Anybody here using Dane Maxwell or TheFoundation method without support or little support?

[stairclimber]

Hello,

Glad to have found this forum.

I have been doing a lot of reading and listening and watching TheFoundation method of finding pain and idea extraction.

Now I am ready to take some action.

Would like to create a Master Mind group of sort with people who are using Dane Maxwell's TheFondation method or something similar to start a business (SaaS, hopefully).

Also would love to talk to current or ex students of TheFoundation .

I am going to do this, by hook or by crook, without the benefit of TheFoundation support.

Please connect.

Thanks.

Lorenzo

 

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[ped89]

Hey,

I went through the rough process of the foundation myself and identified a market opportunity by finding a pain people were excited about solving - I've now passed that onto someone else as my other venture was swallowing my time.

I'm also connected with a bunch of people within the foundation including a few of their "poster boys for success" - don't know how much help I could be but could potentially give you some pointers and stuff.

 

[davedev]

@MartinH

 

[stairclimber]

Hey,

I went through the rough process of the foundation myself and identified a market opportunity by finding a pain people were excited about solving - I've now passed that onto someone else as my other venture was swallowing my time.

I'm also connected with a bunch of people within the foundation including a few of their "poster boys for success" - don't know how much help I could be but could potentially give you some pointers and stuff.

Thanks ped89,

I appreciate your offer.

How did you select your industry to concentrate?

Manta.com? Like some of TheFoundation poster boys suggested?

Did you start off as a nobody like me and had trouble getting appointments because the prospects didn't trust you?

To establish crediblity , did you have a website or blog posting stuff about the target industry?
Like Dane Maxwell suggested how he would start as a nobody, here?
He said : "Step 2 - I'd create a blog....."
https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/co...-saas-membership-sites-education.48011/page-3

How did you have enough credibility to get the prospects grant you interviews?

Would you say TheFoundation method can work for somebody who is a nobody in a target industry?

Please enlighten.

Thanks a million.

Lorenzo

 

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[DeletedUser2]

How did you have enough credibility to get the prospects grant you interviews?

act like a credible person. 1st step. be honest.
talk about them, not you

tell them honestly, you are looking to build some software, to help them, and when built would they be willing to talk to you about it now, if you can give them a free copy when its done?
Z

 

[DeletedUser2]

every industry I ever entered, I was a nobody to start.

Makes NO difference.

srsly.
Z

 

[MartinH]

Hey Lorenzo!
I started applying the Foundation "method" about 4 weeks ago and it's given me so much! It's been really fun and exciting and I hope it will be fun for you, too. If you are stuck with a problem and aren't sure about how to proceed I'd love to help you out.

 

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[davedev]

Would you say TheFoundation method can work for somebody who is a nobody in a target industry?

Yeah it can work. IMO.

If I were you I'd break it down into chunks.

Idea Extraction. SaaS. Mindset. Copywriting. Sales (learning how to ask for money). Building a mockup. Pre-Selling. I'll take a crack at some of these.

As far as 'Idea Extraction' is concerned -- It's just talking to people. That's all it is. Talking to people, and being able to communicate your intentions clearly -- that you want to create value for them. So many people weave this 'aura' about it...it's not even funny. So. Learn how to communicate. How?

• "Pick up the phone!" @zen*******
• Talk less. Listen better. How to listen? (RASA)
• RASA - Receive Appreciate Summarize Ask I got this acronym from a Ted talk..forgot which. It's on the subject of listening.
• Read Robert Cialdini's Influence The Psychology of Persuasion
• Read Dale Carnegie's How To Win Friends And Influence People
• Take a cold calling job
• Understand Human psychology
• Learn how to write Copy.

So Software as a Service (SaaS) is your tool to create value in the world? Here:

• http://saasclub.com/ don't go in blind. Read up. Maybe one article a day? Just get some new information in when you can.
• Some people (not The Foundation guys) even learn to program a little bit. Michael Hartl's Rails Tut, LearnStreet's Ruby course etc...

But anyhow, back to IE.
Know that right before you start taking action everything will be awesome. You'll pick out a niche, sign up with MailCheat(Chimp), get the scripts honed and tuned in...but right before you jump in.. the monsters emerge.

You can bat away most of these monsters when you're emailing 100's of businesses in a niche industry -- that's no problem.

But when the interview requests come in. When you pick up on that it's better to cold call 100 people rather than send emails.. then the real monsters emerge. The monsters always emerge at the precipice of Action. Read Steven Pressfield's The War of Art. The action that holds the most leverage towards your success generally carries with it the most resistance and procrastination.

Mindset
It sounds like some hippy stuff, but make sure your 'identity' is one of an entrepreneur. Give that word your own meaning.

The Foundation is really a 'couch' that you can sit on and expose all your deep limiting beliefs and issues to a small group of trusting successful entrepreneurs who have been through the exact thing that you may think is so unique to yourself.

