4 ms·

I did the SaaS-side-business thing for about 6 years. Early on I decided the SaaS was going to be my next career move and I would stay at my employer until I co

I did the SaaS-side-business thing for about 6 years. Early on I decided the SaaS was going to be my next career move and I would stay at my employer until I could quit employment altogether. A new job means you have to earn your place on a new team and how could I do that successfully with one eye on my SaaS at all times? When James joined stripe I was surprised both that stripe was agreeable to side projects and that James was courageous enough to try to do both. Open sourcing here just looks like more courage. Good luck James and congrats on what you’ve built here!

brushfoot 4y ago
As someone else with a SaaS side business of around the same age, it gets painful around then: You have to make tough decisions and the early fun is gone. Plus keeping up with new and existing customers can make it feel like you're not really steering the ship anymore but being tossed around by the storm. I understand James's desire to step back, though MIT is an interesting choice since now anyone can do anything with it, including selling it. What did you end up doing with your SaaS business?
- encoderer 4y ago
  Went full time in 2020! Immediately took an 80% pay cut, but I spend 0 hours in bullshit meetings and no longer have to play the corporate employment game.
  - brushfoot 4y ago
    Was hoping for that answer. Good for you! I've been weighing when to take the plunge myself. I can't support my family with what mine is making on the side right now (10% of my day job salary), though I know if I were full time on it I'd be seeing more return. Just feels like a high dive into a small pool and I'm trying to suss out the right moment. Any tips/lessons learned?
    - encoderer 4y ago
      Double down on anything that has worked to attract new customers. Ask yourself if there was a gun to your head and you HAD to 10x in a year what would you do. Get to a point where it covers your lifestyle and make the leap.
    - neill 4y ago
      Have you considered working with anyone else to help advance the product/business while still working to support your family?
  - zippergz 4y ago
    That's awesome. Congrats!

brushfoot 4y ago

As someone else with a SaaS side business of around the same age, it gets painful around then: You have to make tough decisions and the early fun is gone. Plus keeping up with new and existing customers can make it feel like you're not really steering the ship anymore but being tossed around by the storm. I understand James's desire to step back, though MIT is an interesting choice since now anyone can do anything with it, including selling it. What did you end up doing with your SaaS business?

encoderer 4y ago
Went full time in 2020! Immediately took an 80% pay cut, but I spend 0 hours in bullshit meetings and no longer have to play the corporate employment game.
- brushfoot 4y ago
  Was hoping for that answer. Good for you! I've been weighing when to take the plunge myself. I can't support my family with what mine is making on the side right now (10% of my day job salary), though I know if I were full time on it I'd be seeing more return. Just feels like a high dive into a small pool and I'm trying to suss out the right moment. Any tips/lessons learned?
  - encoderer 4y ago
    Double down on anything that has worked to attract new customers. Ask yourself if there was a gun to your head and you HAD to 10x in a year what would you do. Get to a point where it covers your lifestyle and make the leap.
  - neill 4y ago
    Have you considered working with anyone else to help advance the product/business while still working to support your family?
- zippergz 4y ago
  That's awesome. Congrats!