Valerium ∇

Founders keep calling it a focus problem. Sometimes it's a fear of finding out the idea nobody asked for is the idea they've been building. If you're building in #tech, let's #connect!!

Today's build-in-public update #2: - Fixed 3 layout bugs - Submitted sitemaps for indexing - 189 unique visitors - 1 new Pro subscriber - $39 MRR Good progress for doc2doodle.com ❤️

A SaaS launch is not proof people will come back. 1. Pick one action that shows the product delivered value. 2. Watch new users try to reach it without your help. 3. Check whether they return to do it again before adding more features.

Build in public doesn't need daily updates. A useful post when something changes beats a daily log of nothing changing. If you're building in #buildinpublic, let's #connect!!

Today's build-in-public update #1: - fixed the zoomed-out layout - wrote 3 SEO pieces - 320 unique visitors - 1 paying customer - $30 MRR Good Progress on Day 1 of my Beta Launch!!

Founder problem: You can spot every edge case, so choosing the first version gets harder. Every exception becomes another reason to delay the launch. If you're building in #tech, let's #connect!!

Today I'm coming out of stealth to launch the doc2doodle beta. I've been working on it for the last 3 months. The idea is simple: give us a document, and we'll turn it into a doodle video. Claude can do this, but it uses a lot of credits and isn't cheap. So I built a template-based rendering system, with AI handling image and library searches. It's live now. The first 1,000 customers get 25% off their subscription. doc2doodle.com

A build-in-public update should show the decision behind the metric, not just the metric. If you're building in #buildinpublic, let's #connect!

Customer feedback is useful when you can tie it to a real attempt. 1. Ask what they were trying to finish 2. Watch where they get stuck 3. Write down what they do next What do you watch for when a user gets stuck?

I'd test an AI model on the customer's messy input, not the clean demo prompt. Real files arrive with gaps Instructions contradict each other The output needs editing That's where the product either earns trust or creates work. What real input do you use to test your AI feature?

The most useful build-in-public post might be the feature you cut. It shows what you chose not to build. Share the cut or the launch? If you're building in #buildinpublic, let's #connect!!

Build-in-public screenshots make a feature look finished. The browser tab labeled "localhost" has other plans.

AI founders, what is plan B if the model you built around ships inside ChatGPT?

Some founders don't hate fundraising. They hate explaining why the business needs money before they know what the money will prove. If you're building in #tech, let's #connect!!

Which SaaS task do you still handle manually?

You announce an AI feature before it works reliably. People try it. It fails on their real task. Now the demo has set expectations your product can't meet. The launch post can wait until the workflow holds up. If you're building in #tech, let's #connect!!

What was the first thing you charged for in your SaaS?

SaaS founders today are basically: 90% shipping 5% talking to customers 5% hoping the launch post finds buyers If you're building in #tech, let's #connect!!!

Show annual pricing upfront. Hiding it makes the monthly option harder to compare.

What happened to the first AI feature you shipped?