The SaaS Solution-Workflow Fit
Every single founder out there quickly hears about the product-market fit. But many entrepreneurs go for years before thinking about another such “fit” that is pivotal in how well your market…
Read the essay →From the archive
Problem Analysis
Explore problem analysis essays and podcast conversations from Arvid Kahl’s Bootstrapped Founder archive.
Properties of an Interesting Problem
Let’s look at what makes a problem interesting enough to note it down in our search for the perfect business opportunity. Different people will define the word “problem” differently. I think that a…
Read the essay →The Shape of a Problem in the Wild
The wonderful thing about humans is that they have a hundred different ways to talk about their dreams, desires, needs, and challenges. No two people will talk about their experiences the same way.…
Read the essay →The Myth of The Finished Product
Before the internet made transferring large amounts of data cheap and easy, software used to be distributed on CDs or DVDs. For any given application, there was the “Golden Master,” a final version…
Read the essay →Problem Validation: Making Sure You’re Talking To The Right People
“Talk to your customers,” they say, “because that’s the only way to build something people want.” The collective wisdom of the bootstrapper scene is not wrong. But talking to your customers is only…
Read the essay →Finding the Most Painful Problem in a Market
When you’re looking at a niche market, you will find many people having a large number of problems. However, people will only pay money for a tiny subset of those: the excruciating problems. You can…
Read the essay →The Power of the Niche
If you were to found a company that makes and sells beer today, you would probably start a craft brewery. You’d start a small operation, find the people who enjoy your product and slowly expand your…
Read the essay →Continuous Validation: Staying in Touch with Your Market
I first felt that we truly had a validated business when we had our very first yearly subscriber. That level of commitment for a young product such as FeedbackPanda two months into our existence…
Read the essay →Finding the Critical Problem: How to Work on The Right Things
You start a new business that solves a problem. You create a unique solution to help your audience deal with a pain they’re feeling. Yet the company fails to take off, even though you have a good…
Read the essay →