Adam
@millerdup.bsky.social
Product Designer & Improving Marketer | Founder & Investor | Happily Making Mistakes & Learning Lessons.
Pinned
Adam
@millerdup.bsky.social
· Feb 10
I spent the last decade working in a cave. Not sharing progress. Never asking the world for advice. As a result I made mistakes. Lots of mistakes!
This year, I’m shaking things up by sharing my work, learning from others, and hopefully helping you avoid the same errors.
This year, I’m shaking things up by sharing my work, learning from others, and hopefully helping you avoid the same errors.
Imagine a world where your knowledge base is more valuable than your product.
July 24, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Imagine a world where your knowledge base is more valuable than your product.
Can a software spec alone, be a company's IP?
It just describes the software. It's not actually the thing... Is it?
It just describes the software. It's not actually the thing... Is it?
July 22, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Can a software spec alone, be a company's IP?
It just describes the software. It's not actually the thing... Is it?
It just describes the software. It's not actually the thing... Is it?
So in the future, instead of being good at solving problems, we'll just need to be good at describing them.
Seems like much less talent required, or fun to be had...
Seems like much less talent required, or fun to be had...
July 22, 2025 at 7:46 AM
So in the future, instead of being good at solving problems, we'll just need to be good at describing them.
Seems like much less talent required, or fun to be had...
Seems like much less talent required, or fun to be had...
It's crazy to imagine running a SaaS with 100k MRR but you have no idea how it works.
July 21, 2025 at 8:09 PM
It's crazy to imagine running a SaaS with 100k MRR but you have no idea how it works.
Massively interested in the idea that humans could become the custodians of version controlled specifications, and no longer craft the code.
July 21, 2025 at 10:11 AM
Massively interested in the idea that humans could become the custodians of version controlled specifications, and no longer craft the code.
We all think our product is great. Then we have to make a website to sell it. This is where we can struggle.
- Writing engaging copy
- Getting the right page flow
- Problems, solutions, features, benefits, value
- Creating emotional connection
- Avoiding buyer hesitancy
- Building trust/credibility
- Writing engaging copy
- Getting the right page flow
- Problems, solutions, features, benefits, value
- Creating emotional connection
- Avoiding buyer hesitancy
- Building trust/credibility
July 8, 2025 at 3:14 PM
We all think our product is great. Then we have to make a website to sell it. This is where we can struggle.
- Writing engaging copy
- Getting the right page flow
- Problems, solutions, features, benefits, value
- Creating emotional connection
- Avoiding buyer hesitancy
- Building trust/credibility
- Writing engaging copy
- Getting the right page flow
- Problems, solutions, features, benefits, value
- Creating emotional connection
- Avoiding buyer hesitancy
- Building trust/credibility
The quality of craftsmanship in startups seems lower than ever right now.
We've recently been trying to prove the eligibility of a new project idea.
The first step?
Reliably reading and extracting content from startup home and landing pages for analysis.
And my conclusion after weeks of graft?
We've recently been trying to prove the eligibility of a new project idea.
The first step?
Reliably reading and extracting content from startup home and landing pages for analysis.
And my conclusion after weeks of graft?
July 8, 2025 at 12:04 PM
The quality of craftsmanship in startups seems lower than ever right now.
We've recently been trying to prove the eligibility of a new project idea.
The first step?
Reliably reading and extracting content from startup home and landing pages for analysis.
And my conclusion after weeks of graft?
We've recently been trying to prove the eligibility of a new project idea.
The first step?
Reliably reading and extracting content from startup home and landing pages for analysis.
And my conclusion after weeks of graft?
In todays world having a unique idea is almost impossible.
Even the latest trending apps are not always that new.
They are often putting different spins on existing things.
So the chances are high that your startup idea will have competition.
Potential alternatives for our customers to consider.
Even the latest trending apps are not always that new.
They are often putting different spins on existing things.
So the chances are high that your startup idea will have competition.
Potential alternatives for our customers to consider.
May 28, 2025 at 6:12 PM
In todays world having a unique idea is almost impossible.
Even the latest trending apps are not always that new.
They are often putting different spins on existing things.
So the chances are high that your startup idea will have competition.
Potential alternatives for our customers to consider.
Even the latest trending apps are not always that new.
They are often putting different spins on existing things.
So the chances are high that your startup idea will have competition.
Potential alternatives for our customers to consider.
I've spent all this time learning about MCP.
And all the amazing things AI agents can do.
I've set it all up.
Watched the videos.
"Top 10 things to do with MCP."
"How to 10x your productivity with agents."
And then...
And all the amazing things AI agents can do.
I've set it all up.
Watched the videos.
