Startups For the Rest of Us

Episode 778 | Pricing Pilot Projects, Niching Down, Skipping Stairsteps, and More Listener Questions (A Rob Solo Adventure)

31 snips
Jun 10, 2025
Discover the art of pricing pilot projects and how to establish fair value exchanges with clients. Dive into the nuances of niching down in the SaaS world while navigating calculated risks. Explore the secret ingredients to crafting a hit open-source tool and whether you can truly skip steps in building a SaaS business. This discussion highlights the emotional rollercoaster of entrepreneurship and emphasizes the importance of community support among startup founders.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
ADVICE

Pricing Pilot Projects

  • Charge for pilot projects based on estimated value saved, generally about 10% of that value.
  • Consider separate charges for custom work and ensure a verbal commitment for future rollout if successful.
ADVICE

Embrace Calculated Gambles

  • Avoid de-risking by hedging; instead make calculated gambles and be ready to pivot or expand later.
  • Niche down early but remain open to adjacent markets that show interest and demand.
ADVICE

Building & Monetizing Open Source

  • Study successful open source projects to understand how they gained traction.
  • Start charging as soon as you can through add-ons or paid support once companies show interest.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app