I'm Building 12 Startups in 12 Months.

Subscribe to copy my process for building 12 AI/SaaS startups in 12 months

Hey,

I’m going to build 12 startups in 12 months.

And my strategy, my ideation process, my build process, my validation process, my worries, my fears?

I’ll be sharing all of it with you, here, every week.

(Pssst… I also want you to be involved for selfish, strategic reasons 😉. Read on to learn how (& why)).

Great, Henry. But Why Should I Care?

The short answer?

Because we are living through the biggest opportunity since the birth of the internet, yet it all still feels too distant, too theoretical, too complicated for most of us.

AI.

AI coding co-pilots.

No-code tools.

The convergence of these technological shifts are creating a wave which you can either ride - or let submerge you.

Because - like it or not - these are the kind of products Product Managers will be working on in 1-2 years.

So get with it, or find a new career.

So… 12 Startups in 12 Months. How Does That Work?

Every month, I will be working specifically on what we call a Micro-SaaS product:

A small-scale software-as-a-service business focused on a niche market, typically run by a small team or solo entrepreneur, and characterized by low overhead and highly specific solutions. — ChatGPT definition

Why Micro-SaaS?

1. The combination of low overheads + focus on a specific niche = an easier path to profitability. This is key for me as a solopreneur, as I pay for any costs from my own pocket

2. Improvements in no-code & AI tools (like OpenAI’s API) mean there are opportunities in every industry to build something unique & valuable

3. I’m a builder at heart! After 5 years doing coaching & bootcamps, I want to get back to building a digital product (plus it would free up my time from meetings 🙌)

To help me build successful products, each month I’ll be following a product process I’ve used personally & taught to 300+ product people:

STEP 1️⃣: Come up with a load of problems I could solve within the unique constraints of a Micro-SaaS solo-business

STEP 2️⃣: Use my 5min Business Plan framework to assess the feasibility of each idea (more on this next week)

STEP 3️⃣: Test value proposition with the product’s target audience (I’ll share how I define success in 2 weeks)

STEP 4️⃣: Create basic Figma prototype to visualise the product (UI, data structure & key actions)

STEP 5️⃣: Build the product. I’m aiming to use Bubble as my go-to tool, with various integrations (e.g. OpenAI) as required. I’ll also focus on only one feature per product to ensure I can go from idea to launch in 2-4 weeks

STEP 6️⃣: Pitch a paid version of the product to the target audience. Success will be whether I can go from zero to revenue within 30 days.

(BTW, if you want to learn how to apply this process in the real-world, learn how here).

Why I Want You Involved?

Simple:

🚨 Risk mitigation, the thing all good product people should focus on!

Why? Some not-so-fun facts:

• Distribution matters. You can build a great product, but you also need a way to get it in front of your target market. If not, the product fails.

• Success is hard. 90% of products fail (HBR). Building something people actually want to use - let alone pay for - is tough.

• Profitability takes time. Micro-SaaS take 6-24 months on average to hit $5k per month (enough to pay myself a salary), according to Product Hunt/Indie Hackers.

I’ll experiment with launching on Product Hunt, Indie Hackers, LinkedIn, my podcast & more.

BUT, I’m going to focus on a ready-made audience I can get each product in front of:

You, the newsletter readers.

You are all product builders, whether Product Managers, product leaders, or entrepreneurs.

Why not build products for you?

✅ It solves distribution.

✅ I know the audience (I’ve spoken to 600 product people in the last 5 years + I’m one of you!)

✅ I can remain profitable by keeping my paid consulting & bootcamps top-of-mind whilst I build these SaaS businesses

But… WTF Should I Build First?!

One problem.

I’m starting on Monday, but have no idea what I’ll build first.

I’ve gathered a load of ideas.

But I want your help in choosing which one to build first (+ adding your own ideas to the list!).

It will only take 30 seconds.

Interested in helping out?

P.S. Reply to this email if you like this project, have any ideas, feedback, etc. 🙏