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Ask HN: Solo developer on a side project, where to focus?

3 points by nullundefined ↗ HN
As a solo developer on a side project you hope to turn into a profitable business, where do you focus?

Start tackling the core IP that provides the value without worrying about the UI/design or experience, or start from the landing onwards as the user would experience?

4 comments

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byoung2
Start with defining your market and seeing if they need/want/can use your product. As an example, I am doing some work on my house and occasionally I need day laborers to help out. I thought it would be nice to have an Uber for Home Depot guys with profiles and reviews. It turns out most of them don't have smartphones and data plans so it wouldn't work. Better to know that upfront than to find out after shipping an app.
nullundefined
I understand that-- I've done quite a bit of research and feel I know enough to get started. There are competitors in this space but it's not very crowded. It's not completely unknown territory.

With that being said, I do think you make a good point and I should make sure I understand what differentiates my product from the others is something people would be willing to pay for.

brudgers
Scenario One: the value is in the product.

  Talk to users. 
  If there are no users, 
  Get some users, 
  Then talk to them.
Scenario Two: the value is in intellectual property.

  Develop the intellectual property.
  Protect it with patent/copyright/trademark.
  Pitch the intellectual property to organizations
  with a history of purchasing intellectual property.
Good luck.
sharemywin
I focus on can I get traffic, then can I get a lead, can I sell the lead. Then, focus on the automation part.