PhillyPhil
New Contributor
What's up my fellow future/current Fastlaners!
A bit of a late intro, due to me following this forum since 2013 after reading TMF (I was 21 at the time).
It took me this long to post because I didn't feel like there was value for me to contribute, but I'm realizing that the entrepreneurial process itself is invaluable.
Long story long, in the last 5 years I:
-Dropped out of college to learn sales at a sales job
-Did a little IM but it didn't go anywhere
-Started up a Solar Panel business that I ended up quitting
-Had a wholesale biz that was doing decent for a short amount of time
-Almost got into the business of Obama Phones but Trump got elected
-Followed Fox's Web Design thread and learned how to code, as well as made a few bucks web designing
Around July, I ordered Unscripted and binge listened to MJ's interviews / read countless threads on the forum while waiting for the book to come in the mail.
Inspired by James Fend's Feedbackz posts as well as many other great contributors to this forum, I decided a SAAS business is the route I'd like to take because:
1) If I learned how to program (I only knew HTML&CSS), the cost of a startup would, in theory, be $0.
2) It's like digital real estate, with MRR.
3) I can create as many digital real estate properties as I'd like
4) SAAS typically fulfills CENTS (given that there's a need for it)
So after days of brainstorming for ideas, an idea hit me while driving to work that had to do with a problem I'd hear my boss/coworkers complain about over and over again.
The remainder of the drive was spent thinking "how the hell am I going to build something like this?"
And so, I arrive at the location I'm working at for the day, and meet a girl whom I've never worked with.
While small talking, she tells me she's going to this coding bootcamp held at a community college during the following semester, and that basically, instead of paying $10k+, it'd be the cost of going to community college ($400, or free if you qualify for a waiver).
Now, I normally try not to let my mind wander into woo-woo stuff, but I remember being thoroughly surprised at this coincidental situation. I mean, here I was, on my way to work trying to figure out how to build the SAAS idea I thought of and what languages to learn, to now at work knowing about a coding bootcamp that's basically free.
As you might've guessed, I instantly signed up. Best case scenario: I'm able to build my idea. Worst case scenario: I land a decent paying J-O-B while building my idea on the side.
I still spent my free time during the remaining summer learning Ruby on Rails because it's hard for me to have an idea and just "wait". Unfortunately, I still had no idea on how to build the idea
6 months of JavaScript later (December):
It's time for our Final Project.
To shorten it up a bit,
- Still was unsure of how to build my idea
- My teacher gives me some advice
- I end up building it in 2 weeks
- I get an A (ehh meaningless point)
Continued tweaking it for an additional month until launching the MVP a few days ago.
My biggest concern while building this was that I didn't do enough validation to see if this is what the market wants. This added a HUGE AMOUNT of uncertainty in my life, but I figure that even if it fails, I now have the ability to build a prototype of anything...quite a powerful feeling might I say.
Now, to get the product out there:
I've spent about a week figuring out a marketing strategy, as well as studying Facebook Ads (I've never done FB Ads before)
As of 3 days ago, I sent out about 2.5k emails to set up phone calls.
3 people emailed me back.
I spoke to one person on Friday. Turns out he just started his company and told me to call him back in two months once he's scaled a bit.
The remaining two calls are scheduled for this coming week.
Further Notes:
I'd like to thank Fox for his invaluable post on Web Design. If it weren't for that, I most wouldn't have gotten into code. I'd also like to thank eLiquid, James Fend, and all of the other contributors to the SAAS topic.
Ultimately, thank you MJ for giving me the framework to an elevated reality.
To any entrepreneur that wants to learn how to code an MVP SAAS product without much programming knowledge:
I literally only used HTML, CSS, plain JavaScript, and Google Sheets as a database (I plan on transitioning to front end + back end frameworks once I learn Node JS + React/Angular).
I learned HTML&CSS in about 2 months on Codecademy. The majority of the learning curve came near the end of the course where they'll have you build around 10 websites in a row.
