The first 10k users are always the hardest Rashmi Sinha, SlideShare

Who am I?

SlideShare... best place in the world to share presentations

best place in the world to share presentations

Taking over the world (one PowerPoint at a time!) Start May 06 > Beta > Launch Oct 06 > Grow > Grow more > Angel funding Dec 07 > Series A Apr 08 > Grow more

Start May 06 > Beta > Launch Oct 06 > Grow > Grow more > Angel funding Dec 07 > Series A Apr 08 > Grow more

1. Make your app useful

Solve one problem really well

Make app social SlideShare as non social app PowerPoint plugin? No virality

SlideShare as non social app

PowerPoint plugin?

No virality

2. Speed is imperative

Why startups need speed?

Small & fast

Set the tone for speed In hiring, development, design, releases, biz dev

In hiring, development, design, releases, biz dev

Be agile (worry about scaling later)

(worry about scaling later)

3. What to build

Why we built products we did MindCanvas: Could sell into market SlideShare: Understood market

MindCanvas: Could sell into market

SlideShare: Understood market

37signals: Build less

Build for right reasons Start with less Add complexity (when necessary) Remove features Get people used to change

Start with less

Add complexity (when necessary)

Remove features

Get people used to change

To build a feature or not to Listen to loudest? Watch behavioral metrics? Read blog posts?

Listen to loudest?

Watch behavioral metrics?

Read blog posts?

Loudest users OR silent majority slidecasting example

slidecasting example

How to double traffic ?

Anatomy of a feature launch Groups: V1, V2 & V3

Groups: V1, V2 & V3

4. How to Launch

The Alpha Feedback to the embed No publicity Browser compatibility issues

How developed should a Beta be? SlideShare beta Enough to get point across Little of social layer Not buggy

SlideShare beta

Enough to get point across

Little of social layer

Not buggy

SlideShare launch Invite only: Before or after launch? Alpha Stealth mode Open to all Launch Invite only

Invite only: Before or after launch?

Initial Momentum

5. Use metrics

What metrics? Performance: page load times... Errors: 404, 500s... Traffic: Web logs Database tracking: No. registrations, login, uploads, contacts Customer feedback emails

Performance: page load times...

Errors: 404, 500s...

Traffic: Web logs

Database tracking: No. registrations, login, uploads, contacts

Customer feedback emails

Get yourself a shadow app Metrics we care about Simple console with daily, hourly Simpler than web analytics Whole team uses it Measure project success, iterate Proxy AB testing

Metrics we care about

Simple console with daily, hourly

Simpler than web analytics

Whole team uses it

Measure project success, iterate

Proxy AB testing

Daily email reports

6. Scaling Community is hard

Community is a great way to grow No marketing costs, users evangelize Constant stream of feedback

No marketing costs, users evangelize

Constant stream of feedback

Scaling community with millions of users Users help each other?

Users help each other?

7. Outsource what you can

Outsource complexity Amazon S3, EC2 Dedicated servers instead of colocation Google Ads Google Search Different widgets (Gigya, AddThis)

Amazon S3, EC2

Dedicated servers instead of colocation

Google Ads

Google Search

Different widgets (Gigya, AddThis)

8. Working with remote teams

Challenges Getting to know each other Hard to develop informal rapport Need to look at same screen. Body clock Benefits: 24 hour cycle

Getting to know each other

Hard to develop informal rapport

Need to look at same screen.

Body clock

Benefits: 24 hour cycle

Synchronous is must Skype GoToMeeting

SCRUM End of day reports

9. Ideas are dime a dozen

NO EXECUTION = $1 WEAK EXECUTION = $1000 SO-SO- EXECUTION = $10,000 GOOD EXECUTION = $100,000 GREAT EXECUTION = $1,000,000 BRILLIANT EXECUTION = $10,000,000 AWFUL IDEA = -1 WEAK IDEA = 1 SO-SO IDEA = 5 GOOD IDEA = 10 GREAT IDEA = 15 BRILLIANT IDEA = 20 Ideas are a multiplier. Execution is all that matters X http://www.oreillynet.com/onlamp/blog/2005/08/ideas_are_just_a_multiplier_of.html

NO EXECUTION = $1

WEAK EXECUTION = $1000

SO-SO- EXECUTION = $10,000

GOOD EXECUTION = $100,000

GREAT EXECUTION = $1,000,000

BRILLIANT EXECUTION = $10,000,000

Care about execution Scrutinize ideas: “can we execute on this?” How fast? When can we start work? What will first version take? Which team member will do it? What metrics to track progress? What will we push back to work on this?

Scrutinize ideas: “can we execute on this?”

How fast? When can we start work?

What will first version take?

Which team member will do it?

What metrics to track progress?

What will we push back to work on this?

10. Understand market size (& revenue model)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/docman/5053155/

Potential market size No of PowerPoint presentations Blogs & Video

No of PowerPoint presentations

Blogs & Video

Potential revenue streams AdSense Affiliate Networks Sponsorships Fremium Licensing White label version Marketplace Job board Professional services

AdSense

Affiliate Networks

Sponsorships

Fremium

Licensing

White label version

Marketplace

Job board

Professional services

Good early legs Adsense Consulting revenue

Adsense

Consulting revenue

Revenue stream impacts application Advertising Pro accounts & Fremium White label solutions -Revenue stream should not kill virality -Don’t loose focus on majority

Advertising

Pro accounts & Fremium

White label solutions

-Revenue stream should not kill virality

-Don’t loose focus on majority

Problems with fremium

VC money? Retain control till you can Take money (if you absolutely need it) From right partners

Retain control till you can

Take money (if you absolutely need it)

From right partners

Finally slides at http://www.slideshare.net/event/webvisions-2008/slideshows find me at www.slideshare.net/rashmi We are hiring!

slides at

http://www.slideshare.net/event/webvisions-2008/slideshows

find me at

www.slideshare.net/rashmi