"Top 10 things to do with MCP."
"How to 10x your productivity with agents."
And then...
May 27, 2025 at 6:19 PM
I've spent all this time learning about MCP.
And all the amazing things AI agents can do.
I've set it all up.
Watched the videos.
"Top 10 things to do with MCP."
"How to 10x your productivity with agents."
And then...
And all the amazing things AI agents can do.
I've set it all up.
Watched the videos.
"Top 10 things to do with MCP."
"How to 10x your productivity with agents."
And then...
I must confess, I didn't make this mistake once.
That would have been fine.
Nope, I made it 4 times!
With the same project!!
And each time I was convinced it was going to work.
And each time it failed miserably, and I hated myself a little more.
We had a fully operational product.
That would have been fine.
Nope, I made it 4 times!
With the same project!!
And each time I was convinced it was going to work.
And each time it failed miserably, and I hated myself a little more.
We had a fully operational product.
May 22, 2025 at 11:57 AM
I must confess, I didn't make this mistake once.
That would have been fine.
Nope, I made it 4 times!
With the same project!!
And each time I was convinced it was going to work.
And each time it failed miserably, and I hated myself a little more.
We had a fully operational product.
That would have been fine.
Nope, I made it 4 times!
With the same project!!
And each time I was convinced it was going to work.
And each time it failed miserably, and I hated myself a little more.
We had a fully operational product.
If the future will have no developers writing code (because it's all being done by bots). Who will write the frameworks and languages of the future?
May 21, 2025 at 6:12 PM
If the future will have no developers writing code (because it's all being done by bots). Who will write the frameworks and languages of the future?
I watch things like the Gemini keynote and have conflicting thoughts:
1. Wow that's technically amazing. Isn't it clever.
2. What a horrible world it will be if we actually use it.
Take the example they used of a friend emailing asking for trip advice.
Sure, I went to the place.
1. Wow that's technically amazing. Isn't it clever.
2. What a horrible world it will be if we actually use it.
Take the example they used of a friend emailing asking for trip advice.
Sure, I went to the place.
May 21, 2025 at 11:56 AM
I watch things like the Gemini keynote and have conflicting thoughts:
1. Wow that's technically amazing. Isn't it clever.
2. What a horrible world it will be if we actually use it.
Take the example they used of a friend emailing asking for trip advice.
Sure, I went to the place.
1. Wow that's technically amazing. Isn't it clever.
2. What a horrible world it will be if we actually use it.
Take the example they used of a friend emailing asking for trip advice.
Sure, I went to the place.
The ultimate UI doesn't look designed.
Countless hours of work that just go unnoticed.
The recipients completely oblivious.
I wonder, is there another profession like this?
Countless hours of work that just go unnoticed.
The recipients completely oblivious.
I wonder, is there another profession like this?
May 20, 2025 at 6:12 PM
The ultimate UI doesn't look designed.
Countless hours of work that just go unnoticed.
The recipients completely oblivious.
I wonder, is there another profession like this?
Countless hours of work that just go unnoticed.
The recipients completely oblivious.
I wonder, is there another profession like this?
A few years ago I realised my entire career had been a lie.
I'd happily tell people I was "running" my own business.
But in reality, I wasn't. I was its slave.
I wasn't in charge of my life at all.
I only existed to facilitate the desires of my employees and the whims of our clients.
I'd happily tell people I was "running" my own business.
But in reality, I wasn't. I was its slave.
I wasn't in charge of my life at all.
I only existed to facilitate the desires of my employees and the whims of our clients.
May 20, 2025 at 7:46 AM
A few years ago I realised my entire career had been a lie.
I'd happily tell people I was "running" my own business.
But in reality, I wasn't. I was its slave.
I wasn't in charge of my life at all.
I only existed to facilitate the desires of my employees and the whims of our clients.
I'd happily tell people I was "running" my own business.
But in reality, I wasn't. I was its slave.
I wasn't in charge of my life at all.
I only existed to facilitate the desires of my employees and the whims of our clients.
It's sad that 99% of our users will never notice the effort we put into our nav icons.
May 19, 2025 at 6:12 PM
It's sad that 99% of our users will never notice the effort we put into our nav icons.
As founders, why do we find it so difficult to take advice?
Why don't we believe what we're being told?
Because our situation is "different"?
Because we "know better"?
Because we're convinced "it won't happen to us"?
Why don't we believe what we're being told?
Because our situation is "different"?
Because we "know better"?
Because we're convinced "it won't happen to us"?
May 19, 2025 at 1:22 PM
As founders, why do we find it so difficult to take advice?
Why don't we believe what we're being told?
Because our situation is "different"?
Because we "know better"?
