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by icebraining
3188 days ago
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No, no, I don't think you're being dismissive! I appreciate that you've taken the time to reply seriously to my whiny rant. I haven't given details because I don't really have any, it's just a general feeling of foreignness I've had since I started reading HN and about startups. Even now that I technically could, I'd frankly feel ashamed of spending money on most of the tech trinkets that get advertised here, let alone dedicated my life to building them. And yet, I also know this is just relative - my $250 laptop is an extravagant expense for actually poor people - so I don't judge those founders. I just wish there were more startups for working-class people from where to draw inspiration. Anyway, thanks for your patience and support :) |
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Until earlier this month, I was homeless. I spent nearly six years on the street. I still am quite poor.
Like a lot of homeless people, I had income, just not enough to purchase a middle class lifestyle. I made choices about how to spend my money. I bought cheap tablets because I make my money online. I don't make much, but a cheap tablet could readily pay for itself in short order.
I also blog. Among other things, I try to provide health information for people with CF. There is a drug for CF that costs around $300k annually, so there are people providing high priced solutions for this same problem space. My difficulties in making money aren't actually the fact that people with CF have no money. This is not stopping drug companies from putting out very expensive medications for the condition.
So, there are reasons why I, personally, cannot up and charge people with CF big bucks for my help. But those reasons are not actually because they simply don't have the money, even though it is true that people with CF tend to be dirt poor.
While homeless, I shopped sometimes at second hand stores that had a lot of homeless clientele and I got payday loans. That was an eye opening growth experience for me.
If you provide real value and the right price point, even poor people can buy your product. If you think this is not true, you are dealing with some kind of emotional baggage, not actual market reality.
Best.