What is a dev build?

We're all a work in progress, and that's fine.

Oct 30, 2024

Welcome to the first edition of the dev build.

My monthly reflection on building a software business as a solo founder.

By reflecting on my challenges, failures and learnings in public, I hope to give you insights that you may use in your journey.

But first, what is a dev build?

"A dev build is a version of a software application that is still in development. It includes incomplete features, potential bugs and diagnostic tools for refinement." - ChatGPT 4o

We're all a dev build. We're in progress, incomplete, being refined, and full of bugs.

This is fine. In fact, its a necessary step to becoming production ready.

This is why I am here, writing this for you - to put my development build out there, so the bugs may be squished and the features can be refined, and to encourage you to do the same.

With that explained, lets get into it.

How its going

In August, I finished my position as a full-time web developer.

Since then, I've been investigating how to generate and validate ideas for software products.

I almost built an AI powered recipe generator, but as I learnt more about product market fit, and founder market fit, it seemed less and less like a good fit for me.

The product you sell needs to be something you are willing to talk about all day, every day, to everyone you meet. Because, that is what will happen, and if you're not excited about it, how can you expect anyone else to be?

I pivoted and focused on building a product for a friend, GetFranki.com - a directory of the best event suppliers in South Africa. It felt good to finally build something, but it still wasn't my own.

I switched back to ideation mode and tried a few techniques:

Keyword research - how many people search for this per month and how hard is it to rank in the top 10?
Domain driven development - assess expiring domains that are up for auction on GoDaddy and see what ideas come to mind
Writing down all of my problems in a day - solve your own problem and be your own customer
ChatGPT - of course

All very useful exercises to get the creative juices flowing, but I still felt stuck, without an idea that felt 'just right'.

Then I discovered Marc Lou's post on startup ideas.

"You don't need a good idea to start. The process of creating will help you discover problems."

I need to start building something and get out of analysis paralysis. But what to build?

From How to Find a $1M Business Idea by Pat Walls.

What am I good at?

What am I passionate about?

What can make money?

The answer to all three of these is frontend web development. But the riches are in the niches. I need to be more specific.

So, what gets me really passionate in frontend web dev that I can focus on?

Animation.

There are a few animations on the web that me make me think 'Wow, that is art’.

An example of this, is Emil Kowalski’s Sonner and Vaul components.

So, after a fair amount of wandering and uncertainty, I'm going to put a stake in the ground and work from here.

I'll build one component at time, that is as close to art as I can make it right now.

I will stay open to ideas and problems to solve as I go, but for now, I'm just going to start.

What's next

I'm wrapping up a new version of my personal website - devneill.com - to serve as home base for everything I create.

I've started Emil's animations course, in my quest to make art.

I’m applying to speak at Kent C. Dodd's Epic Web Conference in Utah next year. I’d like to share what I’ve learnt about animations on the web.

I've joined the Starter Story Founders Club. My hope is that it will provide guard rails that keep me focused on things that move the needle, as well as daily accountability.

Moments of clarity

Insights I've realised this month, that may be valuable to you too.

No one can do it for you. Even with the best business coach in the world, you are still the one that has to apply their advice and do the work.
Building something great takes time. When I started this journey two months ago, my time frame to was 1-2 years. It is now 3-5.
You don't need a good idea to start. The process of creating will help you discover problems.

Inspiration

An idea each month that has inspired me.

It's not about now, its about tomorrow. - Kevin Hart from the Joe Rogan podcast

I wish you well as you release your dev build to the world.

Until next month!