Focusmate – Virtual Coworking Helps You Get Things Done • Hacker News Board

Re: Focusmate – Virtual Coworking Helps You Get Things Done

#41

Post by pstrazzulla » Fri, Oct 25, 2019, 4:22 PM UTC

Been using this for the past 4-5 months, ever since I saw a personal story of someone using it posted to HN.

It's been a game changer for me. I can WFH productively for the first time in my life, and have had 95% enjoyable experiences with the people on the other end of the chats thus far.

To those complaining about the pricing...they just started charging and I'm sure that's why it's not in the FAQ. Also, it's $5/mo, they aren't trying to get you hooked on something and then surprise you with $500/mo or something.

Re: Focusmate – Virtual Coworking Helps You Get Things Done

#42

Post by throwGuardian » Fri, Oct 25, 2019, 4:32 PM UTC

csomar wrote: post #38

taylorjacobson wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Founder of Focusmate here. I'm sorry to hear the effect that not having a pricing page has had on you. Thanks for sharing your feedback. A few thoughts: 1) Focusmate IS free to use 3 times per week. Most of our users are on the free plan. You can use it in perpetuity for free. 2) We don't have a pricing page yet because we started charging 29 days ago, and because we're shipping product incrementally. (We are a 3-per…

> Focusmate IS free to use 3 times per week. Better say that Focusmate is free to try. 3 times/week is so little to be any useful.

> 3 times/week is so little to be any useful.

If a user is exceeding this free teir, they're likely finding it useful enough to pay, and should pay

Re: Focusmate – Virtual Coworking Helps You Get Things Done

#43

Post by 5874-4b22-a4e0 » Fri, Oct 25, 2019, 4:35 PM UTC

ottoflux wrote: post #33

TL/DR: Book appointments on your calendar to get work done and stick to them. Shut off notifications while you're in there. I've been working from home for a decade now, and basically I think this is bonkers (no offense, I see the founder is here posting). With all the tools out there if you really want to do that pair up with a coworker and do it with an existing tool. I don't work in pajamas or do anything dumb but…

Just get a offline video recording device, and record yourself on loop if you want to have the feeling of being watched. Then just repeat what you did before and after the session for accountability.

This concept is creepy af, and its hilarious to have to pay for it.

Re: Focusmate – Virtual Coworking Helps You Get Things Done

#44

Post by conception » Fri, Oct 25, 2019, 4:39 PM UTC

A similar product, that I think I found on HN actually, is https://complice.co - though it's more like you hang out in chat rooms with people doing pomodoros together combined with a GTD task manager. So, same sort of idea but less.. intrusive?

Re: Focusmate – Virtual Coworking Helps You Get Things Done

#45

Post by throwGuardian » Fri, Oct 25, 2019, 4:42 PM UTC

ctvo wrote: post #32

taylorjacobson wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hi! Founder here. See my comment above on the reasons why we haven't published a pricing page yet. We just started charging, and will add a pricing page soon. BTW we could charge 10X what we do. The reason for the $5 price is that we're more interested in learning about who pays and why, than revenue-maximizing. That price also allows us to be inclusive of our student customers and international customers, for whom a…

Yes, you could charge 10x more. You could charge N more (why stop at 10x, 1000x!), but would anyone pay? You started at 5 USD and you're not publishing it because as you indicated earlier in the thread, you're price testing. I assume that means finding the price point the most people are willing to pay for the product. For a product with low marginal costs, getting data on what users want so you can keep expanding th…

You're free to not use the product, but to character assassinate a small, indie Dev house because you disagree with the price point, is just not OK. BTW - this rant you went on, is the quintessential indicator of you not being there target customer, you will generally be ignored by makers.

You should also read patio11's essay on pricing: https://training.kalzumeus.com/newsletters/archive/saas_pric...

