Completed 12 startups in 12 months

Just completed 12 startups in 12 months!

(And what a nice visual keepsake for 2023!)

So I launched one Carrd plugin per month in 2023, and just launched my 12th and last one for the year. It’s been fun finally completing the 12 startups in 12 months challenge (made famous by @levelsio) but within a single project. Each plugin like a startup inside my Jason’s Plugins For Carrd project. It’s like placing many small bets to diversify risk, but in a more informed and targeted way for just one specific of customers.

A nice balance of diversification and concentration, variety and focus.

Because the problem with most attempts at the 12 startups in 12 months challenge is that after the 4th or 5th one, it starts to feel really scattered. You’re just throwing spaghetti on the wall, hoping something sticks. Oftentimes, the niches that the products are in are totally different. The customers are different. The markets are not related. Diversifying for risk is fine and good but it starts to blur into distraction, and being spread too thin.

Maybe that’s why most people don’t finish. To be honest, I don’t recall seeing anyone finish it. This is in fact my second try. I first attempted the 12 startups in 12 months challenge in 2018, under the hashtag #1mvp1month. I did it because I was tired of myself talking about making products but never. Most of the 8 products were not-for-profit. Some made it to the leaderboard of the day on Product Hunt, one even got #1! Then I stopped at 8 products because it felt like I was just playing indie hacker, but not really shipping something of value.

So coming back… 12 ‘startups’ in 12 months within ONE single project is actually a pretty sustainable way to do it, while providing real value. It doesn’t feel as scattered, yet also affords enough variety for people with personalities like mine who love building (new) things. The funny thing is I didn’t realise I’m on route to completing till like three quarters of the way! So I guess the lack of expectations helped there.

And my top favourite plugin this year?

Probably the background images section plugin:

It’s a unique solution just for Carrd, gets asked a lot by other Carrd folks, and I truly enjoyed the creativity behind thinking of it and making it.

That’s the key reason why I build, and why I will continue.