What's so compelling is the feeling that you'll be at the point of attention by someone. Having another human being think about you and you alone feels special. I would bet people are more attracted to the personal connection than the objective value of the opinion.
The formula that makes this work is having a detailed bio that makes it clear who will be providing feedback. I could imagine you have a section where you could pick who you want to give you feedback. ("Feedback from Emily. Feedback from Mark. Feedback from Thomas.")
@jiggityk so true, we're finding that a lot as well with our app Kindly. More often than not, people are seeking connection, conversation and a bit of serendipity rather than direct answers. It's why we've chosen synchronous chat over forum based Q&A for our app. cc @rrhoover
Creator here. The response over the last week has been awesome - lots of positive feedback. I've thought about ways to scale, but for now I'm simply enjoying connecting with people. I may add a blog over the next couple of days, posting submissions I've received (with permission, of course), but we'll see.
@speizerweb Great job dude. Here is another example of what @rrhoover describes as "dumb apps", apps that are actually breaking the trends and going left when everybody else is going right.
Questions: What were your experiements for getting early traction on this? I mean, who are the demographics you found most in need of some radical honesty? Thanks.
@narekk I knew when I was creating it that I could probably get it to the front page of Hacker News if I positioned it correctly, and sure enough, it worked. I don't get demographic info from the people who pay (just their email address) and so I don't really know for sure, but it's definitely been mostly male, late 20's to early 40's, and in tech. So really, someone a lot like me.
So nice to see solopreneur listed on PH. Few days back, I had seen his post on Reddit and lots of criticism but today he must be flooded with 1Os & 100s :)
http://www.reddit.com/r/Entrepre...
Compelled by the idea.
If I take the optimistic view, this product improves friendships and ultimately, one's own life. I am certain I have lied to friends in the past because I didn't want to hurt their feelings - about their company, their relationships, etc. And I'm sure I have been lied to by friends as well - perhaps for the same reasons or for more nefarious ones. Either way - something that increases the proportion of truth in the world seems good.
@rrhoover Nothing that surprising, really. I'm hesitant to share details but most questions have been related to startup ideas and resume reviews. A few have been much more personal and those have been some of the most enjoyable to answer because I've felt like I really connected with those people, and even helped a few of them out.
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