Rob Walling
👤 SpeakerAppearances Over Time
Podcast Appearances
That's when back when people would raise half a million dollars with just an idea like that really doesn't happen anymore. But you had to do it because, as you said, you had to write every line of code and there were really no libraries. And it was so, yeah, it was a lot more to be done.
That was the thing is the narrative was still raise a bunch of money. But we, there were just, there was Joel Spolsky and there was, well, it was you.
That was the thing is the narrative was still raise a bunch of money. But we, there were just, there was Joel Spolsky and there was, well, it was you.
Eric Sink. Patty O'Levin was there. Patty O'Levin, yeah. And these were, and we all knew each other by name. Right. It was like, oh yeah, they just, and we're all trying to figure it out kind of on our own, but also together. Right. Of like, is this even possible to do? Like there was no narrative. There were no books on this topic. There were no podcasts. You just kind of, it was forums, right?
Eric Sink. Patty O'Levin was there. Patty O'Levin, yeah. And these were, and we all knew each other by name. Right. It was like, oh yeah, they just, and we're all trying to figure it out kind of on our own, but also together. Right. Of like, is this even possible to do? Like there was no narrative. There were no books on this topic. There were no podcasts. You just kind of, it was forums, right?
I mean, that's what I remember.
I mean, that's what I remember.
Yeah. And I remember around that time, cause as I, I think I had done an invoice in 04. And I didn't know, I was like, well, how do you do, how do you market? How do you know, how do you do SEO, AdWords, you know, whatever? And so I would go look at the internet. There were no books about startups doing this. It was all the info marketer, internet marketing stuff.
Yeah. And I remember around that time, cause as I, I think I had done an invoice in 04. And I didn't know, I was like, well, how do you do, how do you market? How do you know, how do you do SEO, AdWords, you know, whatever? And so I would go look at the internet. There were no books about startups doing this. It was all the info marketer, internet marketing stuff.
And so I went and learned copywriting from them and applied it to startups. And I was like, oh, they split tests. A lot of them were very scammy info internet marketers. So I would take that and then translate it to me, which was the not scammy version. So they were doing split testing, they were doing AdWords, they were doing SEO, and I learned from those folks and translated it in.
And so I went and learned copywriting from them and applied it to startups. And I was like, oh, they split tests. A lot of them were very scammy info internet marketers. So I would take that and then translate it to me, which was the not scammy version. So they were doing split testing, they were doing AdWords, they were doing SEO, and I learned from those folks and translated it in.
And no one was really talking about that in the startup space. Startups were like, raise a bunch of money, go viral, and have a big launch party, buy billboards. It was this really odd thing of like, it was brand. It was a weird time. But folks like you starting HomeSpot, like you needed nuts and bolts. How do I get in front of people?
And no one was really talking about that in the startup space. Startups were like, raise a bunch of money, go viral, and have a big launch party, buy billboards. It was this really odd thing of like, it was brand. It was a weird time. But folks like you starting HomeSpot, like you needed nuts and bolts. How do I get in front of people?
How do I sell so that I can have a paycheck, you know, next week? Let's flash forward six months, right? So you spend six months building, you get to launch day, like, how do you get the word out?
How do I sell so that I can have a paycheck, you know, next week? Let's flash forward six months, right? So you spend six months building, you get to launch day, like, how do you get the word out?
So someone listening to this who has tried to launch and failed thinks you got $4,000 of sales in your first month. Like what a month. I do want to remind them, this was not, it's not 4,000 of MRR. No. It is 4,000 effectively one time, right? Did you have a maintenance fee each year or how did that work?
So someone listening to this who has tried to launch and failed thinks you got $4,000 of sales in your first month. Like what a month. I do want to remind them, this was not, it's not 4,000 of MRR. No. It is 4,000 effectively one time, right? Did you have a maintenance fee each year or how did that work?
Do you remember what your pricing was? I'm just trying to get an idea of how many copies sold to get Fort Grin.
Do you remember what your pricing was? I'm just trying to get an idea of how many copies sold to get Fort Grin.
So it would have been like 30, not quite 30, like 26 or 27, somewhere in there, licenses.