Startup Stepping Stones
You don't know where to start, so you spin your wheels for MONTHS, YEARS and DECADES.
You never get anywhere.
Or instead, you follow some 'startup stepping stones' to move ahead, little by little, publishing and sharing things that move you steadily forward.
I first heard this idea from Rob Walling, author of 'Start Small, Stay Small'. He talks about the 'Stairstep Approach to Bootstrapping'.
And the idea is also compatible with Amy Hoy's "Stacking the Bricks", a practical approach to building a business "one win at a time".
So here's an infographic showing one way you can move forward with a stepping stone approach. Though there are thousands of similar paths you can take.
In this example you put out a little utility, for free, aiming to reach no more than a dozen people. I've given away a bunch of utilities over the years. Some open source, others not. Anything that helps one or two people is a forward move.
Next, you put out a custom calculator. What do I mean by a custom calculator? Every industry and every interest and every hobby needs its own calculators. It's any simple online utility, where you pick a few things and get an answer. Think mortgage repayment calculator*, calorie calculator, pool chemical calculator and so on. The variety is endless. I've previously put out calculators here, here and here and many others.
(My first paid programming work was a mortgage repayment calculator that I sold to my dad's boss, for use in a Real Estate Agency when I was 15. I think I got $20 for it.)
Next, you might put out a 20-page ebook for $5. If you have a target market that you really connect with, you can find "one specific thing" to help them achieve. And guess what: they'll pay you money for it! I skipped this step, but realize now I was foolish not to try my hand at this sooner.
Next up, a tool that people can download and for which they pay you $20. You're really moving forward now.
Finally, the first of many subscription services. SaaS sites with steady customers that you've developed and brought along on your journey. A site built and maintained with the skills you've learned on your stepping stones.
Step by step you've moved from simple to complex, from no support to easy support, to complex support. You've learned so much and come so far, one step at a time.
My book "Choose Your First Product" is available now.
It gives you 4 easy steps to find and validate a humble product idea.