Download - Vero - The Journey So Far (July 2014)
@veroapp | @chexton | www.getvero.comVero
TO PIVOT OR NOT TO PIVOT?
Chris Hexton - Vero
24 July, 2014
• Co-founder Vero, behavioural email marketing software.!
• Started two years ago, predominantly bootstrapped so far.!
• Background in accounting, self-taught developer.!
• Profitable.
CHRIS HEXTON@chexton
Jan - May 2012
TRIAL AND ERROR (LOTS)
1
@veroapp | @chexton | www.getvero.comVero
Build it and they will come
Trial and error
Lesson number one:
Don’t spend more time building than
getting customers.
@veroapp | @chexton | www.getvero.comVero
Build something else…and then they’ll come
Trial and error
Lesson number two:
It’s revenue that counts. More traffic is
not validation. Nor does it mean more
paying customers.
@veroapp | @chexton | www.getvero.comVero
No one actually cared
Trial and error
Lesson number three:
Where are your customers coming
from?
@veroapp | @chexton | www.getvero.comVero
Hopeless? What we asked ourselves
Trial and error
• Why did we start Invc.me? Why this idea?
• Do we like the ‘new direction’?
• Are we proud?
• Does this feel like it will provide us with what we need to meet our
personal goals?
June 2012
VERO IS BORN
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@veroapp | @chexton | www.getvero.comVero
Vero is born
EMAILS CALLS USERS
20 8 2
Signups: 0 MRR: $0JUNE 2012
@veroapp | @chexton | www.getvero.comVero
Some text
Vero is born
Signups: 5 MRR: $0JUNE 2012
@veroapp | @chexton | www.getvero.comVero
Vero is born
Signups: 400 MRR: $0JULY 2012
@veroapp | @chexton | www.getvero.comVero
Vero is born
AUG 12
$Signups: 500 MRR: $350AUGUST 2012
@veroapp | @chexton | www.getvero.comVero
Vero is born
Signups: 800 MRR: $800NOVEMBER 2012
Guidelines for success
MY TOP 3 RULES
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@veroapp | @chexton | www.getvero.comVero
Know your situation
My top 3 rules
• Can your founding team cover all the bases?
• Do you have kids?
• What is your experience?
• What do you WANT to achieve for yourself?
@veroapp | @chexton | www.getvero.comVero
Be at the core of your customers’ businesses
My top 3 rules
People will pay you if they need your software to manage a core business
task.
• Stripe – businesses need to charge their customers.
• Github – software companies need to manage code changes.
• Basecamp – companies need to manage teams.
• Vero – people need some way to manage emails.
@veroapp | @chexton | www.getvero.comVero
Charge people money
Test goes here
It will solve every single problem you can possibly have.
• Can’t pay for servers?
• Can’t raise money?
• Can’t feed yourself?
• Can’t get people excited about your idea?