I’m joined by Adam Robinson who has bootstrapped startups to millions of dollars in revenue, as we deep dive on how we would validate and grow a startup idea.
1) The Yonder Phone Pouch market is exploding• Locks phones away to create "phone-free spaces"• Already in schools, concerts, comedy shows• Huge potential for innovation (charging, remote unlock, etc.)• Adam predicts 98% of middle schools will require in 10 years
2) How to validate & launch a Yondr competitor:• Target affluent customers first (Elon approach)• Have 100s of conversations before building• Look for "eyes lighting up" as signal• Prototype only after strong validation
3) Growth strategy: Micro-influencer UGC• Outreach to 1000s of relevant micro-influencers• Send free product, ask for honest posts if they like it• No monetary incentives needed for authentic content• Aim for breadth of coverage, not mega-influencers
4) Copywriting Framework• Study successful brands in similar space (e.g. Jolie)• Use AI (Claude, ChatGPT) to adapt their style• Remember: Don't copy, but get inspired and make it your own
5) The "third way" of building startups:• Combine Rework's bootstrapping principles with Y Combinator's focus on product excellence• Result: Profitable growth without VC dependency• If product is truly excellent, word-of-mouth drives growth
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Episode Timestamps:0:00 Intro02:34 Startup Idea 1: Yondr Phone Pouch 2.009:53 How to validate & launch a Yondr competitor18:41 Growth strategy: Micro-influencer UGC26:28 Copywriting Framework30:43 The "third way" of building startups:
