[free2OSS]

I was listening to a Philosophy podcast and a philosopher noted that Artisans were different than merchants. It got me thinking. Are there examples of a solo founders/Engineers being able to make sales?

While I'm often praised for my Engineering abilities/content on my website, I've been unable to profit.

My service is (best in class) helpful to low income people and/or Time Poor people. I have struggled putting up a paywall and made a mere 1600$ in donations over 2 years. Prior to donations I made 1k/yr off book sales.

Any marketing people I hired failed to generate traffic, but I'm starting to consider I simply need sales.

Edit- no I can't post my website, one dictator here doesn't like me. But if you are in the Frugal community, you have visited it.

[biggestdummy]

I think your #1 problem is market. It seems hard to try and make money directly from the "Frugal community" - a community defined by a desire to not spend money. You don't need Sales. You need a different market (spenders) or a different revenue source (ad-driven). Or just make it an avocation. Not all things must create revenue to be valuable.

[rhizome]

>a philosopher noted that Artisans were different than merchants.

Isn't this meaningless on its face? Everybody is "different," what does it mean here? Surely you aren't actually trying to say that founders/Engineers (who aren't different?) have never made a sale ever in any context, or if they have it was only in obscurity.

Continuing the "difference" thesis, aren't Money Poor and Time Poor people different?

Nothing prohibits you from putting your site in your (new) profile, but all in all you may simply be bumping up against a reality that poor people don't have much money. By definition.

[switch11]

1) You have to be very careful with embracing limiting beliefs such as this one -> Artisans were different than merchants

There are lots of artists who are very good at sales and marketing

Don't fall for the trap that you have to be a starving artist who dies penniless and then 50 years later people realize how great your work was

In today's day and age if you do superb work it gets recognized pretty quickly

2) Sales & Marketing are skills. The more you practice it the better you will get

3) Helpful to low income people? How do you make money from low income people

Most people who make income from low income people do it by exploiting them

So it is not a good market

4) I don't know what time poor means

5) Paywall works very well if done right

6) donations? Asking for donations from low income people? That doesn't make sense

7) book sales? $1,000 per year

8) I can't understand any of what you are saying as you have not talked about

what your service is

how many people use it

website. If you can't share give some idea

9) how do you know your service is 'best in class'

if it doesn't make money either it isn't best in class or you are a sucker who is giving value to people without charging money

There was an article about this guy who had an 'airline deals' newsletter

With ads for free people No ads for $5 per month subscribers

think about something like that

10) Marketing people to generate traffic?

No, Marketing and Sales has to generate money/profits

Hire people to sell things toe xisting customers and make money from them

Not to add more 'low income and time poor' people who make you no money

[azophy_2]

have you checked out IndieHacker.com ? its a community with lots of (if not mostly) solo founder/one-man startup. definitely worth joining