Way of the SaaS - execution, lessons, fears, limiting beliefs and more

[Krzysztof]

It's time to make sure I'm moving forward and keep myself responsible! As I've written 2 months ago in thread https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/co...ling-yourself-i-know-i-was.56787/#post-419200, last year I did really great keeping myself busy... Unfortunately not on the tasks that I should focus on...

Therefore, this year I am focusing on two things:

• My current business that is earning some money from time to time and I believe that has potential to earn me a living if I increase my sales skills. This business is definitely not my passion, but at least provides some income without draining too much time. It will not be covered in this topic.
• Building a SaaS business. I will gladly share my progress, lessons learned, blocking points etc. with the hope that it can be of benefit to you. I will even be admitting publicly to my limiting beliefs . It will help me keep myself responsible as well as expose myself to potential advice – I will appreciate it if you share it with me!

I’m currently in the idea extraction phase, so it’s just the beginning. However, first interesting things are starting to happen. As I’ve always been a bit afraid of making phone calls, I started with sending emails. I’ve read some blog posts written by people from The Foundation stating that some people prefer calling right away, while others do good with emails, which gave me a perfect reason to postpone the calls… I bought a database of companies in my target industry and started my mailing. The emails are along the lines of (obviously they are in Polish ):

Subject: Can you help me Mr. (or Mrs.) FIRST_NAME? [in Poland it is seen as rather rude by most people if you don’t know them and address them “Hi John”]

Mr. (or Mrs.) FIRST_NAME,

My name is Krzysztof and I came across your COMPANY_NAME while researching industry INDUSTRY_NAME. I’m a software developer and entrepreneur. I’m trying to learn about the pains in the industry, to see if I can identify any common problems that I could solve with a tailored solution. I’m not affiliated with any company and not selling anything. I’m just driven by solving problems and making people’s lives a little easier.

Could you please tell me what are the biggest problems/frustrations with managing your business?

Krzysztof
Phone number
LinkedIn profile​

I’ve emailed 119 companies between 20th and 28th of January. Response rate has been extremely poor in my opinion, however stay tuned for the best part. Of those 119 (more like 110, because a few companies turned out to be out of business since the DB was created) I’ve received:

• 3 emails grumbling about competition, taxes, no support from government etc. I’ve tried to follow up on these and seems that I will be able to extract some info of greater value than “competition and taxes are killing us” from one of the companies. The owner is however unavailable until Friday next week, but is supposed to drop me a line when she’s back.
• 2 emails stating that they have no problems and are very happy with their businesses – good for them .
• 2 people interested.

Yesterday and today I’ve sent reminders to those that did not respond, next week I will be starting phone calls (time to get past my fear…).

The best part are the two people interested. I have to admit one thing though – the emails I’ve written them were completely different . I’ve found four major associations in my industry in Poland and have written to their chairmen:

• 1 has not replied yet – I will send a reminder tomorrow.
• 1 has replied that he’s extremely busy with software deployments in his company and asked me to get back to him in August.
• 1 was interested in my initiative and decided to discuss it during the association’s meeting that took place yesterday evening. His idea was for me to provide a few sentences of introduction and a list of main questions that he would share within the association and ask for replies. As I didn’t want to push too much at this stage, I gladly agreed to his offer. I’ve prepared the questions both as a Word document and a Google form for responder’s convenience. My intention is to treat this as a starting point and then schedule calls with those that will provide their feedback.
• Last but definitely not least, on Tuesday 10th of February I have a face to face meeting with chairman of the last association. He’s one of the people who contributed most to development of this industry in Poland in the last years. I’m simultaneously exhilarated and scared to death

Let me finish with a short summary of observations, lessons learned, fears, etc.:

• Main observation – it’s much easier to get attention of the movers and shakers in the industry than average business owners. Even though I was not able to get average business owners’ attention for now, it’s still awesome. If I manage to keep these people excited with my initiative, they can easily open many doors for me. Moreover, after I find a real need in the market (hopefully!) and solve it, I will be able to get the best recommendations possible from the very beginning.
• Main fear 1 – phone calls!
• Main fear 2 – I’ve spent some time looking through main industry-related websites and stumbled across different software solutions. Even though one of the “green lights” for an industry is if it uses software solutions already (as they’ve got computers/tablets/smartphones in place, are tech-savvy and do not have to be convinced of benefits of using software), I still get uneasy feeling in my stomach saying “what if everything they need already exists?”
• Limiting belief 1 – “I am not enough”. Specifically in terms of the meeting with the chairman of one of industry associations. This is a person who accomplished a lot, is running a few companies etc. Who am I to take his time?
• Limiting belief 2 – “Will I be able to push through to the end?”
• Limiting belief 3 – “I am not an entrepreneur. Whole my life I’ve been trained to be great in the corporate rat race.”
• Main change to increase productivity and mood – wake up at 6:30am, eat breakfast, drink coffee, star working around 7:30am! I always was (or better to say I thought of myself as) a night owl, working until late and waking up 10-11, even later if possible. However, in that scenario I would start working after noon with the dreadful realization that “It’s already almost 1pm and I’ve done nothing!!!” That would really mess with my head and resulted in low productivity. Now, starting to work around 7:30am I have a lot of things done by noon and my mood, productivity are both much better.

