I Fucked Up: Reflections from Week 50

Alright, I messed up. After 12 weeks of consistency, I broke my newsletter-sending-streak by missing sending a newsletter week 50 of 2024, by 2 hours. This newsletter is coming in late because I just pushed it later and later, and just missed the deadline. It’s frustrating, but I’m back now (or, rather, still here) and ready to share some insights from the past week.

A Demo Wake-Up Call

This week, after running a few demos, I realized something important: some potential customers are getting the feeling that the platform is a bit too basic. It’s not that the core functionality isn’t there - it’s solid - but it seems I haven’t quite nailed the demo experience.

Part of the issue is that the features most people use are fairly streamlined, and if that’s the only thing they’re shown, it can make the platform feel a bit "bare" at first glance. It’s a tricky balance - showing simplicity without it coming across as incomplete.

Quick Win for a more “Complete” Feel

To address this, I’m planning to build out a few quick features that will give Sunnycloud a more "complete" and polished feel. These aren’t massive undertakings - just small additions that pack a punch in terms of perception.

There are actually several things I can add fairly quickly that are clear value-adds, just that I’ve focused on tightening up the core features.

The goal is to show potential customers that Sunnycloud is not only easy to use but also robust enough to handle their needs. With just a little bit of extra work, I’m confident the platform will leave a stronger first impression in demos moving forward.

Let’s go!

The Value of Consistency (and How I Plan to Regain It)

Breaking the streak was a bit of a wake-up call for me. Consistency is one of the hardest things to maintain when juggling product development, customer outreach, and everything else. But it’s also one of the most important habits to build - whether it’s for sending newsletters, iterating on the product, or staying connected with potential customers.

Missing a week by 2 hours doesn’t mean the streak is over for good, or even really over. But, this experience reminded me that progress doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful. It also doesn’t mean that it’s ok to forego

Moving forward, I’m planning to dedicate a specific time each week for writing the newsletter, ensuring it stays a priority no matter how hectic things get.

Missing the newsletter streak isn’t ideal, but this week brought some valuable lessons. I’m learning to balance simplicity with the need to showcase depth and capability, especially in demos. The next step? Making those quick feature updates and getting back to the streak.

Here’s to bouncing back and making progress - even when things don’t go as planned!