Re: Focusmate – Virtual Coworking Helps You Get Things Done

#46

Post by taylorjacobson » Fri, Oct 25, 2019, 4:56 PM UTC

conjectures wrote: post #31

I read comments here, I watched the video. I still have no idea what this is actually for. There is chat app, maybe someone can see your screen. I don't know.

How it works: you and another user video-conference for 50-minutes to hold each other accountable and keep each other company. Focusmate makes it easy to find a partner 24/7/365.

Re: Focusmate – Virtual Coworking Helps You Get Things Done

#47

Post by mellosouls » Fri, Oct 25, 2019, 5:27 PM UTC

ottoflux wrote: post #33

TL/DR: Book appointments on your calendar to get work done and stick to them. Shut off notifications while you're in there. I've been working from home for a decade now, and basically I think this is bonkers (no offense, I see the founder is here posting). With all the tools out there if you really want to do that pair up with a coworker and do it with an existing tool. I don't work in pajamas or do anything dumb but…

Wrt your tldr solution to procrastination: You are possibly self-disciplined enough not to be their target market. It's not that easy for everybody.

Different strokes...

Re: Focusmate – Virtual Coworking Helps You Get Things Done

#48

Post by Androider » Fri, Oct 25, 2019, 5:41 PM UTC

ctvo wrote: post #32

taylorjacobson wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hi! Founder here. See my comment above on the reasons why we haven't published a pricing page yet. We just started charging, and will add a pricing page soon. BTW we could charge 10X what we do. The reason for the $5 price is that we're more interested in learning about who pays and why, than revenue-maximizing. That price also allows us to be inclusive of our student customers and international customers, for whom a…

Yes, you could charge 10x more. You could charge N more (why stop at 10x, 1000x!), but would anyone pay? You started at 5 USD and you're not publishing it because as you indicated earlier in the thread, you're price testing. I assume that means finding the price point the most people are willing to pay for the product. For a product with low marginal costs, getting data on what users want so you can keep expanding th…

A business that looks at what users want and can pay, and adjusts accordingly? Sounds like a competently run business!

Thank you Taylor for sharing your comments here as a founder. Some of us at HN still love hearing about actual new startups, business models, pricing strategies etc.

Re: Focusmate – Virtual Coworking Helps You Get Things Done

#49

Post by mthoms » Fri, Oct 25, 2019, 5:43 PM UTC

taylorjacobson wrote: post #23

csomar wrote: post #9

I used Focusmate a lot and then dropped it. I think it serves its purpose well until you get used to it and then productivity starts dropping again. I also would like to highlight something which is not particular to Focusmate but rather a phenomena spreading to all these SaaS platforms: Focusmate is not free. It's a paying product that costs $5/month. There is absolutely no details of pricing on the home page. There…

Founder of Focusmate here. I'm sorry to hear the effect that not having a pricing page has had on you. Thanks for sharing your feedback. A few thoughts: 1) Focusmate IS free to use 3 times per week. Most of our users are on the free plan. You can use it in perpetuity for free. 2) We don't have a pricing page yet because we started charging 29 days ago, and because we're shipping product incrementally. (We are a 3-per…

The lack of a pricing page usually infuriates me, but you've articulated a pretty good reason (#3) for it to be missing under some specific circumstances. I'd not thought of that.

To be honest though, I usually just see it as a dark pattern and quickly back-button away from wherever I am.

Re: Focusmate – Virtual Coworking Helps You Get Things Done

#50

Post by Androider » Fri, Oct 25, 2019, 5:50 PM UTC

davideous wrote: post #20

I've been using focusmate for four months. It's been absolutely revolutionary for me. (I work remote at home, so YMMV.) Here are some of the ways: (1) I’ve been getting a ton more done and feeling better about it. (2) It really does help me focus. I hardly ever get distracted from the task at hand. I used to get distracted a lot. The focus does not come from being watched, but because I’m "working together" with some…

It's like the Pomodoro technique, but with peer pressure of the Pomodoro timer being disappointed if you bail. Not wanting to let someone else down, even a stranger, I can see how that would help you stick to it. Brilliant!