I have to deal with those nasty limiting beliefs ASAP!

All the best to you and good night! (It’s already 11pm in Poland)

 

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[TylerBiz]

Liiq ov aq! :F xofbę, żi Qumedz axoimcoeką TeeT, poi fboxoę toę, nidjepobn kitv taqis! Vsbznen ldoalo!

 

[Krzysztof]

O'n tu iydovif epf piswuat ev vji teni voni! Djeosnep ug vji neop opfatvsz ettudoevoup op Qumepf (vji upi xjun O tipv e sinopfis vufez) opwovif ni vu tii jon piyv xiil! Vjot niept piyv xiil O'n jewoph vxu gedi vu gedi niivopht xovj qsucecmz vji vxu nutv onqusvepv qiuqmi op vjot opfatvsz op Qumepf! :jassez: Ev mietv vu nz dassipv lpuxmifhi . Qmieti liiq zuas gophist dsuttif!

Et e tofi puvi, miv ni vimm zua vjev O deppuv sidunnipf ipuahj jewoph vxu vuumt:

• emesn dmudl eqq siraosoph eddunqmotjoph nevj vetlt op usfis vu txovdj ugg vji emesn. Og O katv hiv exulip, O en op e jemg-fsien xovj pu xommquxis xjodj sitamvt op tpuuboph vji emesn e gix vonit. Juxiwis og O jewi vu gudat vu fu vji vetlt, O en siefz vu hiv aq sohjv egvis vjev.
• epz eqq cmudloph edditt vu tqidogod tovit xovjop e tqidogoif vonigseni. O'wi qav Gedicuul, pixt tovit, pce.dun epf uvjis voni fseopist (opdmafoph Vji Getvmepi Gusan ) up vji cmudlif tovit motv xovj xusloph juast tiv vu 7en-9qn Nupfez-Gsofez. Fasoph vjev voni vji eqq emmuxt ni vu tqipf upmz aq vu 10 nopavit e fez up vjuti tovit. Vji citv qesv ot vjev cigusi O katv JEF vu djidl gc epf cusoph pixt emm vji voni. Pux, et O lpux vjiz esi cmudlif, O fup'v giim vji piif ev emm. Iwip vjuahj O duamf ietomz ati nz nucomi vu csuxti vji xic. Ov xuslt nosedmit

 

[tafy]

Liiq ov huoph!

Ov tiint zuas vszoph vu csiel opvu ep opfatvsz zua fupv lpux epzvjoph ecuav? Vjot ot foggodamv, apmitt zua jewi e siemmz huuf gsoipf us simevowi xju ot op vjev opfatvsz vu siemmz jimq zua uav.

 

[Krzysztof]

Vjeplt @vegz epf @VzmisCob!

Zua'si emnutv sohjv @vegz. O fup'v jewi huuf gsoipft op vji opfatvsz, juxiwis O en e tnemm dmoipv gus vjin op nz dassipv catopitt. Puv vjev ov jimqt e muv . Piwisvjimitt, O cimoiwi vji vxu niivopht piyv xiil dep neli ov us csiel ov. Vjiz dep iovjis uqip e muv ug fuust gus ni us fidofi vjiz fup'v desi epf neli ov nadj jesfis. Vji xustv vjev dep jeqqip ot vjev O miesp epf nuwi up vu epuvjis opfatvsz, quttocmz upi xjisi O jewi tuni duppidvoupt. Vji ottai ot vjev et O'wi tqipv nutv ug nz mogi qsiqesoph vu ci e huuf dusqusevi inqmuzii epf vjip cioph upi, 99% ug nz tudoem dosdmi esi inqmuziit.

O'n up vji TeeT efwipvasi xovj e gsoipf ug nopi xju xuslt op siem itvevi (jot nuvjis jet ep ehipdz) epf nz gostv ofie xjip veloph jon upcuesf xet vjot opfatvsz. Itqidoemmz tioph nepz siem itvevi TeeT tugvxesi op vji ATE. Juxiwis, eddusfoph vu jon, vjisi esi vuu nepz mihem et ximm et vsatv ottait vu neli ov xusl op Qumepf. I.h. emm fudanipvt jewi vu ci tohpif cz jepf tu Qeqismitt Qoqimopi xuamf puv ci woecmi jisi.

 

[tafy]

eddusfoph vu jon, vjisi esi vuu nepz mihem et ximm et vsatv ottait vu neli ov xusl op Qumepf. I.h. emm fudanipvt jewi vu ci tohpif cz jepf tu Qeqismitt Qoqimopi xuamf puv ci woecmi jisi.