But anyhow. I rambled too long.

----

Are you in the USA @stairclimber? And do you have a library card?

----

Also, if you need help picking a niche, the first place to start is usually with your personal network. Perform 'Idea Extraction' <-- aka talk to them -- about their job. Lots of the time, employees and such like may envision a much better way to do a task..or they could just be complainers.

----

Also, prequalify what industries you want to get involved with. www.ibisworld.com can help with this.

Well that was a lot. Hope it helps!

 

[ped89]

Thanks ped89,

How did you select your industry to concentrate?

How did you have enough credibility to get the prospects grant you interviews?

Would you say TheFoundation method can work for somebody who is a nobody in a target industry?

Lorenzo

Basically I back everything Zen and DaveDev said, but as you asked here is my answers.

Brainstorm a lot of industries. Ask yourself if you know anyone in any of the industries (even a weak link is good). Is the decision maker easy to get on the phone or will you have to go through a gate keeper? Is the industry already using software? There is no real science to picking an industry, I would say its more important to just take action.
Remember you don't have to go after an industry such as lawyers - you can look at being an inbetween/bridging piece of software i.e targetting people that use a piece of software i.e InfusionSoft and seeing if they have any pains involved with that?

Credibility... What Zen said.

As long as you're offering value and trying to help people. If you're offering value and solving a pain, be that time, money, whatever then of course you can. Just get people on the phone and listen to what they have to say, dig deep, be genuine.

 

[davedev]

And to add.

Don't tune out when they give you a laundry list of problems that can't be solved with software...

There's gold everywhere if you look for it.

 

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[stairclimber]

Yeah it can work. IMO.

Are you in the USA @stairclimber? And do you have a library card?

Well that was a lot. Hope it helps!

Thanks for the guidance.

I am in Australia, for now.
Yes, I have access to libraries.

 

[davedev]

Ok. Maybe you guys have an equivalent, but here in the US if you have a library card, your library may let you access atozdatabases.com

Gold.

 

[stairclimber]

Ok. Maybe you guys have an equivalent, but here in the US if you have a library card, your library may let you access atozdatabases.com

Gold.

Thanks DaveDev,

atozdatabases.com looks like a great database.

I do have access to it .

Some of TheFoundation people have claimed to also use the following database for different stuff:

www.Manta.com
www.ibisworld.com
www.bizben.com

 

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[ped89]

And to add.

Don't tune out when they give you a laundry list of problems that can't be solved with software...

There's gold everywhere if you look for it.

hahahaha YES. This ^^^^.
Number of times on IE calls people would say "well I hate that i have to do XYZ, but you can't solve that with software!" and similar things.

If you have a spare $20 go hire a VA via odesk to do 20 hours work on data collection and he/she will come back with a spreadsheet full of names, emails, websites and phonenumbers for you to contact. Send an email or pick up the phone and get talking - its scary initially and you will get arseholes on the phone sometimes, but thats very rare.

Hope it goes well.

 

[selfmadebm]

Hey OP

I am starting with the foundation method myself as of last week. I have picked a few industries to get my feet wet, did some cold calling and cold emailing, and have 5 or so meetings set up this week. Maybe not lightening speed progress but I am busy with other things too - will see how meetings go.

I am interested in getting together a small group of 3 or so people who are at this stage in the process, or maybe a bit farther along, to chat about our findings. Feel free to reach out, you can get my contact info from my blog selfmadebusinessman.com

 

[stairclimber]

Hey OP

I am starting with the foundation method myself as of last week. I have picked a few industries to get my feet wet, did some cold calling and cold emailing, and have 5 or so meetings set up this week. Maybe not lightening speed progress but I am busy with other things too - will see how meetings go.

I am interested in getting together a small group of 3 or so people who are at this stage in the process, or maybe a bit farther along, to chat about our findings. Feel free to reach out, you can get my contact info from my blog selfmadebusinessman.com

Hello Dave,

Looks like you are a get things done kind of guy.

I like your website.

Sure , I am happy to connect with you.

I am devoting full time to this TheFoundation method .

 

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[Bingo]

Hello Dave,

Looks like you are a get things done kind of guy.

I like your website.

Sure , I am happy to connect with you.

I am devoting full time to this TheFoundation method .

Hi Lorenzo,

I was wondering how did it go with the Foundation? Were you successful?
Would you have managed to do it without it as well?

You have an Italian name, a beautiful one! Are you US-based or in Europe?
I ask because I am trying to sense is the method applies also to non-US markets / customer mentality.

If you drop a line at pronto@casamarziano.com i'd love to get in touch with you.
I am a Berlin-based artist with an entrepreneurial mindset, and I am seeing opportunities. Need some feedback / advice tho!

Cheers


matteo