Why did your startup fail? • Hacker News Board

Re: Why did your startup fail?

#21

Post by thisisdallas » Fri, Apr 12, 2013, 5:08 PM UTC

PonyGumbo wrote: post #20

thisisdallas wrote: post #19

I'm actually not sure if I have failed yet or not. I started a niche website set up/hosting business targeted towards churches. After a month and a half I have ~15 free users and no paid users. I know a month and a half isn't long at all, and maybe these things just take time, but it's just a bit discouraging when not one person signs up for a paid plan.

I just looked at your website. Why offer a free plan at all?

As a way for people to check out the backend and get a feel for everything. I've thought about removing the free option, would you recommend it?

Re: Why did your startup fail?

#22

Post by PonyGumbo » Fri, Apr 12, 2013, 5:25 PM UTC

thisisdallas wrote: post #21

PonyGumbo wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I just looked at your website. Why offer a free plan at all?

As a way for people to check out the backend and get a feel for everything. I've thought about removing the free option, would you recommend it?

Definitely, I'd drop the free plan and offer a trial instead. My guess is that your plan distinctions are lost on most of your target customers who "just need a website".

Re: Why did your startup fail?

#23

Post by lgieron » Thu, Apr 18, 2013, 1:51 AM UTC

meerita wrote: post #12

geldedus wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"A totally immature market" = "I have no clue about the market's needis" you can't dictate needs to the market

Actually, we knew what the market wanted. But that need doesn't help anyone at the end. I created a system so users can digital sign documents. People wanted the silly Adobe PDF signature like to instead using their national eID. So, those signed documents aren't valid to a judge. Our biggest problem was that. Immature market because: a) very few people uses their eID cards, b) there were technological knowledge invo…

As I understand it, in Polish law documents signed with XMLDSig (with a qualified certificate) are as good as paper ones. I'm not sure how much it's used in pratice outside transacting with governemnt (filing taxes etc.)