Because we're convinced "it won't happen to us"?
Why don't we believe what we're being told?
Because our situation is "different"?
Because we "know better"?
Because we're convinced "it won't happen to us"?
It's funny how at the start of my career I was always trying to prove to everyone how much I knew. Wanting to be the smartest person in the room. The ego of youth I guess.
May 19, 2025 at 7:47 AM
It's funny how at the start of my career I was always trying to prove to everyone how much I knew. Wanting to be the smartest person in the room. The ego of youth I guess.
You don't really appreciate how much you've learnt over the years until you see those following along behind you making the same mistakes.
May 16, 2025 at 12:04 PM
You don't really appreciate how much you've learnt over the years until you see those following along behind you making the same mistakes.
Whether it's building a project for a client or launching one of our own startups, over-engineering early features is a trap we've fallen into repeatedly.
Adding "just in case" settings because they might be needed later.
Building an enterprise-level backend on day one for a "solid foundation."
Adding "just in case" settings because they might be needed later.
Building an enterprise-level backend on day one for a "solid foundation."
May 16, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Whether it's building a project for a client or launching one of our own startups, over-engineering early features is a trap we've fallen into repeatedly.
Adding "just in case" settings because they might be needed later.
Building an enterprise-level backend on day one for a "solid foundation."
Adding "just in case" settings because they might be needed later.
Building an enterprise-level backend on day one for a "solid foundation."
We're going all in on the MLP's now.
Minimal Lovable Products.
It's much more fulfilling than just building landing pages for validation. And it also has another massive upside.
Sometimes in working out the MLP you realise your idea is rubbish.
Minimal Lovable Products.
It's much more fulfilling than just building landing pages for validation. And it also has another massive upside.
Sometimes in working out the MLP you realise your idea is rubbish.
May 16, 2025 at 7:49 AM
We're going all in on the MLP's now.
Minimal Lovable Products.
It's much more fulfilling than just building landing pages for validation. And it also has another massive upside.
Sometimes in working out the MLP you realise your idea is rubbish.
Minimal Lovable Products.
It's much more fulfilling than just building landing pages for validation. And it also has another massive upside.
Sometimes in working out the MLP you realise your idea is rubbish.
What do you say to a person who doesn't want to reveal their idea because someone might steal it?
May 15, 2025 at 6:14 PM
What do you say to a person who doesn't want to reveal their idea because someone might steal it?
Will innovation soon cease in the web/dev industry?
For decades we've lived in a world where people actually write the code. And the benefit of that has been new or evolving languages, frameworks, etc.
For decades we've lived in a world where people actually write the code. And the benefit of that has been new or evolving languages, frameworks, etc.
May 15, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Will innovation soon cease in the web/dev industry?
For decades we've lived in a world where people actually write the code. And the benefit of that has been new or evolving languages, frameworks, etc.
For decades we've lived in a world where people actually write the code. And the benefit of that has been new or evolving languages, frameworks, etc.
How many times can you proof read a piece of content before it should be considered ridiculous?
May 14, 2025 at 6:13 PM
How many times can you proof read a piece of content before it should be considered ridiculous?
A lot of talk recently about free trials being dead.
Apparently we should provide people with an attractive offer instead, like a discount on their first years access.
I find this an odd take. Especially when it's delivered as advice for startup founders.
Why?
Apparently we should provide people with an attractive offer instead, like a discount on their first years access.
I find this an odd take. Especially when it's delivered as advice for startup founders.
Why?
March 6, 2025 at 8:46 AM
A lot of talk recently about free trials being dead.
Apparently we should provide people with an attractive offer instead, like a discount on their first years access.
I find this an odd take. Especially when it's delivered as advice for startup founders.
Why?
Apparently we should provide people with an attractive offer instead, like a discount on their first years access.
I find this an odd take. Especially when it's delivered as advice for startup founders.
Why?
Don't ask how much money I've wasted doing this.
I refuse to work it out. It will make me sad.
Avoid these traps even though they can can be sooo tempting.
In a previous endeavour we were a founding team of product people. Not a marketing bone amongst us.
I refuse to work it out. It will make me sad.
Avoid these traps even though they can can be sooo tempting.
In a previous endeavour we were a founding team of product people. Not a marketing bone amongst us.
March 5, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Don't ask how much money I've wasted doing this.
I refuse to work it out. It will make me sad.
Avoid these traps even though they can can be sooo tempting.
In a previous endeavour we were a founding team of product people. Not a marketing bone amongst us.
I refuse to work it out. It will make me sad.
Avoid these traps even though they can can be sooo tempting.
In a previous endeavour we were a founding team of product people. Not a marketing bone amongst us.