As far as JavaScript, the 6 months I had spent learning it could've been compressed into about a month on Codecademy.
I still am grateful for those 6 months of class because I thoroughly learned how to manipulate the HTML using JavaScript (Codecademy doesn't teach applicable stuff for JavaScript until the API section) and the fact that my teacher gave me advice on using the Google Sheets API as a database until we learn some backend stuff.
So, you could literally spend a few months running through Codecademy's HTML&CSS + JavaScript courses, learn "DOM manipulation" (manipulating the HTML with JavaScript) from Udemy or something, study the shit out of Google Sheets API for a few days, and in theory be able to have a CRUD application (Create, Read, Update, and Destroy data).
Disclaimer:
It still took a shitload of work/trial and error, backbreaking hours of being on my laptop, intense problem solving, ect to get this thing up and running.
Also, time was/is SCARCE because of classes + work. I barely hang out with friends and I don't remember the last time I've taken my gf out on a date.
ALSO, huge point, this is JUST for the MVP. As soon as I learn Node JS + React JS, I'm transitioning into using a real database as well as front end frameworks.
So without further ado, every post after this will be of my progress.
Admittedly, writing this was a bit frightening, but it's about time for some no BS accountability.
To anyone that made it this far, you're more than welcome to share value that might help myself and others
Cheers
A bit of a late intro, due to me following this forum since 2013 after reading TMF (I was 21 at the time).
It took me this long to post because I didn't feel like there was value for me to contribute, but I'm realizing that the entrepreneurial process itself is invaluable.
Long story long, in the last 5 years I:
-Dropped out of college to learn sales at a sales job
-Did a little IM but it didn't go anywhere
-Started up a Solar Panel business that I ended up quitting
-Had a wholesale biz that was doing decent for a short amount of time
-Almost got into the business of Obama Phones but Trump got elected
-Followed Fox's Web Design thread and learned how to code, as well as made a few bucks web designing
Around July, I ordered Unscripted and binge listened to MJ's interviews / read countless threads on the forum while waiting for the book to come in the mail.
Inspired by James Fend's Feedbackz posts as well as many other great contributors to this forum, I decided a SAAS business is the route I'd like to take because:
1) If I learned how to program (I only knew HTML&CSS), the cost of a startup would, in theory, be $0.
2) It's like digital real estate, with MRR.
3) I can create as many digital real estate properties as I'd like
4) SAAS typically fulfills CENTS (given that there's a need for it)
So after days of brainstorming for ideas, an idea hit me while driving to work that had to do with a problem I'd hear my boss/coworkers complain about over and over again.
The remainder of the drive was spent thinking "how the hell am I going to build something like this?"
And so, I arrive at the location I'm working at for the day, and meet a girl whom I've never worked with.
While small talking, she tells me she's going to this coding bootcamp held at a community college during the following semester, and that basically, instead of paying $10k+, it'd be the cost of going to community college ($400, or free if you qualify for a waiver).
Now, I normally try not to let my mind wander into woo-woo stuff, but I remember being thoroughly surprised at this coincidental situation. I mean, here I was, on my way to work trying to figure out how to build the SAAS idea I thought of and what languages to learn, to now at work knowing about a coding bootcamp that's basically free.
As you might've guessed, I instantly signed up. Best case scenario: I'm able to build my idea. Worst case scenario: I land a decent paying J-O-B while building my idea on the side.
I still spent my free time during the remaining summer learning Ruby on Rails because it's hard for me to have an idea and just "wait". Unfortunately, I still had no idea on how to build the idea
6 months of JavaScript later (December):
It's time for our Final Project.
To shorten it up a bit,
- Still was unsure of how to build my idea
- My teacher gives me some advice
- I end up building it in 2 weeks
- I get an A (ehh meaningless point)
Continued tweaking it for an additional month until launching the MVP a few days ago.
