Fisherman July Updates
It’s hard to believe that a second month working full-time on Fisherman is under our belts. Key learnings this month include the value of testing one variable at a time and the use of goal-setting frameworks to align team goals, identify prioritized tasks, and measure results.
As a team with rich technical talent, it has been interesting to occasionally find ourselves over-developing.
Although we have been able to architect scalable solutions and plan product roadmaps with a lot of forethought, we have realized how vital it is to first validate core assumptions by testing prototypes that capture the most essential elements. Our theme for the upcoming month is to take a break from being a tech company and focus on being a tech startup.
Updates
We have an MVP! Our current prototype can generate a basic website using a combination of scraped information from online directories and auto-generated content in less than 30 seconds, using only the name of a business.
In parallel, we have been networking and conducting user research with small business owners across service industries, in order to better understand our target demographic and identify a more narrow vertical to launch with.
This past month, we have established connections to some of the foremost experts and seasoned entrepreneurs in the SMB and Local space.
We have been fortunate to have substantial access to phenomenal mentors with immense breadth and depth of experience through MassChallenge, the Soaring Startup Circle, and mutual connections. For any challenge we are faced with or project we are set to embark on, we have guides to turn to for advice. This has created a rapid learning environment and the sense that our team is much larger than it looks on paper.
What’s Ahead
August is the month to test hypotheses, analyze results, and test again. We now have plenty of tools to generate specific lists of businesses to target and automatically build websites for them. We currently have 5 alpha users, and our goal is to add about a dozen more. Next week, we’re building 30 websites and sending them directly to business owners.
Ask
Please connect us to small business owners in services industries including (law offices, accountants, food service, contractors/subcontractors, beauty salons, etc.), who would be open to chatting for 20–30 minutes about their business, customers, peer groups, and perceptions/use of technology. In return for a conversation, we can make them a basic website with a free 1-month trial if interested.
We would also appreciate intros to members of any general or industry-specific small business associations (e.g. local chapter of SBA, United Association of Plumbers).
