The experiment

Bikram Sutar Bikram Sutar

Table of Contents

 

I am going to run a few experiments for the next 2 months. I have a hypothesis

This is the greatest time to build (fact), the software building complexity and cost both have gone down drastically (fact), this means small lean teams are possible, and there are enough revenue-generating, profitable b2c, b2b opportunities that can be executed by one person. In the current world, there can be more bootstrapped companies than ever.

 

Resources

I have a budget of 15L. 5L is the backup for finding out a VC-backed company's traction if bootstraping doesn't work. 6L is my budget for staying and accommodation for the next 12 months with zero income. I have 4 lakhs at my disposal to run bootstrap experiments.

I have 2 months to pick signals, 2 months to double down, and have clarity if this path is going to work.

April 30th is the checkpoint for deciding where and whether I double down.

June 30th is the deadline for this. 

 

Strategy

Build useful things, figure out useful things by talking to people, releasing, and distributing. Show the value quickly to the user, and get them to pay as soon as possible. I can't give unlimited freemium, or I will go broke 🤐

I am mostly going to focus on b2c niche apps and ideas. And on the side, I will also try to find a big b2b idea. Talk to people - cofounders, vcs, early employees - to find the big idea. 

Plan

The plan is to run several independent experiments in b2c initially. Work on 3 things in parallel

  1. Build and ship - Staying on top of the fast-moving tech
  2. Distribute - Marketing and organic leveraging AI
    • Content creation 
  3. Solve problem for people - POCs, brainstorming, so I get more ideas around the newly evolving build and distribution model. 

If things work, I shall have 

  1. A few apps - generating revenue
  2. A few stores, selling products
  3. A few content labs, generating AI content - initially, short marketing content. Later can be creative content
  4. A new combined distribution model that is proven and can be replicated. 

Making content, marketing - generating leads - top of the funnel, and converting that to purchases, I believe there is a big value. Starting with content gives me space to iterate on this loop faster. 

Week 1 - Feb last week

  • Matrum POC. 
  • Create Apple Developer account
  • Warm up reddit, x - post at least 3 content
  • Use Claude extensively at work, and figure out whether to buy a cursor or Claude for personal purchase on Sunday. I can always have access to others. 
  • Settle in
  • Set up task/project tracking - linear. 
  • Cleanup and set up my personal calendar - use a new email id?
  • Name the experiment 😅

Week 2 - March 1st week 

  • Matrum POC. 
  • Get iPad note taker ready to release - I don't have a lot of expectations from this, but it is in the pipeline and closest to release. 
  • Learn AI content generation, make a few character videos. 

Week 3 - March 2nd week

  • Release iPad note taker
  • Company registration? 
  • Set up a team to generate niche content - a team of 2 people and a partner
    • Kids content - hook for kidli, and other kids' products
    • Assam, Nepali regional content - hook to sell regional products. 
  • Talk to companies that do print on demand and shipping. Will be used to sell regional trendy clothing. 
  • Research kids' products, find themes that can be sold

Week 4 - March 3rd week

  • Start posting kids' content
  • Start posting regional content
  • Marketing iPad note taker
  • Talk to kids product distributors. 
  • Set up a store for kids' products, regional products