My biggest concern while building this was that I didn't do enough validation to see if this is what the market wants. This added a HUGE AMOUNT of uncertainty in my life, but I figure that even if it fails, I now have the ability to build a prototype of anything...quite a powerful feeling might I say.
Now, to get the product out there:
I've spent about a week figuring out a marketing strategy, as well as studying Facebook Ads (I've never done FB Ads before)
As of 3 days ago, I sent out about 2.5k emails to set up phone calls.
3 people emailed me back.
I spoke to one person on Friday. Turns out he just started his company and told me to call him back in two months once he's scaled a bit.
The remaining two calls are scheduled for this coming week.
Further Notes:
I'd like to thank Fox for his invaluable post on Web Design. If it weren't for that, I most wouldn't have gotten into code. I'd also like to thank eLiquid, James Fend, and all of the other contributors to the SAAS topic.
Ultimately, thank you MJ for giving me the framework to an elevated reality.
To any entrepreneur that wants to learn how to code an MVP SAAS product without much programming knowledge:
I literally only used HTML, CSS, plain JavaScript, and Google Sheets as a database (I plan on transitioning to front end + back end frameworks once I learn Node JS + React/Angular).
I learned HTML&CSS in about 2 months on Codecademy. The majority of the learning curve came near the end of the course where they'll have you build around 10 websites in a row.
As far as JavaScript, the 6 months I had spent learning it could've been compressed into about a month on Codecademy.
I still am grateful for those 6 months of class because I thoroughly learned how to manipulate the HTML using JavaScript (Codecademy doesn't teach applicable stuff for JavaScript until the API section) and the fact that my teacher gave me advice on using the Google Sheets API as a database until we learn some backend stuff.
So, you could literally spend a few months running through Codecademy's HTML&CSS + JavaScript courses, learn "DOM manipulation" (manipulating the HTML with JavaScript) from Udemy or something, study the shit out of Google Sheets API for a few days, and in theory be able to have a CRUD application (Create, Read, Update, and Destroy data).
Disclaimer:
It still took a shitload of work/trial and error, backbreaking hours of being on my laptop, intense problem solving, ect to get this thing up and running.
Also, time was/is SCARCE because of classes + work. I barely hang out with friends and I don't remember the last time I've taken my gf out on a date.
ALSO, huge point, this is JUST for the MVP. As soon as I learn Node JS + React JS, I'm transitioning into using a real database as well as front end frameworks.
So without further ado, every post after this will be of my progress.
Admittedly, writing this was a bit frightening, but it's about time for some no BS accountability.
To anyone that made it this far, you're more than welcome to share value that might help myself and others
Cheers
Dislike ads? Become a Fastlane member:
Subscribe today and surround yourself with winners and millionaire mentors, not those broke friends who only want to drink beer and play video games. :-)
Last edited by a moderator:
Membership Required: Upgrade to Expose Nearly 1,000,000 Posts
Ready to Unleash the Millionaire Entrepreneur in You?
Become a member of the Fastlane Forum, the private community founded by best-selling author and multi-millionaire entrepreneur MJ DeMarco. Since 2007, MJ DeMarco has poured his heart and soul into the Fastlane Forum, helping entrepreneurs reclaim their time, win their financial freedom, and live their best life.
With more than 39,000 posts packed with insights, strategies, and advice, you’re not just a member—you’re stepping into MJ’s inner-circle, a place where you’ll never be left alone.
Become a member and gain immediate access to...
- Active Community: Ever join a community only to find it DEAD? Not at Fastlane! As you can see from our home page, life-changing content is posted dozens of times daily.
- Exclusive Insights: Direct access to MJ DeMarco’s daily contributions and wisdom.
- Powerful Networking Opportunities: Connect with a diverse group of successful entrepreneurs who can offer mentorship, collaboration, and opportunities.
- Proven Strategies: Learn from the best in the business, with actionable advice and strategies that can accelerate your success.
"You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with the most..."
Who are you surrounding yourself with? Surround yourself with millionaire success. Join Fastlane today!
Join Today
