How Dave Nevogt and Jared Brown Built Hubstaff: Revolutionizing Remote Team Management.
Company profile
Company business details
Motivation to build the product
The founders were motivated by the need to improve productivity and accountability in remote work environments. They recognized the challenges businesses faced in managing distributed teams and sought to create a solution that would streamline operations and provide valuable insights into workforce performance.Problem that their product solves
Hubstaff solves the problem of tracking employee productivity and managing remote teams effectively. The end users are businesses, particularly small to medium-sized ones, that need to ensure accountability and optimize workflows among their distributed workforce. Solving this problem is crucial for these businesses to enhance operational efficiency and maintain productivity.Their unfair advantage
Hubstaff's unfair advantage lies in its comprehensive feature set that combines time tracking, activity monitoring, and workforce analytics, making it a versatile tool for businesses managing remote teams. Its ability to integrate with various applications further enhances its usability and appeal.Strategies
Pre-Launch (Product Development & MVP)
Cold Outreach for Co-Founder Recruitment
In the early stages of Hubstaff, Dave, the co-founder, recognized the need for a technical partner to help build the product. He conducted cold outreach on LinkedIn to find a suitable tech co-founder. After reaching out to Jared, who was running a developer community site, Dave presented a clear value proposition and demonstrated that he had already built a proof of concept with paying customers. This approach not only showcased his commitment but also highlighted the potential of the business, which ultimately convinced Jared to join him.
Building a Proof of Concept
Before officially launching Hubstaff, Dave built a basic version of the software using a development agency for $10,000. This proof of concept was crucial as it allowed him to validate the market demand by acquiring 15 paying customers before even reaching out to Jared. This early traction provided a solid foundation for the business and demonstrated to potential partners that there was a genuine interest in the product.
Transparency in Business Metrics
From the early stages of Hubstaff, Dave made the decision to share their growth metrics publicly on their website. This transparency was intended to build trust with potential customers and the media, showcasing that they had a growing customer base and a viable product. By sharing their numbers, they aimed to differentiate themselves from competitors and attract attention from potential clients and investors, creating a narrative that would resonate with their audience.
Building a Waitlist
Before launching their beta version in November 2012, Hubstaff's founders focused on generating demand for their product by building a waitlist of nearly 2,000 interested users. They achieved this by creating a marketing page that highlighted the product's value proposition and encouraged potential customers to sign up for updates. This proactive approach ensured that they had a ready audience eager to try the product as soon as it was available.
Content Marketing and SEO
Dave, one of the co-founders, utilized content marketing as a key strategy to attract potential customers. He wrote blog posts and ebooks, focusing on SEO to improve visibility in search engines. This effort helped establish an initial audience and drove organic traffic to their website, which was crucial for customer acquisition before the product was officially launched.
Learn more about Hubstaff
390: Hubstaff: Overcoming Early Struggles to Bootstrap to $22M ARR
David Nevogt of Hubstaff on InspiredInsider with Dr. Jeremy Weisz
Hubstaff: Overcoming Early Struggles to Bootstrap to $22M ARR – with Jared Brown [390]
