing anymore. The reason it's not growing is because the product's not good enough. If you kind of marry those two ideas, I think you can be in this perfect world of entrepreneurship where it's like,

The reason you're going to get burnt out is because it's not growing anymore. The reason it's not growing is because the product's not good enough. If you kind of marry those two ideas, I think you can be in this perfect world of entrepreneurship where it's like,

you have enough conviction to stave off VCs and whatever, not go down that path that's stacked against you horribly, but you still have the understanding that your entire life is only going to be as good as the product that you sell. That's just the reality. And I don't think those rework guys emphasize that enough.

you have enough conviction to stave off VCs and whatever, not go down that path that's stacked against you horribly, but you still have the understanding that your entire life is only going to be as good as the product that you sell. That's just the reality. And I don't think those rework guys emphasize that enough.

you have enough conviction to stave off VCs and whatever, not go down that path that's stacked against you horribly, but you still have the understanding that your entire life is only going to be as good as the product that you sell. That's just the reality. And I don't think those rework guys emphasize that enough.

maybe I'll be the guy who sort of comes out with this, you know, religion about how, you know, well, Jason Freed was spot on. The Y Combinators are spot on in many ways, but like they missed the mark in some, there's this myth. There's the third way.

maybe I'll be the guy who sort of comes out with this, you know, religion about how, you know, well, Jason Freed was spot on. The Y Combinators are spot on in many ways, but like they missed the mark in some, there's this myth. There's the third way.

maybe I'll be the guy who sort of comes out with this, you know, religion about how, you know, well, Jason Freed was spot on. The Y Combinators are spot on in many ways, but like they missed the mark in some, there's this myth. There's the third way.

Yeah. No, I think we're really aligned in the way we think about this. Right. Cause my whole thing is like, look, If you have a chance of making a big company that would require venture capital, it's going to be because you have a great product. If you have a great product, you really shouldn't need venture capital unless it's a really capital-heavy company. business, right?

Yeah. No, I think we're really aligned in the way we think about this. Right. Cause my whole thing is like, look, If you have a chance of making a big company that would require venture capital, it's going to be because you have a great product. If you have a great product, you really shouldn't need venture capital unless it's a really capital-heavy company. business, right?

Yeah. No, I think we're really aligned in the way we think about this. Right. Cause my whole thing is like, look, If you have a chance of making a big company that would require venture capital, it's going to be because you have a great product. If you have a great product, you really shouldn't need venture capital unless it's a really capital-heavy company. business, right?