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Show HN: I built a text-based birthday reminder app

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Re: Show HN: I built a text-based birthday reminder app

#12

Post by samfeldman »

jckahn wrote: post #4

This is great! How much time do you spend per week dealing with customer issues? I'm SaaS-curious too, so I'm looking to see what other developers' experiences are like.

Thanks! It depends on the week, maybe averages 1 hour per week or so.

Every so often, there's a bug or random issue with some account (ex: someone texted "stop" and didn't know how to re-subscribe), but for the most part it's run smoothly.

Love hearing user input, and usually try to build any requested features over time.

Re: Show HN: I built a text-based birthday reminder app

#13

Post by kypro »

This is absolutely brilliant. What a wonderfully simple idea!

> I'm hoping to build more features (iPhone contacts sync, easier birthdays importing) while also making video content that celebrates strangers' birthdays (such as, going to a farmers market with an "is it your birthday?" sign).

Build more features if you enjoy building and think it's worth your effort, but remember there's nothing wrong with a super simple product that does exactly what it says on the tin.

People clearly like what you've built. You may well find just focusing more on marketing is more financially rewarding.

Re: Show HN: I built a text-based birthday reminder app

#15

Post by samfeldman »

kypro wrote: post #13

This is absolutely brilliant. What a wonderfully simple idea! > I'm hoping to build more features (iPhone contacts sync, easier birthdays importing) while also making video content that celebrates strangers' birthdays (such as, going to a farmers market with an "is it your birthday?" sign). Build more features if you enjoy building and think it's worth your effort, but remember there's nothing wrong with a super simp…

Thank you, I really appreciate it!

And I agree, I don't want the app to fall victim to a "big feature set" that ultimately makes it too complex.

My mindset is to make it the simplest app for importing and remembering birthdays. Some feature (iPhone contacts sync, easier FB birthday importing, etc) feel like they truly will improve the user experience, while others (general reminders, random social features) don't excite me too much.

It can be tempting to put my head down and build new features. At this point with the app, you're right that marketing could be fruitful—definitely want to lean more into this. My current mindset is that celebrating strangers' birthdays (and making videos from it) will be enough. Creating a brand around generosity, connection, and celebrating birthdays.

Recently recored a birthday giveaway video at a farmers market in Boone, NC and met the sweetest lady whose birthday it was. Could feel that it made a positive impact, and has me excited to make more of these (and to edit the videos well so it makes people feel something)

Excited to keep building (product and marketing), and appreciate your input :)

Re: Show HN: I built a text-based birthday reminder app

#16

Post by yapyap »

Why not just a calendar that you hang on a place you visit a lot (like the toilet) where you write people’s name next to the date of their birthday

(this calendar being just numbers of course, since days change every year)

might be a fun low tech alternative for some people who aren’t fond of ‘yet another subscription’™

Re: Show HN: I built a text-based birthday reminder app

#17

Post by samfeldman »

Goofy_Coyote wrote: post #14

This made me so happy to see this, I had the same idea, built the same kind of product but never shipped. So happy to see this out in the world. Will sign up for a premium plan today!

That's great to hear, I really appreciate it! Love the attitude of simply wanting the thing to exist.

Feel free to reach out on here or X (@sam_feldman_) if any questions or ideas ever come up.

Re: Show HN: I built a text-based birthday reminder app

#18

Post by Imustaskforhelp »

I am now actually inspired by this and have built something similar (vibe coded)

but I always thought it was impossible but I saw beeper interop with whatsapp and knew about the matrix bridge, the matrix bridge actually uses whatsmeow which is a golang package

and now I am having a blast creating something similar.. I don't like paying for software, so yeah I am gonna open source it lol.

Re: Show HN: I built a text-based birthday reminder app

#19

Post by samfeldman »

peterldowns wrote: post #10

Hey, cool looking product! Why do I want this instead of just adding birthdays to my existing calendar and setting reminders there?

Adding birthdays to a calendar would save you the $9/yr and may be preferable for some users.

I just prefer text reminders—they are hard to miss. For me it's the simplest, least intrusive way to remember. And I like being able to add new friends via text as well.

I'd rather wake up to a text that says "Happy birthday to ____!" than check my calendar to see a friend's birthday next to random events.

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