The Indie Hackers Podcast #64 The Path from Minimum Viable Product to $50M a Year with Des Traynor of Intercom
Where did the idea for Intercom come from: “We has this live customer database with communication tools springing out of it that we could use to have real conversations with our customers. - they started asking for this communication tool as a product.” (3:19)
Intercom used an “anti lean startup” approach: “This is 2011- peak lean startup movement - everyone was following that -we went the non lean way.” (4:21)
The WHY behind Intercom: “We believe all businesses will become internet businesses.” (6:28)
How to price your product: “You are delivering very obvious value on a monthly basis. So just charge a price that justifies that.” (20:31)
We had to win customers over one by one. 10 customers a day was our goal....I was constantly getting slapped in the face....I think the gritty work is necessary. It’s valuable to taste the pain of defeat and be fueled by the fire of success. (28:49)
Don't be afraid to raise your prices over time: “Pricing changes all the time- your product will get more valuable over time.” (36:32)
Great quote: “Free users want more software. Paying users want better software.” (37:32)
The things people are not good at avoiding is the stuff that is low effort and low impact because it has this weird cyclical justification logic. (46:27)
We focus on things that may not pay off this month but in a years time will... as an example we wrote blog posts with the idea that they should be relevant for years. Not for weeks or days. (1:03:39)