What is good enough for the first version of your app? For us, it was what we could assemble in 10 months to launch our app. In late 2021, when we started Macromo, numerous frameworks, plugins, and tools were available for rapid deployment. Despite their convenience, these solutions often lacked certain functionalities, demanding custom work we couldn't afford time-wise.
Our workaround? Google Sheets scripts and interns. We interconnected hundreds of Google Sheets with clever scripting. Interns were tasked with transferring information between files. This fragile system was so precarious that one critical file was labeled, “Please don’t touch this sheet if you don’t know what you are doing!” It was a system begging for human error.
Interns, being naturally creative, sometimes improvised, which was risky in our delicate setup. For instance, they might enter a test ID as “1232” instead of the system-required “W900001232”. Clear to humans, but not to our system.
Another improvisation involved SMS notifications for customers. Lacking an automated connection between the two systems, we used an old Android phone with a simple macro to send SMS updates semi-automatically. Someone just needed to execute the command.
These solutions were neither scalable, secure, nor reliable. Investing a ton of resources into a product when you are still discovering what is needed is not the best idea. Iterating with real customers refines your product faster. Fast iterations require a very flexible setup. Customers often overlook rough edges. We built upon this initial solution for nearly a year.
By the summer of 2023, we were ready to create custom infrastructure. We planned a custom system with enhanced monitoring and admin tools to increase automation and security. While not particularly flashy for investors, it was a long-term decision. We spent the next six months transitioning our systems.
Building Macromo's first version this way was the right thing to do. The ingenuity and resourcefulness we applied went a long way. I learned to create substantial value from minimal resources from my co-founder. From a young age, he went to scrapyards to get old electronics, disassemble them, and create new inventions from the sourced parts.
In contrast, my experience was with larger companies like DoorDash, where allocating a team for an internal tool was routine. This background gave me a perspective on our ultimate goal. Starting scrappy and then transitioning to better solutions is part of the startup journey.
Best,
Eva