$20M/year & 100% bootstrapped

In 2019, they were called "IDIOTS" as they were building a product that already existed.

July 19, 2023

Everyone loves an underdog, and Martha Bitar and Rebecca Shostak are the epitome of this.

Called 'idiots' in 2019 for daring to enter a 'saturated' market, now they're in 2023 running a $20M/year fully bootstrapped biz named Flodesk.

How's that for a plot twist?

In short, Martha and Rebecca saw that email marketing tools were letting creators and entrepreneurs down. So, they teamed up and built Flodesk - the creator-friendly email marketing tool.

Here's how they did it:

1. Customer Focus: They targeted small businesses and made life easier with a user-friendly platform and high-impact designs.

2. Simple Landing Page: Addressing pain points led to a 13% sign-up rate for their free trial.

3. Building a Fanbase: They used Facebook to turn happy customers into brand ambassadors.

4. Feedback is Gold: By paying attention to why customers stay or leave, they optimized their product.

5. User-friendly Analytics: Even the non-tech savvy can understand and use Flodesk's analytics.

6. Fair Pricing: They chose flat pricing over tier-based pricing, making it a pocket-friendly choice.

7. Viral Loop: Every Flodesk email increased its brand visibility. Because they added their logo at the end of every email :)

The lesson from Flodesk? No market is ever 'saturated' when you have the right product and strategies.

Plus, they recommend checking out Y-Combinator's Startup School series for some extra insight.

A gift for all the readers: