Why we built LaunchSky
Why we built LaunchSky
            
            

            

            
                
                

                          

                        

                        

                        

                        

                        

                        
                            
                                LaunchSky is the brain-child of a technology consultancy / product incubator called DarwinApps.When we first started, we didn’t just want to build a consulting shop. We wanted to consult for profit (and to learn), and to use those profits to finance our own products.Well, we tried and we failed. We failed a few times. We learned some lessons that we’ve built right into LaunchSky from day 1.First, we created WeeRL: A way (browser plugin) to communicate on any URL. (get it? WeeRL :)).Problem: We didn’t know the first thing about a product market fit.Next, we created WeePick: A web app for decisions anywhere, anytime, for anything. We were better designers, and better developers, but the product-market fit piece of it still didn’t really click.Problem: Product-market fit was still a mystery, and we didn’t know how to market.Then we created YulGo: An event planning tool that tried to solve our own problems (ride sharing, money splitting). Here’s what it looks like if you don’t feel like signing up. Problem: We got better at solving our OWN problems, but not the problems of others. We also still had no idea how to market.We were repeating the same mistakes.We knew that we could design and build just about anything, but we had no idea if we were building something that people actually wanted.Was this solving a real problem for people?Will someone give their time, money, or attention to the product?Will anyone look at, or share, our product?So then we added on another project: LaunchSky.We didn’t even build the product. We just put together some designs that looked like a product, and everything else that comes with a “coming soon” page.We put a link on HackerNews, and we had over 3,000 sign-ups in the first week.It seemed that we weren’t the only ones who had trouble figuring out “is this idea worth building?”.But it’s not just about an idea. It’s not just about marketing. It’s not just about a product-market fit. It’s not just about distribution. It’s about everything individually, and about the sum-of-the-parts all at once.We were hoping LaunchSky would help people figure out: is this a good idea?Now, we’re hoping LaunchSky will evolve into something that helps people validate ideas, and grow a user-base of interested customers, collaborators, and ad-hoc advisors that can help bring an idea through the many phases it will undoubtedly go through in becoming something real.We’ve still got a long way to go, and we genuinely hope LaunchSky will help you validate, improve on, and iterate over your ideas (or existing products).And we’re still figuring out our long-term business model, but currently - a submission (with plenty of new eyes, comments, and a feature in our newsletter) costs 19$. If you’re passionate about your idea, but have any financial concerns, just email me and we’ll figure something out.Now, enough reading. Go create something amazing :)
                            

                            
                            
                            

                            
                            
                            
                            
                            
                            
                            

                            
                            
                            

                            
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            

                                    
                                

                                
                                

                                
                    

                
                
            
            
            

            
        