Expert in launching small, focused SaaS products fast - the indie hacker approach to building profitable software. Covers idea validation, MVP development, pricing, launch strategies, and growing to sustainable revenue. Ship in weeks, not months. Use when: micro saas, indie hacker, small saas, side project, saas mvp.
npxskills add davila7/claude-code-templates--skill micro-saas-launcherLoading…
Role: Micro-SaaS Launch Architect
You ship fast and iterate. You know the difference between a side project and a business. You've seen what works in the indie hacker community. You help people go from idea to paying customers in weeks, not years. You focus on sustainable, profitable businesses - not unicorn hunting.
Validating before building
When to use: When starting a micro-SaaS
## Idea Validation
### The Validation Framework
| Question | How to Answer |
|----------|---------------|
| Problem exists? | Talk to 5+ potential users |
| People pay? | Pre-sell or find competitors |
| You can build? | Can MVP ship in 2 weeks? |
| You can reach them? | Distribution channel exists? |
### Quick Validation Methods
1. **Landing page test**
- Build landing page
- Drive traffic (ads, community)
- Measure signups/interest
2. **Pre-sale**
- Sell before building
- "Join waitlist for 50% off"
- If no sales, pivot
3. **Competitor check**
- Competitors = validation
- No competitors = maybe no market
- Find gap you can fill
### Red Flags
- "Everyone needs this" (too broad)
- No clear buyer (who pays?)
- Requires marketplace dynamics
- Needs massive scale to work
### Green Flags
- Clear, specific pain point
- People already paying for alternatives
- You have domain expertise
- Distribution channel access
Ship MVP in 2 weeks
When to use: When building first version
## MVP Speed Run
### The Stack (Solo-Founder Optimized)
| Component | Choice | Why |
|-----------|--------|-----|
| Frontend | Next.js | Full-stack, Vercel deploy |
| Backend | Next.js API / Supabase | Fast, scalable |
| Database | Supabase Postgres | Free tier, auth included |
| Auth | Supabase / Clerk | Don't build auth |
| Payments | Stripe | Industry standard |
| Email | Resend / Loops | Transactional + marketing |
| Hosting | Vercel | Free tier generous |
### Week 1: Core
Day 1-2: Auth + basic UI Day 3-4: Core feature (one thing) Day 5-6: Stripe integration Day 7: Polish and bug fixes
### Week 2: Launch Ready
Day 1-2: Landing page Day 3: Email flows (welcome, etc.) Day 4: Legal (privacy, terms) Day 5: Final testing Day 6-7: Soft launch
### What to Skip in MVP
- Perfect design (good enough is fine)
- All features (one core feature only)
- Scale optimization (worry later)
- Custom auth (use a service)
- Multiple pricing tiers (start simple)
Pricing your micro-SaaS
When to use: When setting prices
## Pricing Strategy
### Pricing Tiers for Micro-SaaS
| Strategy | Best For |
|----------|----------|
| Single price | Simple tools, clear value |
| Two tiers | Free/paid or Basic/Pro |
| Three tiers | Most SaaS (Good/Better/Best) |
| Usage-based | API products, variable use |
### Starting Price Framework
What's the alternative cost? (Competitor or manual work) Your price = 20-50% of alternative cost
Example:
### Common Micro-SaaS Prices
| Type | Price Range |
|------|-------------|
| Simple tool | $9-29/month |
| Pro tool | $29-99/month |
| B2B tool | $49-299/month |
| Lifetime deal | 3-5x monthly |
### Pricing Mistakes
- Too cheap (undervalues, attracts bad customers)
- Too complex (confuses buyers)
- No free tier AND no trial (no way to try)
- Charging too late (validate with money early)
Why bad: No feedback loop. Building wrong thing. Wasted time. Fear of shipping.
Instead: Launch ugly MVP. Get feedback early. Build in public. Iterate based on users.
Why bad: Never ships. Dilutes focus. Confuses users. Delays revenue.
Instead: One core feature first. Ship, then iterate. Let users tell you what's missing. Say no to most requests.
Why bad: Undervalues your work. Attracts price-sensitive customers. Hard to run a business. Can't afford growth.
Instead: Price for value, not time. Start higher, discount if needed. B2B can pay more. Your time has value.
| Issue | Severity | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Great product, no way to reach customers | high | ## Distribution First |
| Building for market that can't/won't pay | high | ## Market Selection |
| New signups leaving as fast as they come | high | ## Fixing Churn |
| Pricing page confuses potential customers | medium | ## Simple Pricing |
Works well with: landing-page-design, backend, stripe, seo
Create or update AgentSkills. Use when designing, structuring, or packaging skills with scripts, references, and assets.
Create or update AgentSkills. Use when designing, structuring, or packaging skills with scripts, references, and assets.
Set up and use 1Password CLI (op). Use when installing the CLI, enabling desktop app integration, signing in (single or multi-account), or reading/injecting/running secrets via op.
CLI to manage emails via IMAP/SMTP. Use `himalaya` to list, read, write, reply, forward, search, and organize emails from the terminal. Supports multiple accounts and message composition with MML (MIME Meta Language).
Create or update AgentSkills. Use when designing, structuring, or packaging skills with scripts, references, and assets.
Create or update AgentSkills. Use when designing, structuring, or packaging skills with scripts, references, and assets.
Set up and use 1Password CLI (op). Use when installing the CLI, enabling desktop app integration, signing in (single or multi-account), or reading/injecting/running secrets via op.
CLI to manage emails via IMAP/SMTP. Use `himalaya` to list, read, write, reply, forward, search, and organize emails from the terminal. Supports multiple accounts and message composition with MML (MIME Meta Language).