Hey everyone!
I've decided to start this thread to stay accountable and document my journey as I build a real business using the CENTS framework. I’ll be posting updates every weekend with progress, learnings, and challenges.
This idea has been on my mind for a long time.
I’ve worked in and around manufacturing, and I’ve seen firsthand how much money gets lost simply because companies don’t see where their costs are going. Most rely on spreadsheets, manual reports, and gut instinct to make decisions about production and efficiency.
For a long time, I knew I could build something in this space. But I let mindset blocks and self-doubt get in the way. I kept busy with action-faking. Tweaking ideas, researching tools, telling myself I was “working on it,” while avoiding the real, uncomfortable actions that actually move things forward.
Eventually, I hit a point where I realized that unless I start talking to real people, testing the idea, and putting myself out there, nothing will change.
So now I’ve finally stopped just thinking and started taking real action. I’m talking to potential customers, building a prototype, and validating whether this idea has legs. This thread is part of that commitment.
C – Control:
I'm building my own AI-driven cost analysis tool for small/medium-sized manufacturers (SMEs). It’s my IP, my system, and I’m not relying on marketplaces, affiliates, or someone else's platform to reach users.
E – Entry:
This isn’t an easy industry to break into. Manufacturing companies are notoriously hesitant to share internal data, especially cost-related data. But that also creates a moat: if I can build enough trust to get in the door, that trust becomes a competitive advantage. These companies tend to stick with the systems they adopt, which means high lifetime value if I can deliver early results.
N – Need:
Manufacturers constantly struggle with unclear cost structures and operational inefficiencies. Many rely on outdated or manual methods. My platform will offer automated insights using AI to highlight hidden cost drivers, inefficiencies, and savings potential something they've told me they want and need. A lot of smaller companies doesnt have teams of engineers which might be required if you want to achive this work without AI. So i give them the possibility to get a team of engineers for a fraction of the cost.
T – Time:
The initial service is productized, not traded hour-for-hour. Once the core system is built, it can run and scale without requiring me to be involved in every delivery.
S – Scale:
Once the product is ready, it can be sold to virtually any manufacturing SME with minimal setup. Most run similar spreadsheet-based systems, so the onboarding can be fast. Combined with the stickiness of enterprise tools, this gives the solution strong long-term scalability and low churn.
If you’ve sold B2B, worked with manufacturing, or just enjoy tearing apart and refining startup ideas, I’d love to learn from you.
Thanks for reading and I’ll be back with my first weekend update soon.
Let’s build something real.
Best Regards
Marcus
I've decided to start this thread to stay accountable and document my journey as I build a real business using the CENTS framework. I’ll be posting updates every weekend with progress, learnings, and challenges.
This idea has been on my mind for a long time.
I’ve worked in and around manufacturing, and I’ve seen firsthand how much money gets lost simply because companies don’t see where their costs are going. Most rely on spreadsheets, manual reports, and gut instinct to make decisions about production and efficiency.
For a long time, I knew I could build something in this space. But I let mindset blocks and self-doubt get in the way. I kept busy with action-faking. Tweaking ideas, researching tools, telling myself I was “working on it,” while avoiding the real, uncomfortable actions that actually move things forward.
Eventually, I hit a point where I realized that unless I start talking to real people, testing the idea, and putting myself out there, nothing will change.
So now I’ve finally stopped just thinking and started taking real action. I’m talking to potential customers, building a prototype, and validating whether this idea has legs. This thread is part of that commitment.
What I'm Building (CENTS Applied):
C – Control:
I'm building my own AI-driven cost analysis tool for small/medium-sized manufacturers (SMEs). It’s my IP, my system, and I’m not relying on marketplaces, affiliates, or someone else's platform to reach users.
E – Entry:
This isn’t an easy industry to break into. Manufacturing companies are notoriously hesitant to share internal data, especially cost-related data. But that also creates a moat: if I can build enough trust to get in the door, that trust becomes a competitive advantage. These companies tend to stick with the systems they adopt, which means high lifetime value if I can deliver early results.
N – Need:
Manufacturers constantly struggle with unclear cost structures and operational inefficiencies. Many rely on outdated or manual methods. My platform will offer automated insights using AI to highlight hidden cost drivers, inefficiencies, and savings potential something they've told me they want and need. A lot of smaller companies doesnt have teams of engineers which might be required if you want to achive this work without AI. So i give them the possibility to get a team of engineers for a fraction of the cost.
T – Time:
The initial service is productized, not traded hour-for-hour. Once the core system is built, it can run and scale without requiring me to be involved in every delivery.
S – Scale:
Once the product is ready, it can be sold to virtually any manufacturing SME with minimal setup. Most run similar spreadsheet-based systems, so the onboarding can be fast. Combined with the stickiness of enterprise tools, this gives the solution strong long-term scalability and low churn.
Current Traction:
- Two professionals (working in AI/data systems for manufacturing) have asked for meetings after seeing my early content and prototype work.
- A quality manager at an SME is interested in seeing a visual demo, I'm working on securing that call now.
- I’m posting regularly on LinkedIn to build a network of relevant manufacturing and operations professionals. When someone engages with my content, I follow up directly via message to learn more about their challenges and explore whether they'd be open to becoming early adopters or pilot clients.
- I have two friends with strong backgrounds in AI and computer science who are willing to help build the MVP if I can prove traction and get some paying pilots.
✅ Next steps:
- Secure meetings with the three leads.
- Build a clickable demo or visual concept deck.
- Reach out to 10–15 more SME operations/production leads.
- Keep posting 2x/week on LinkedIn to attract more interest.
- Deliver 1–2 paid pilot reports (€500–1500) to validate real-world value.
If you’ve sold B2B, worked with manufacturing, or just enjoy tearing apart and refining startup ideas, I’d love to learn from you.
Thanks for reading and I’ll be back with my first weekend update soon.
Let’s build something real.
Best Regards
Marcus
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