Contenda: Transforming Ideas into Action with AI-Driven Solutions for Content Management and Collaboration
Company profile
Company business details
Problem that their product solves
Contenda addresses the challenge of managing and utilizing technical documentation effectively, allowing teams to maximize the value of their existing resources. The end users are businesses that struggle with content management, and solving this problem is important for them to enhance collaboration and streamline processes.Their unfair advantage
Contenda offers a tight feedback loop with customers, ensuring that the product evolves based on real user needs rather than speculative future features.Strategies
Pre-Launch (Product Development & MVP)
Iterative Development and Rapid Prototyping
During the development of Brain Story, the team utilized their previous experiences from Contenda Studio to build the new product quickly. They managed to create the core functionality of Brain Story in less than two weeks, allowing them to test the product with users early on. This rapid prototyping approach enabled them to gather feedback and make necessary adjustments before a full-scale launch.
Design Partnerships
Contenda's founder, Lilly Chen, focused on establishing design partnerships as a primary strategy before launching the product publicly. By offering these partnerships at a price point of $8,000 a month, Contenda provided early access to their solution for potential customers while simultaneously creating a feedback loop to refine the product. This approach allowed them to validate their offering and build relationships with key clients without the need for a public pricing page or general availability.
Serverless Infrastructure
To manage costs and scale efficiently, Contenda utilized the Serverless framework, specifically AWS Lambda functions, for their backend. This choice allowed them to only incur costs based on usage, meaning if there were no customers, the service was free. This infrastructure was particularly suitable for their initial customer base of 5-6 design partnerships, as it provided the necessary support without over-investing in complex systems.
Transparent Shipping
Lilly Chen emphasized the importance of transparency in the development process. She encouraged her team to ship products quickly while being honest with potential customers about the product's current state and vision. By communicating that the product was built in a short timeframe and seeking feedback, they fostered trust and demonstrated commitment to solving customer problems. This approach helped to mitigate the fear of presenting an unfinished product while still gathering valuable insights.
Community Engagement through Social Media
Suzan Bond initiated a series of leader interviews to provide insights into the challenges faced by leaders, aiming to change perceptions of leadership. She actively sought underrepresented voices for her series, which led to her connecting with Lilly Chen, the CEO of Contenda, through a tweet. This engagement not only built a community around her content but also showcased diverse leadership experiences, enhancing her brand's visibility and relatability.
Learn more about Contenda
Finding Product Market Fit with Cassidy Williams of Contenda
Why You Don’t Need to be “Enterprise-Ready” or “Scalable” as Yet and Other Notes on Crafting B2B Software with Contenda’s Founder, Lilly Chen
