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The Founder Roundup
Stripe affiliate integration, fractional exec support & GPT Chrome extension
Welcome back to the Founder Roundup! Can’t believe we’re coming up on the end of Q2. I’ve got a good feeling about the second half of 2023.
Today is a big day for us: We launched the Founder’s Second Brain Notion template on Product Hunt! If you could take 2 minutes to give us an upvote, we would greatly appreciate it.
WEEKLY WISDOM
“To be a founder in the seed and pre-seed stage is incredibly difficult. If you give up on the things you believe are true about your market and start listening to the people you’re talking to [in the market]- you’ll start to see signs of life”
The Backseat Startup Podcast
In the most recent episode of the Backseat Startup, we had Max Weisbrod of Baton on the show. A Reddit user asked if they should resign– amidst some major startup red flags. Max and I gave our thoughts.
The Founder Roundup
Reffilify: A Stripe Integration for Affiliate Programs
Reffilify, a convenient and cost-effective Software as a Service (SaaS) solution for content creators, bloggers, and Stripe users, is streamlining the generation, management, and sharing of affiliate links. Co-Founders Daniel Dalen and Julian Both, aiming to alleviate the technical complexities and high costs of existing solutions, are driving the development of this innovative platform.
A Multipurpose Solution
The platform is currently being tailored around three key services in the realm of affiliate marketing: ease of creating affiliate links for Stripe products and subscriptions, management of these links within the Reffilify platform, and tracking of link performance metrics. A rigorous testing phase is underway to ensure the system is user-friendly and highly effective, allowing the creation of affiliate links in minimal steps.
I have had my own projects in the past... The first time it was still very complicated to set up all the affiliate systems... I thought that it could be much easier if a software could solve this problem for others.
Reffilify is focusing on social media outreach, notably through Twitter, and personal networking to connect with potential users. Their primary targets are Stripe users, software and SaaS businesses utilizing affiliate programs for growth and subscription payments. A comprehensive competitor analysis is ongoing to further sharpen Reffilify's unique selling proposition and ensure maximum differentiation in the market.
Powering Fractional Executives with Baton
Baton specializes in providing support to fractional executives. They offer an array of services, from project completion to consultation and advisory roles, helping clients achieve their company goals. They distinguish themselves through their personalized approach to each client, focusing on their specific needs, and producing professional, profitable results.
Baton's Growth Trajectory
Since its inception in 2020, Baton has demonstrated an impressive growth pattern, scaling from zero to a monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of $40,000. The company aims to significantly bolster its earnings, with a target of hitting $2 million in revenue by December 2023.
Baton brings in the right rituals to help customers make the best strategic decisions and get their engineering products up and running. It’s about how we can craft the right offer that solves clients’ pain points while having healthy margins to deliver.
Strategic Decision-making and Operational Talent
Baton addresses the problem many firms face - the lack of operational talent to execute profitable strategies. They work with fractional executives, creating repeatable models and templates that businesses can utilize in the future. Through this tailored approach, Baton helps clients make strategic decisions that propel their businesses forward.
Enhance Your ChatGPT Experience with QuickyAI
Quicky AI is the latest venture of founder Basharath, who saw a need for a streamlined, less cumbersome way to leverage OpenAI's ChatGPT technology. Officially launched in April 2023, this Chrome extension enables users to prompt ChatGPT directly from any webpage without having to switch tabs, enhancing user experience with custom shortcuts, tailored responses, and more. Quicky AI's value proposition has quickly attracted attention, amassing over 4,000 website traffic and 70 users within a month.
The QuickyAI Experience
In practice, users can highlight text on a webpage and instantly generate answers from ChatGPT via a Quicky AI pop-up. This pop-up offers adjustable response length and query types, giving users significant control over their AI interactions. A one-time payment of $29.00 provides lifetime access to Quicky AI, with continuous updates on new features as they become available.
Users send me big lists of features they want, for example someone wanted a summary feature so I added a shortcut to view a summary. Now, all they have to do is visit a webpage, click a button, and they can view a complete summary of [it].
A Proactive Approach to Growth
Basharath’s growth strategy involves a combination of proactive marketing efforts, user-led feature development, and possible pricing and business model revisions. Basharath is considering transitioning to a freemium model and raising the lifetime access price as demand increases. A key part of this strategy includes leveraging Basharath's existing user base from his other products, offering them Quicky AI discounts.
Community Corner
From our friends at Resolute Future: Welcome to the Entrepreneur Ecosystem - where founders can connect with mentors, and resources designed to help you build and scale your business. With access to software, professional services, finance, marketing & development resources, our ecosystem is the perfect place to connect with like-minded individuals and turn your ideas into a reality.
From our friends at Day One: Join an upcoming cohort of the Day One Fellowship- a 3-month program that combines coaching, access to mentors and expert advisors, and a diverse yet tight-knit community of peers - all specifically designed for pre-seed founders who are navigating the path toward product-market fit. In the program, you'll go deep with a founder coach who will work with you weekly to guide you through the idea maze, enabling you to cut through the complexity and ambiguity of the early stage, focus on the right actions, and make critical decisions that will get you to PMF. Apply today, and use the code SFD250 for a $250 discount off the program fee.
Refer friends to the Founder Roundup & get rewarded
1 Referral: The Founder’s Database - Resources, investor lists, links, and how-to guides to help you succeed.
5 Referrals: 1 Year of SFD Premium Profile - Launching soon! (Usually $45).
10 Referrals: The Founder’s Second Brain Notion Template - Your all-in-one, automated dashboard for entrepreneurial success. (Usually $150)
Referring not your thing? The Founder’s Second Brain (and other tools) are available on our digital product store! Subscribers can take 25% off with promo code TFRJUNE25.
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