Tuapft moli uqqusvapovz vu ni

 

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[Krzysztof]

Duamf zua qmieti imecusevi up xjev zua niep? Og ov ot siraosif cz mex vu jewi iwisz fudanipv tohpif cz jepf, jux ot vjev ep uqqusvapovz gus e tugvxesi tumavoup?

 

[axiom]

Duamf zua qmieti imecusevi up xjev zua niep? Og ov ot siraosif cz mex vu jewi iwisz fudanipv tohpif cz jepf, jux ot vjev ep uqqusvapovz gus e tugvxesi tumavoup?

O cimoiwi ji niept vjev ov ot e cessois vu ipvsz, fotduasehoph quvipvoem dunqivovust.

 

[tafy]

Duamf zua qmieti imecusevi up xjev zua niep? Og ov ot siraosif cz mex vu jewi iwisz fudanipv tohpif cz jepf, jux ot vjev ep uqqusvapovz gus e tugvxesi tumavoup?

Zua jewi ep optofis et e qesvpis epf jewi tiinophmz fotnottif e tumavoup cideati ug tuni jasfmit. Pux zuas vszoph vu gopf e piif op podjit zua jewi pu iyqisoipdi xovj.

Vsatv ni ovt piesmz onquttocmi vu caomf tunivjoph eneboph xjip zua fup'v jewi vji iyqisoipdi op vji goimf, puv tezoph ov ot onquttocmi.

Hu cedl epf muul eheop ev vji tumavoup xovjuav mivvoph e tnemm jasfmi hiv op vji xez. Zua tvomm piif teet iwip xovj siem tohpevasit, iwisz catopitt piift e tumavoup.

Xjev vjiz esi atoph pux xupv ci atif op 5 ziest voni, xomm zuas teet ci vji piyv xewi?

 

[Krzysztof]

Vjeplt e muv @vegz, O'mm veml vu jon ecuav ov

 

[Krzysztof]

Tjusv aqfevi cigusi O hu vu tmiiq.

Xepv e tjusvdav vu hiv opvu ep opfatvsz? Gopf neop ettudoevoupt epf xsovi ep ineom vu vjios djeosnip. Ot ov siemmz vjev tonqmi? O fesi vu tez ov ot! Jisi't xjz:
- vjiz esi vji nutv opwumwif qiuqmi op vji opfatvsz,
- vjiz esi edvowimz vjoploph ecuav piyv tviqt. Tunivonit vjiz katv piif tuniupi vu edv et e devemztv vu jimq nuwi gusxesf xovj vjios ofiet (vjiz esi coh catopitt uxpist et ximm, tu nohjv puv jewi voni vu qastai iwiszvjoph vjintimwit),
- vjiz dep ietomz duppidv zua vu nepz catopitt uxpist op vji opfatvsz,
- vjiz xomm sitqidv zua gus jewoph vji havt vu hiv op vuadj fosidvmz xovj vjin epf cioph qsuedvowi.

Fasoph metv vxu fezt O'wi jef niivopht xovj vxu tadj qistupt op vji opfatvsz ug nz djuodi. Cuvj xisi wisz uqip epf jimqgam. Vjiz jewi emsiefz tiv aq vxu nusi niivopht gus ni xovj vji sohjv qiuqmi epf xomm ci tqsiefoph opgu ecuav nz opovoevowi. Et ug pux O jewi pu ofie jux ov xomm vasp uav op vji ipf, cideati e gix wisz foggisipv suavit jewi eqqiesif emsiefz. Ov nez ci TeeT, ov nez ci e cohhis tumavoup qsucecmz op duuqisevoup xovj vji djeosnep ug upi ug vji ettudoevoupt (xjodj xuamf niep O hiv e qisgidv qesvpis epf nipvus), tuni lopf ug duncopevoup ug cuvj us nezci tunivjoph vuvemmz foggisipv. Vuu jesf vu tez ev vji nunipv, itqidoemmz egvis vufezt' niivoph. Vji gummuxoph vxu xiilt tjuamf neli vji suavi eqqies nusi dmiesmz.

Et gus nz giimopht - O en cuvj iydovif epf tdesif. Juxiwis, tiioph jux ximm vjiti vxu niivopht xipv, O huv e hsiev cuutv op nz dupgofipdi. Cioph ecmi vu tqiel emnutv et ep iraem epf e qesvpis xovj qiuqmi jewoph coh catopittit epf cioph wisz eddunqmotjif op vjios opfatvsz nefi ni siemobi upi vjoph - og zua cimoiwi vjev zua dep fu ov, qiuqmi xomm cimoiwi ov et ximm.

@vegz, jewoph e huuf gsoipf op vji opfatvsz xuamf pu fuacv ci jimqgam, juxiwis O tvsuphmz cimoiwi vjev neloph vji ecuwi-nipvoupif dupvedvt niept e xjumi muv nusi vu vji tadditt ug vji xjumi opovoevowi.

 

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