My first post got a few likes and I turned it into a HubSpot app.
Hey HubSpotters,
A year ago I made my first ever post in this community (I finally built the thing I always wished existed for HubSpot workflows.) I have been in HubSpot for the better part of my career, and as a long time lurker I was nervous to post and had no idea if anyone would care.
But to my surprise, a few people did actually care, and that was enough for me to keep going. Here's what a year looks like, and 4 things I'd do differently if I had to start over tomorrow.
1. Solve one thing. Seriously, just one.
The first version of my app did just one thing: show you how your HubSpot workflows connect. That initial focus was the reason people trusted it. So every time I was tempted to add some new cool features I held back, and I think that self-restraint compounded into a product people actually understood.
2. Your first customers will tell you what to build next.
I expected the visual mapping to be the main thing people cared about. But it turned out it was just the entry point. What I found people actually wanted was confidence before making changes. I've seen versions of this phrase "I can make changes without being scared now" came up in review after review. I stayed close to the early customers (and still do), and I would have missed all of that if I hadn't.
I also built Howly thinking HubSpot admins would be the primary users. It actually ended up being agencies and consultants getting the most value because they are often the first to hop into a client's instance cold and need to make sense of it fast.
3. Respond to every support ticket yourself, for as long as you can.
Being fast and personal with every support ticket drove more word of mouth than anything else I did. At this price point people remember when a founder actually responds. So for any founder, I highly recommend doing it yourself for as long as you possibly can.
Since then my amazing wife has joined me in supporting our customers, and my dad has also helped me figure out what to say and do in uncertain times. You don't have to do it alone forever, but definitely start there.
4. You don't need a marketing budget if people are talking about you.
My approach has been more founder-led growth, and after a year of talking to people and building in public it has compounded nicely. Howly now has 150+ installs on the marketplace with a 5 star rating. HubSpot also recognized us as New and Notable in Q2 alongside Google, Docusign, Canva, and Slack. This was probably the coolest thing to happen all year.
All that to say, none of that came from paid marketing. It all came from building something people actually needed, being helpful, and showing up consistently.
The best time to build something for this ecosystem was yesterday. The second best time is today. HubSpot keeps growing, there are real unsolved problems waiting to be solved, and this community is so amazing and supportive of builders who are here to help.
I'm happy to answer questions from anyone thinking about starting something.