Episode 762 | Doing Great Work, Hierarchy of SaaS Skills, and Public Deadlines (A Rob Solo Adventure)
whatshot 36 snips
Mar 4, 2025
Explore the intriguing dynamics of public deadlines for startup founders and whether they serve as a boost or a burden. Dive into the essence of 'Doing Great Work' and the vital steps for crafting impactful SaaS businesses. Uncover the hierarchy of skills crucial for navigating the ever-evolving SaaS landscape, emphasizing marketing, product development, and team management. Hear personal anecdotes on the challenges of committing to feature releases while maintaining project rigor. A thought-provoking dialogue perfect for aspiring entrepreneurs!
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volunteer_activism ADVICE
Doing Great Work
Decide what you want to work on.
Learn enough about it to reach the frontiers of knowledge, then notice the gaps.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Drip's Pivot
Rob Walling built Drip because he saw gaps in email marketing.
He later pivoted to marketing automation after discovering a larger market gap.
insights INSIGHT
SaaS Skill Hierarchy
Marketing/sales is the most crucial skill for SaaS success.
Product understanding comes second, followed by engineering, then hiring/managing.
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In 'How To Do Great Work,' Paul Graham explores the intersection of techniques for doing great work in different fields. He argues that great work happens at the intersection of what you're good at, what you care about, and what the world needs. The essay emphasizes the role of curiosity, delight, and the desire to do something impressive as key motives. Graham advises readers to choose fields they are deeply interested in, learn enough to reach the frontier of knowledge, notice gaps, and explore promising areas. He also stresses the importance of consistency, intellectual honesty, and a willingness to take risks and admit mistakes.
Start Small, Stay Small
A Developer's Guide To Launching a Startup
Mike Taber
Rob Walling
This book provides practical, step-by-step instructions for developers aiming to launch startups with no outside funding. It focuses on finding product ideas, testing the market, pricing products, using virtual assistants, and structuring the ideal startup launch. The book is tailored for solo founders or small teams, emphasizing sustainable success in niche markets rather than seeking venture capital funding.
Are public deadlines a double-edged sword for startup founders?
In episode 762, join Rob Walling for a solo adventure where he covers several topics. Rob breaks down Paul Graham's essay, "Doing Great Work" and focuses on how the steps apply to building real businesses for real customers. He also discusses the hierarchy of skills necessary for success in the SaaS space, sharing his thoughts on the critical roles of marketing, product development, engineering, and effective team management.
If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!
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