Sharing WINS is fun. But what about our FAILS? Share your failed Product Hunt launch below!
Nick Freiling
6 replies
Come on. Most of us have been there.
A product idea came to you late one night. You saw the path to an MVP immediately. You got to work, programming during your lunch breaks and late into the nights.
A few weeks later, your product is ready to share with the world. You launch it on Product Hunt, share it with all your friends, and...
Nothing.
A few crickets, maybe. And a lonely (and embarrassing) "Look what my son/daughter made!" post on your mom's Facebook page.
But hey, there's NO SHAME in launching something that didn't catch on. These products are often stepping-stones to much better products. So let's share more about what DIDN'T work, and learn from each other in the process.
I'll go first (first comment below).
Replies
Manoj Ranaweera@manojranaweera
Not yet launched anything per say here. Still debating whether I should go with www.skilledup.life - free talent for tech startups.
In all essence, I feel like I can't be bothered. We have 2,708 Volunteers. But only 9 paying subscribers. So still a very new product.
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StampFans
I launched MailThis.co on Product Hunt last year. Hit #2 on the day 🎉🎉
So you can imagine what my expectations were like when I launched SincerelyMe (SincerelyMe.us) a similar, but cooler, version of the same basic product a few months later.
I spent a few weeks building it, launched it on Product Hunt, and...nothing. I got a few users, sure. 46 upvotes. But nowhere even CLOSE to the 363 I got the first time around.
The product has sat basically dormant since then. 2-3 users a month.
StampFans
@manojranaweera Yes. I got lazy. Thought it would be as easy as the first launch.
@nickfreiling were you banking on Product Hunt for success?
“Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.” —Dale Carnegie
In 2009 I founded a denim brand startup.
... In 2022 I still have over 100 denim shorts that are several sizes too small in boxes D :