Solo SaaS: how I found my first 10 customers

you say it doesn't scale, but the phrase "you don't need scale with ten customers" is spot on. obsessing over scalability in the early stages is a waste of time.

one question: when did the support load become unmanageable? i started struggling around twenty customers.

i struggled around thirty. i did two things as a solution.

first, if the same question came up three times, i changed the product. because the same question means there's a problem with the interface. instead of writing support docs, i removed the problem.

second, i check support emails twice a day, morning and evening. checking constantly was interrupting my work, and it turns out no one expects an instant reply, i learned that by asking.

as a support manager, i really liked the third point: "if the same question comes up three times, change the product."

we call this feeding frequently asked questions back into the product, and most companies never do this. the support team answers questions, answers pile up, and no one touches the product. result: the support team grows, the problem remains.

we experienced almost the exact same thing last year. anyway the moment you depend on a single client, you no longer set the price.

of course, it varies if your situation is different.

I disagree with you on this point. The harder it is to reverse a decision, the slower you should make it.

If I were you, Id go this route.

Three different views emerged, they all complement each other. The reason for failure isn't one big mistake, but the accumulation of small decisions.

Pausing growth to breathe is also a strategy, nobody says that. If you have questions, write them; I'll answer as best I can.

Let me summarize whats been said so far. Extending terms makes customers happy but turns you into a financing institution.

Good luck with that.

I'm writing this so you don't make the same mistake. People defend habits, not processes. Resistance comes from there.

Any unwritten clause becomes a point of disagreement later, as both sides remember it differently. This is my opinion, I'm not claiming it's absolute truth.

Noted, thanks.

Thanks for writing this, that's the right way. The answer varies greatly by industry; there is no one-size-fits-all rule.

I felt relieved reading this answer, so it's not just me. The answer varies greatly by industry; there is no one-size-fits-all rule.

Looking profitable on paper but having no cash in the bank is very common. Of course, it varies if your situation is different.

My question might sound amateurish, sorry about that. Delaying bad news is the habit that causes the most losses in this job.

That's all, sorry if I went on too long.

I was thinking the same thing. Everything goes well for the first three months; problems arise in the fourth.

Looking profitable on paper but having no cash in the bank is very common. Hope this helps.

Thanks that was the answer I was looking for. Trying to do this alone is the most expensive way.

Proven by experience.

My question might sound amateurish, sorry about that. If you don't write this down from the start, it leads to arguments later.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

thnaks this was very helpful.

There's a part I don't understand. Everyone rushing into saas gets stuck at the same point.

If you post the result here, it will help others too.

Id appreciate it if you shared the outcome.