FoundStep
foundstep.comStep 1
The problem
What we read · Side Project Management Tool
Project abandonment caused by scope creep and lack of accountability
Your first move
r/buildinpublic
This subreddit has the tightest concentration of solo developers who already share project struggles publicly and seek peer accountability. The community norms actively encourage discussing challenges without requiring a sales pitch, making it the easiest place to start a genuine conversation about scope creep and finishing what you start.
Where your positioning loses buyers
What your site says
The site emphasizes constraints, scope locking, delays, shame history, and discipline—presenting the product as deliberately annoying and restrictive to force shipping.
What the buyer cares about
The buyer wants to finally finish a side project after abandoning many. They care about momentum, validation, and accountability—but they're exhausted by past failures and wary of tools that feel punishing rather than empowering.
The mismatch
You're selling punishment when they want support. The framing is 'you have a character flaw we'll fix with pain' instead of 'we understand your struggle and built guardrails that help you win.' The shame-based language (Shame History, graveyard, bug is freedom) reinforces their existing guilt rather than offering a fresh start with structure.
Likely reason for zero users
The messaging feels hostile to the exact person it wants to help. Solo developers abandoning projects are already drowning in self-judgment—they don't need a tool that publicly tracks their 'shame' or tells them freedom is their enemy. They need encouragement plus structure, not discipline plus guilt.