Building a consumer app’s MVP and how to fundraise with Zest’s Jake Gutstein | E1889
This Week in Startups
Leveraging Mentorship and Tools for Product Development
This chapter explores the development of Zest's initial version, focusing on the pivotal role of user interviews during the pandemic. It highlights the importance of mentorship and tools like respondent.io in shaping product development and market entry strategies.
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Today’s show:
Zest's Jake Gutstein joins Jason to discuss his journey in creating the cooking app Zest (1:37). The two dive into how the Zest team formed (10:29), finding the right tools for your startup (25:24), Jake's experience in the Launch Accelerator program (33:27), and more!
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Timestamps:
(0:00) Zest’s Jake Gutstein joins Jason
(1:37) What prompted the creation of Zest and the initial concept and MVP for Zest
(9:22) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist
(10:29) The product development, initial testing, and finding a technical co-founder
(17:21) The decision to go full-time with Zest, the process of raising initial funding, and the importance of overcoming ambiguity and uncertainty
(20:54) MEV - Get $30,000 off your first three months at http://mev.com/twist
(22:05) Demo of Zest’s product
(25:24) Finding the right tools and mentors and the value propositions of Zest discovered through user research
(32:35) Paintbrush - Visit http://getpaintbrush.com to see if you qualify for a $50K startup loan in less than 2 minutes
(33:27) Product launch, approach to fundraising, and experience with the Launch Accelerator program
(46:48) Future plans and goals for Zest
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Check out the Launch Accelerator: https://launchaccelerator.co
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Check out Founder University: https://www.founder.university
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Mentioned on the show:
https://twitter.com/jasonfried
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LK6lKCKMQM
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Follow Jake:
X: https://twitter.com/GutsteinJake LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-gutstein Check out: https://zestapp.co
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Follow Jason:
X: https://twitter.com/jason
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis
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Thank you to our partners:
(9:22) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist
(20:54) MEV - Get $30,000 off your first three months at http://mev.com/twist
(32:35) Paintbrush - Visit http://getpaintbrush.com to see if you qualify for a $50K startup loan in less than 2 minutes
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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland
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