Full Stack Whatever Matthew Buchanan: Growing Slowly
Apr 18, 2023
Entrepreneur Matthew Buchanan discusses bootstrapping and leading Letterboxd, reflecting on digital content preservation, transitioning from computer science to web design, and navigating setbacks in building the platform. The conversation explores slow growth, user feedback, community engagement, and strategic decision-making for platform growth.
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Pitching Live Turned A Mockup Into A Product
- Matthew Buchanan presented Letterboxd at Brooklyn Beta after nine months of work and felt terrified on stage.
- The demo unexpectedly became a real launch rather than a mockup shown only on Behance.
Openness Aids Longevity And Discovery
- Letterboxd prioritized an open web experience in contrast to the locking-down trend of modern sites.
- That openness helped discoverability and preserved content accessibility over time.
Early Computers Sparked A Web Career
- Matthew's first computer was a VIC-20, then Commodore 64 and Amiga, which sparked his interest in how computers work.
- Early web experiments included building one of New Zealand's first websites for the All Blacks in 1994.