[gscott]

I tend to cocoon myself in making more features rather than marketing and finding product market fit. I'd spend too much time scripting instead of getting real customers and listening to them.

I built a basecamp style CRM before basecamp existed and tried to educate people on why they should use it but they never heard of such a thing. The new user entry effort cost was too high.

Getting into something too early is bad because trying to teach people what it is too much work you need something that has plenty of competition and you can just differentiate from that competition and say mine is better because of x.

Eventually I worked for a company that had a very simple but profitable online service and I basically just got into the same space. People are mandated to take an online course they go to the government website to find out the providers and they just come and sign up. I spend zero on marketing and don't do any SEO. There are all sorts of courses and tests mandated by the state and if you could provide one of those and get on list people just come and do it at all times today and it's fairly reliable.

[clark-kent]

Very interesting. Do you mind sharing a link to the government website you refer to?

[gscott]

Every state has different possibilities. Real estate course required by the state, traffic school, driver ed, etc. Look at each state DMV licensing website and look for "course providers" and you can make a course and get onto the State list. All you have to do is get it approved and do any sort of yearly re-approval and you good. People go to the list, pick a course, you provide some sort of certificate (I make a PDF) or submit back to the state with an api. Once your approved it is easy from then on out.