RolodexAI BIP #9: On the shelf, for now.
It’s been a while (3 months to be precise) since I’ve published the last BIP for RolodexAI. As you might have figured by now, I’m haven’t been spending too much time on the project and while I decided a few weeks ago, today I’m formally shelving the project. I’m still confident that a product like RolodexAI needs to exist and the problem of keeping in touch with people is an important one to solve. I will continue on this mission by following a different route, one which doesn’t need me to build a product. If you’re here to read about the latest update, that’s it!
Below, I’ve listed some short learnings from the experience. I intend to write a longer and more structured post cause I have indeed learnt a ton, but in the spirit of these BIP posts being short and quick, I’ll only touch the surface.
🤔 Lessons learnt
- When you’re just starting and want to test ideas, you can build almost anything with No Code. However, it’s always better to have someone working on the product full time if you want to move fast
- Designers before Developers — you need to sell the idea of what you’re doing first
- Audience before Product — once people are paying attention to you, they are willing to try out things
- “Everyone wants poverty eradicated, but no one wants to do it themselves” — people think they want something, but in many cases, actions don’t line up to what they say
- External accountability is critical — even if it means you need to pull the plug. The day I stopped writing these, I could see my progress slowing — those weeks were very unproductive.
- Community, if not already, is going to be important. Great Community Managers will be a competitive edge.
⏩ What’s next?
After the success of the community event, I will focus on helping people in that community, many of whom were early adopter, stay connected via similar events and my podcast. RolodexAI — the website, the app — will be shelved and I’ll work on it sometime in the future.
🙏🏽 A big thank you to all of you who have been users or shared feedback. The last few months have been challenging but I’ve learnt so much and wouldn’t have wanted it any other way!
Satisfaction of success doesn't come from achieving your goals, but from struggling well — Ray Dailo, Principles
If you’d like to know more, you can always write to me at reuben.noronha92@gmail.com
