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I just launched my bootstrapped startup. Pray for me.

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Re: I just launched my bootstrapped startup. Pray for me.

#151

Post by jmtulloss »

erikpukinskis wrote: post #147
harrybr wrote: post #133

Thought you might find this interesting. When you have a baby, various stores encourage you to sign up for monthly emails. Because the store knows the date of birth, they can send accurate developmental updates. e.g. "Your baby is X months old. You may notice she is starting to pay more attention to the world and is able to hold up her own head..." (etc). This is fascinating for the parent due to the timeliness of th…

Yeah, that's definitely where I'd like to head. It's a little more complicated because it's more like having 12 babies of 12 different species that were born at 12 different times, but yeah. On it. :)

Lots of time sensitive information from multiple sources? Time for a feed!

Re: I just launched my bootstrapped startup. Pray for me.

#152

Post by mos1 »

A design thing that confused me a bit, 'plant more foo' was displayed very differently (lighter and italic) than 'plant foo'. I initially thought that there was nothing for those weeks.

I don't want to say "I'd buy this if you made this change" because I live on a farm, but I would be a LOT less price sensitive if the seeds were described in a manner that made them sound more special. (even if I didn't know the variety off-hand.) Kentucky Blue Pole Beans, not 'Beans' and Organic Red Velvet Okra, not 'Okra'.

I wasn't sure I understood how large of a garden each seed pack is supposed to service. When you say '3 10 foot beds' does that mean 30 linear feet, or 300 square feet?

I'd also make sure you get real-world feedback about the plans and the pricing. If I was you, I'd go talk to people at local garden centers, and I'd bring my iPad and I'd ask them for help. If you're young, claim you're a student and it's a school project. If you're older, claim you're writing an article about this service and want to know what they honestly think.

I was surprised that the seeds weren't all organic / heritage (or that if they were, that wasn't marked.) I could be wrong, but I'd expect the sort of person who goes through this trouble would likely prefer those varieties, and would be willing to pay accordingly. After all, somebody who is looking for the cheapest seeds isn't your dream customer anyway.

---

All in all, I really like the idea. It's a bit like joining a CSA, except that it's located in your backyard, with the 'assortment of foods, for a fixed price.'

Re: I just launched my bootstrapped startup. Pray for me.

#154

Post by jmtulloss »

erikpukinskis wrote: post #82
po wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As for option c just raise the price until you're willing to do it. :-) Or find a place nearby that stocks everything you need and pay a neighborhood kid to run down and buy whatever you need whenever an order like that comes in. The buyer is purchasing your expertise to pick the right stuff.

I pick one millllion dolllars. Seriously though, the bottleneck right now is my attention, not funding. Although I'll think about it some more when I'm doing my next planning session. :)

I'm all for idea C. I signed up for some seeds, but getting pots and soil and tools and whatnot seems like such a pain (and I'm half a block from a hardware store that has all these things). I'd definitely pay some sort of up front fee to get everything at once!

Re: I just launched my bootstrapped startup. Pray for me.

#155

Post by erikpukinskis »

mattmaroon wrote: post #101
erikpukinskis wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The worst case scenario I keep imagining is getting a lot of bad press with key social media folks (blogs, twitterers, etc) and then having my chances for good press be dried up even after I fix the bugs.

You're psyching yourself out. Early adopters (especially people who write about these sorts of things) are pretty understanding about that stuff. Trust me, I've been there. If you have no bugs at all you waited too long. Very few of the early adopters will dive deep enough to even find a bug before writing up their thoughts, and unless you do something like reveal credit card info to strangers getting a review that's…

Thanks, that makes me feel better. :) I think you're right.

Re: I just launched my bootstrapped startup. Pray for me.

#157

Post by jaytee_clone »

erikpukinskis wrote: post #82
po wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As for option c just raise the price until you're willing to do it. :-) Or find a place nearby that stocks everything you need and pay a neighborhood kid to run down and buy whatever you need whenever an order like that comes in. The buyer is purchasing your expertise to pick the right stuff.

I pick one millllion dolllars. Seriously though, the bottleneck right now is my attention, not funding. Although I'll think about it some more when I'm doing my next planning session. :)

Why think? Just put up the button and see if people click "order now". Worry about your attention when your customer actually demands them.

Awesome idea btw.

Re: I just launched my bootstrapped startup. Pray for me.

#158

Post by hugothefrog »

harrybr wrote: post #140
failquicker wrote: post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am not the OP, but that is an amazing idea. I remember those baby emails, and can just imagine screenshots of baby kale and turnips. Op, you really should do this. It would be amazing.

I guess one limitation is that gardens probably mature at slightly different rates (e.g. if you have a mild cold spell, development goes on 'hold' for a bit, which might put you out of sync). I guess Eric would have to interview some expert gardeners to ascertain the scope of the issue.

Presumably, to a first approximation, you could track the weather at your customers' location, and know what is going on with their plants. This would allow you to tailor your emails - and your product suggestions - over time.

Re: I just launched my bootstrapped startup. Pray for me.

#159

Post by hugothefrog »

aresant wrote: post #3

Very cool concept - a few comments: a) The "buy" page screams out for some pics - people eat (and buy!) with their eyes :). b) "We choose seeds that are perfect for your climate and the time of year" then the next page asks me to select my own choices? A little confusing - maybe you're building a list of options dynamically? c) Consider for future "upsells" on the buy page or a more expensive $99.95 starter pack that…

I'd just like to echo others comments about C being a really good idea. I live in London, and have recently moved into an apartment with large windows that are just screaming out for planter boxers.

My partner and I are trying to figure out what to plant, etc, but all we really want to do is have someone deliver two planter boxes, the right amount of dirt and fertilizer, and some flowers and herbs that we can plant now, as well as in a few months time.

We would pay quite a bit for this privilege - even more so if the planter boxes showed up with the dirt already in them. Doing any sort of work like this in an apartment is an exercise in frustration - there's just not enough room, and dirt goes everywhere.

We can't find anything that sells what we want..

Re: I just launched my bootstrapped startup. Pray for me.

#160

Post by timinman »

1. The artwork is very inviting. 2. My error that people will likely repeat: typing http://sproutbot.com into the seach bar -- twice. Buy that domain and redirect. 3. I'm interested, but disappointed that I can't try it from the UK. I'd make that the first feature to add - people love gardening over here.
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