The unlikely story of shipping a startup

I thought it would be interesting to share the story of how @adamfortuna and I started working on Hardcover. It's an unlikely story because I think it's a testament to how startups can be built nowadays. So back in 2021 Adam decided to start "a site out of spite for Goodreads" when they discontinued their API. Four months later, he posted a message looking for product designers on Reddit (on that r/cofounders we all know and love). I was lurking and saw it and luckily I was the first one to reply in the first 20 seconds. That led to the past 2.5 years of us working together on Hardcover. I live in London. He lives in Salt Lake City. For both of us, it started as a side project. This side project saw us shipping relentlessly and building what Hardcover is today. When we started out, I couldn't imagine what it would lead to. I guess most startups are like that. Now we're one of the few platforms that are tackling the mission to dethrone G**dreads. Of course, that's a long journey. But I like to imagine we're at a similar point to when the Hobbits reached the Elven Kingdom of Lothlórien. Still a long way to go, but we've gotten somewhere! Paul Graham said that startups are extremely fragile at first. He was 100% right. You kinda have to believe in something against all odds. He also said that 'a Goodreads replacement' is one of those tar pit ideas. Well, it seems like we have a chance of getting it out of the tar pit. I think most founders would tell you this doesn't work unless you're sharing a pod in SF and pulling all-nighters. Some startups might be like that, but there are also a lot of other ways to make it work. The takeaway from this is, I guess, pick something you enjoy working on with skilled people you get along with and keep shipping. It really works, against all odds, I can certify. To end this on an ask, we're launching Hardcover tomorrow and would love your support over here: https://www.producthunt.com/posts/hardcover-2