Building a SaaS isn’t an easy task to accomplish.
The road is full of roadblocks and unexpected turns.
It can get lonely and overwhelming at times.
When that happens, founders get demotivated and lose focus.
If you stick to your plan with the right approach, your whole life can change in a matter of in 2–3 years. You can become your own boss, come out of the 9-5 misery and achieve financial freedom.
But unfortunately, many SaaS founders fail to find the right motivation in the initial days of their SaaS journey.
Primarily because, it’s difficult to find the time to work on your SaaS business, especially when you have other commitments (like a full-time job or a family).
Here’s are some other reasons:
- Early SaaS enthusiasts often lack the determination to build a successful SaaS business. They quit when they face setbacks and challenges along the way
- Sometimes it’s the effect of the environment that doesn’t promote entrepreneurship. Your friends and family may not understand the sacrifices you’re making, and they may even discourage you from pursuing your dream.
- Also, it’s easy to feel discouraged when you don’t see many other people who have succeeded in building a successful SaaS business as a solo founder. But the truth is, there are many successful solo SaaS founders out there. You just need to know where to look.
Just because some roadblocks have popped up, you shouldn’t quit your SaaS dream. Think what’s on the other side of the road.
Do you really want to give it away?
Today, I’m showing you how you can stay motivated in your SaaS journey as a solo founder in 4 easy steps.
Let’s begin,
Step 1: Remind Yourself Why You’re Doing It
There’s a core reason why you started your SaaS journey in the first place.
It could be because you hate your job
It could be because you want a lot of money.
It could because you want to do something for your family
No matter what your core reason is, you should always keep reminding yourself that reason.
It can be an incredible source of motivation.
When I first stared my online gig, there were several factors that drove me:
🚫 In 7 years of working for someone else, I never found a company that cared about me. I was just getting things done for them in exchange for a salary.
🚫 Often, salary and bonuses were not disbursed on a regular basis
🚫 I have rarely been appreciated for my quality of work
🚫 I haven’t received regular promotions based on KPI or merit.
🚫 In order to do an 8 hour/ day job, I’ve invested more than 10 hours in it doing things I don’t like.
🚫 Most of my previous bosses had severe leadership issues.
I looked back and thought,
Is this going to be the story of my entire life?
➡️ An answer came from the inside, NO.
Now, every time I feel low, I go through those memories. My determination gets recharged immediately.
It’s equally important to write down your goals and put them somewhere where you’ll see them every day.
Or you could get a little more creative.
If your dream is to do a travel the world with the money you make, you could put a globe on your desk with the places you want to visit marked on it
This will help you stay focused and motivated.
Another way is to share your goals with your friends and family.
If you know people who genuinely care for you, telling them your dream can come in handy. They can remind you when they think you need a gentle push to get back on the track.
Step 2: Surround Yourself with the Right Kind of People
There are two types of people you want to be around:
1️⃣ Positive people: They tend to be more optimistic, hopeful, and supportive. They can help you see the bright side of life, even when things are tough.
2️⃣ Successful people: Successful people can provide you with inspiration and motivation. They can show you what is possible and help you believe in yourself.
When you’re surrounded by such people, you’re more likely to feel inspired and motivated.
If you can find other SaaS founders around you with similar traits, you can also learn from each other’s experiences and share ideas.
Additionally, having a community of support can help you to stay accountable and on track with your goals.
Here’s what you can do to find such people:
- Join online communities and forums where SaaS founders can connect and share support. (r/SaaS on Reddit, IndieHackers, SaaStr, SaaS Growth Hacks Group on Facebook)
- Attend meetups and conferences for SaaS founders and entrepreneurs.
- Connect with other solo founders on LinkedIn and Twitter (check out #buildinpublic community on Twitter).
Make sure you maintain the right etiquette while reaching out to other SaaS founders. You don’t want to appear too desperate and immature.
Step 3: Have a Solid Plan of Action
I’m hoping you already have your SaaS idea by now. If not, check out this free guide that I wrote.
Now, do you have a solid plan to execute your idea?
🟢 When’s the MVP gonna launch?
🟢 What’s your customer acquisition strategy?
🟢 Who’s going to make all the marketing materials?
🟢 What’s the roadmap you’re going to follow to release new features?
🟢 When are you going to start engaging with people from the community?
If you don’t have an answer to all of those questions, it means you don’t have a decent plan.
Maybe you’re not committed yet.
Without a plan, it’s easy to get sidetracked and start working on things that aren’t essential to the success of your business.
You may also find yourself procrastinating on important tasks because you’re not sure where to start.
Here’s how you can make a simple implementation plan:
- Set clear goals for your business. What do you want to achieve in the next 3 months? 6 months? 1 year?
- Now let’s break them down into smaller, more manageable tasks.
- Then, create a schedule for completing each task. Be realistic about how much time you have available, and don’t be afraid to delegate tasks to others if possible.
- Finally, review your plan regularly and make adjustments as needed. Things don’t always go according to plan, so it’s important to be flexible.
Make sure to accommodate room for mistakes in your plan. Otherwise, you may find it difficult to cope up with failures
Step 4: Avoid Distraction and Tease
When you decide to change the course of your life, a lot of distractions and tease will come along.
If you want to succeed as a solo SaaS founder, you need to learn to avoid distractions, ignore tease and have a razor sharp focus on your goals.
When you’re distracted, you’re not working on your business. You’re wasting time and energy on things that don’t matter. And the more distracted you are, the harder it will be to stay motivated.
Here are a few things you can do:
- Clear your workspace of the usual suspects – your phone, email, and those pesky social media notifications.
- Don’t let people’s negativity get to you. When people taunt you, it’s because they’re insecure about their own lives.
- Until you are done building the foundation of your SaaS business, those weekend shenanigans and late-night parties are a no-no.
One Last Tip: When you feel you have too much on your plate, take a day or two off from work. Do something that relaxes you; maybe a short trip to the countryside or a quick meetup with an old friend.
Wrapping Up
Building a SaaS that’s going to bring you financial freedom is not ‘A day in the Disneyland’- experience.
It has its own ups and down.
However, that shouldn’t hold you back from achieving your goal.
There’ll be days that’ll hit you below the belt; hang on tight.
If you’re consistent with your efforts, you’ll make it to your destination in no time.
Next Action Step
Make two lists and put them in front of your workstation.
In one list, write the major milestones you need to achieve in the coming year for your SaaS.
In another list, put the things you want to do in your life when your SaaS becomes successful.
Now, whenever you have a bad day, look at both the lists.
It’s a subtle thing that will have immense positive impact on you. I’m telling this from experience.
That’s it for today.
See you next week.