In 49 days, my AI startup @CodeGuidedev has 2000 members, Last year...
CJ Zafir@cjzafir
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Feb 11, 2025
~3 min read
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In 49 days, my AI startup @CodeGuidedev has 2000 members,
Last year I built 11 SaaS products and 10 failed miserably.
11th one worked, because of many reasons. I'd love to share with you guys: 👇
Last year I built 11 SaaS products and 10 failed miserably.
11th one worked, because of many reasons. I'd love to share with you guys: 👇
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1. I built for myself. I solved my own problem.
I was running an MVP agency and I had to write project documentation from scratch every-time.
I was spending 8-9 hours, juggling between ChatGPT and Claude. It was a messy setup.
So I built a 37-prompt pipeline as a proof of concept to automate my documentation process.
It worked amazingly well and got all docs done in 30 minutes.
I was running an MVP agency and I had to write project documentation from scratch every-time.
I was spending 8-9 hours, juggling between ChatGPT and Claude. It was a messy setup.
So I built a 37-prompt pipeline as a proof of concept to automate my documentation process.
It worked amazingly well and got all docs done in 30 minutes.
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2. Turn your proof of concept into an MVP
After I got my proof of concept working. I thought if I am struggling with this issue, there will me 1000 other AI devs too.
So I wrote a tweet and shared my idea and said "if this tweet gets 400 reposts, I'll turn this into a product"
I got 400 reposts in 24 hours.
After I got my proof of concept working. I thought if I am struggling with this issue, there will me 1000 other AI devs too.
So I wrote a tweet and shared my idea and said "if this tweet gets 400 reposts, I'll turn this into a product"
I got 400 reposts in 24 hours.
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3. Build an Elite looking MVP
Many founders think about MVPs in a wrong way.
MVP doesn't mean it should look ugly and scrapy.
It means it should just have core features only.
If the UI of your MVP is not high quality, you'll be judged by end users in bad way.
Read this:
Many founders think about MVPs in a wrong way.
MVP doesn't mean it should look ugly and scrapy.
It means it should just have core features only.
If the UI of your MVP is not high quality, you'll be judged by end users in bad way.
Read this:
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4. Build super fast.
Your v1 should not take more than 4 weeks to be in the hands on end users.
and within these 4 weeks you need to:
- collect emails (waitlist)
- write content (educate audience)
- share BTS work (shows your passion)
By the time you're ready for launch you'll have a list of early adopters.
This will help you get initial revenue and focus more on the product.
Your v1 should not take more than 4 weeks to be in the hands on end users.
and within these 4 weeks you need to:
- collect emails (waitlist)
- write content (educate audience)
- share BTS work (shows your passion)
By the time you're ready for launch you'll have a list of early adopters.
This will help you get initial revenue and focus more on the product.
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5. Market your product shamelessly
This is the first time I'm marketing my startup every single day for atleast 2 hours.
If you love what you built, why you're not sharing with the world?
Do 2 things:
1. write textual content
2. record videos (long form)
You're product is not bad, your marketing efforts are.
Creator-led marketing is the most lucrative marketing strategy, especially for SaaS. Be a creator-founder.
This is the first time I'm marketing my startup every single day for atleast 2 hours.
If you love what you built, why you're not sharing with the world?
Do 2 things:
1. write textual content
2. record videos (long form)
You're product is not bad, your marketing efforts are.
Creator-led marketing is the most lucrative marketing strategy, especially for SaaS. Be a creator-founder.
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6. Find a Partner.
If you can, find someone who's as passionate about building things as you. Make him/her your product partner.
Build together. Grind together. You can 10x the speed of outcomes.
"It's never been easier to start a company. It's never been harder to build one." - @naval
Do it the best way.
If you can, find someone who's as passionate about building things as you. Make him/her your product partner.
Build together. Grind together. You can 10x the speed of outcomes.
"It's never been easier to start a company. It's never been harder to build one." - @naval
Do it the best way.
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7. Your Product should look like a brand.
There should be something unique about your product.
It should look different, elegant, modern and clean.
First impression is the last impression! Never forget this.
Painkiller product + Elite Branding = Success
There should be something unique about your product.
It should look different, elegant, modern and clean.
First impression is the last impression! Never forget this.
Painkiller product + Elite Branding = Success
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8. Listen, communicate, and understand your users
You need to talk to your users about what are the things they don't want? what features they wish we had?
I really value people who unsubscribe the product, they can give you the real feedback. so I always send an email to ask about their experience.
That helped me turn @CodeGuidedev from a tool into a platform.
Made official partnerships with all major AI coding tools.
Added In-house community
Built our own deep research
Built our own starter kit
Integrated o3-mini
and working on more things they want.
You need to talk to your users about what are the things they don't want? what features they wish we had?
I really value people who unsubscribe the product, they can give you the real feedback. so I always send an email to ask about their experience.
That helped me turn @CodeGuidedev from a tool into a platform.
Made official partnerships with all major AI coding tools.
Added In-house community
Built our own deep research
Built our own starter kit
Integrated o3-mini
and working on more things they want.
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9. Product development is just 20% of the job
80% of the work is "Marketing"
You need to create narratives.
You need to write value added content
You need to record helpful tutorials
You need to create lead magnets
In short, you need to do alot of leg work to make it work.
80% of the work is "Marketing"
You need to create narratives.
You need to write value added content
You need to record helpful tutorials
You need to create lead magnets
In short, you need to do alot of leg work to make it work.
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I hope you got something valuable from this post. Ask me anything. I'll be happy to answer.
My Goal is to onboard 100,000 devs to CodeGuide by Dec 31st 2025.
So just 2% work done, 98% left.
It'll be an exciting journey. Join the ride.
My Goal is to onboard 100,000 devs to CodeGuide by Dec 31st 2025.
So just 2% work done, 98% left.
It'll be an exciting journey. Join the ride.