The First Version of Ideatr
This article explains the thinking behind Ideatr’s first version. Instead of building everything at once, the focus is on simplicity, momentum, and real usage. Early success is defined by repeat use and visible progress, not features or scale.
The First Version of Ideatr
The first version of Ideatr is intentionally simple.
Not because I couldn’t build more, but because building less forces better decisions.
What I chose to build first
The goal of the first version is not completeness.
It’s usefulness.
I focused on the smallest set of things that help someone go from idea to action without getting stuck. That meant prioritizing clarity, speed, and iteration over polish or advanced features.
If something didn’t directly help a builder move forward, it didn’t make the cut.
What I didn’t build on purpose
I didn’t add everything I could have.
No complex settings.
No heavy customization.
No features that look impressive but don’t change behavior.
Those things are easy to add later. Focus is harder to recover once it’s gone.
The tradeoffs I’m aware of
This version will feel incomplete to some people. That’s expected.
It won’t handle every use case. It won’t appeal to everyone. But it does one thing well: it helps you start and continue without friction.
That’s the bet.
What success looks like for this version
Success isn’t scale yet.
Success is someone using Ideatr more than once.
Coming back to refine instead of restarting.
Making visible progress on something they care about.
If that happens, the foundation is right.
Everything else can be built on top of it.
The First Version of Ideatr
The first version of Ideatr is intentionally simple.
Not because I couldn’t build more, but because building less forces better decisions.
What I chose to build first
The goal of the first version is not completeness.
It’s usefulness.
I focused on the smallest set of things that help someone go from idea to action without getting stuck. That meant prioritizing clarity, speed, and iteration over polish or advanced features.
If something didn’t directly help a builder move forward, it didn’t make the cut.
What I didn’t build on purpose
I didn’t add everything I could have.
No complex settings.
No heavy customization.
No features that look impressive but don’t change behavior.
Those things are easy to add later. Focus is harder to recover once it’s gone.
The tradeoffs I’m aware of
This version will feel incomplete to some people. That’s expected.
It won’t handle every use case. It won’t appeal to everyone. But it does one thing well: it helps you start and continue without friction.
That’s the bet.
What success looks like for this version
Success isn’t scale yet.
Success is someone using Ideatr more than once.
Coming back to refine instead of restarting.
Making visible progress on something they care about.
If that happens, the foundation is right.
Everything else can be built on top of it.
The First Version of Ideatr
The first version of Ideatr is intentionally simple.
Not because I couldn’t build more, but because building less forces better decisions.
What I chose to build first
The goal of the first version is not completeness.
It’s usefulness.
I focused on the smallest set of things that help someone go from idea to action without getting stuck. That meant prioritizing clarity, speed, and iteration over polish or advanced features.
If something didn’t directly help a builder move forward, it didn’t make the cut.
What I didn’t build on purpose
I didn’t add everything I could have.
No complex settings.
No heavy customization.
No features that look impressive but don’t change behavior.
Those things are easy to add later. Focus is harder to recover once it’s gone.
The tradeoffs I’m aware of
This version will feel incomplete to some people. That’s expected.
It won’t handle every use case. It won’t appeal to everyone. But it does one thing well: it helps you start and continue without friction.
That’s the bet.
What success looks like for this version
Success isn’t scale yet.
Success is someone using Ideatr more than once.
Coming back to refine instead of restarting.
Making visible progress on something they care about.
If that happens, the foundation is right.
Everything else can be built on top of it.
Be the first to know about every new letter.
No spam, unsubscribe anytime.