Rob Walling

I think that makes a lot of sense. Community and mentorship are the two things most people name most often. It sounds like the mentorship and advice was a big piece for you. You entered an extremely competitive space. There's one 900-pound gorilla who, as you said, no one likes, but there are dozens.

I think that makes a lot of sense. Community and mentorship are the two things most people name most often. It sounds like the mentorship and advice was a big piece for you. You entered an extremely competitive space. There's one 900-pound gorilla who, as you said, no one likes, but there are dozens.

I mean, I'd say every tiny seed batch, we get one or two applicants at least that make it into calls that do something similar to this. Why did you succeed?

I mean, I'd say every tiny seed batch, we get one or two applicants at least that make it into calls that do something similar to this. Why did you succeed?

Got it. So you've referenced product, that you built your product differently. It's not just great product, but it is actually zigging when others were zagging. Sales motion, they were really heavily on sales and you were more allowed self-serve, I'm assuming.

Got it. So you've referenced product, that you built your product differently. It's not just great product, but it is actually zigging when others were zagging. Sales motion, they were really heavily on sales and you were more allowed self-serve, I'm assuming.

And then support, as you're saying, was exceptional. There's one other thing you didn't touch on that I watched firsthand. I watched you execute exceptionally well, like top 10%, top 5% of founders that I work with. And it's you are a technical founder who in 2016 launched martial arts on rails and you didn't know how to market.

And then support, as you're saying, was exceptional. There's one other thing you didn't touch on that I watched firsthand. I watched you execute exceptionally well, like top 10%, top 5% of founders that I work with. And it's you are a technical founder who in 2016 launched martial arts on rails and you didn't know how to market.

By the time I knew you in 2021, you knew enough about how to market that you were driving consistent, consistent, consistent growth. I say that word three times because it was just every month there were no plateaus. And then it just got better. I mean, the growth got... Faster, you, I eventually hired a head of growth.

By the time I knew you in 2021, you knew enough about how to market that you were driving consistent, consistent, consistent growth. I say that word three times because it was just every month there were no plateaus. And then it just got better. I mean, the growth got... Faster, you, I eventually hired a head of growth.

And, you know, I mean, you coming from development to marketing, a lot of people, as much as I say it on this podcast, like of all the successful tiny C companies, all the tiny C companies doing seven figures, pretty much inevitably, one of the founders runs marketing from the start. Now you can eventually hire someone to do it, blah, blah, blah.

And, you know, I mean, you coming from development to marketing, a lot of people, as much as I say it on this podcast, like of all the successful tiny C companies, all the tiny C companies doing seven figures, pretty much inevitably, one of the founders runs marketing from the start. Now you can eventually hire someone to do it, blah, blah, blah.

But trying to outsource marketing when you're 10K MRR, you and I both know that's probably not a good idea. So my question is, is a long way of asking, how did you figure this out? Like, how did you get good at driving tons of leads?

But trying to outsource marketing when you're 10K MRR, you and I both know that's probably not a good idea. So my question is, is a long way of asking, how did you figure this out? Like, how did you get good at driving tons of leads?

Because everything else you said, building a great product, great support, self-serve, people do that and then they flounder and they plateau at 10K because they don't know how to drive traffic. So I don't know how to drive traffic or leads. How did you figure this out?

Because everything else you said, building a great product, great support, self-serve, people do that and then they flounder and they plateau at 10K because they don't know how to drive traffic. So I don't know how to drive traffic or leads. How did you figure this out?

And to give folks an idea, from 21 to 22, you doubled. From 22 to 23, you doubled. From 23 to 24 is not over, but you're on pace to double. So it is like a really interesting growth curve. I like to call this, because you started in 2016, it's eight years to overnight success.

And to give folks an idea, from 21 to 22, you doubled. From 22 to 23, you doubled. From 23 to 24 is not over, but you're on pace to double. So it is like a really interesting growth curve. I like to call this, because you started in 2016, it's eight years to overnight success.

Because all the people on ex-Twitter, they want to know, how many people do you and I know that would stick with something for five years, kind of grinding it out to figure it out?

Because all the people on ex-Twitter, they want to know, how many people do you and I know that would stick with something for five years, kind of grinding it out to figure it out?