Enterprenuer
Jim Raptis is the founder of BrandBird, MagicPattern, and Screenshots.
His extensive experience in design, product, and development allows him to develop a range of SaaS tools as a self-employed. So.
What was the source of inspiration for BrandBird came from?
My name is a Twitter creator, and I regularly share my thoughts about design and SaaS.
When I was creating visual assets for my tweets, I noticed the annoyances in my workflow.
While I’m an experienced designer, I have to spend all day designing the posts.
This is why I created the concept of BrandBird.app A tool that can assist you in creating Twitter graphics with minimal effort and instantaneously.
In the process, I built the full-size Social Media Design Tool.
What does your day-to-day routine look like? And how can you ensure that it is productive?
In my typical weekday routine mornings, I rise early to take my dog for a walk at the gym, take breakfast and begin to work on my projects.
Usually, I reply to support tickets for about 30 minutes and check in on my Twitter account.
After that, I tackle projects which require a clear head, such as design and programming.
I observed that I could handle 3-4 tasks per day, and working up to 8 hours makes me the most productive.
How do you bring your ideas to the world?
If faced with a new concept, I attempt to create an initial MVP in 2 to 3 days to prove the idea’s viability.
When I’ve completed the MVP, I work on the interface for another 1-2 days.
After that, I immediately begin looking for early customers willing to test the product and give valuable feedback.
Following that, it is time to refine according to their feedback before I start to plan a proper launch.
What is one trend that you are excited about?
The potential is in AI and its use in our everyday work.
I am convinced that AI can change our work habits and help automate many tedious and irritating tasks in the coming years.
What’s an action you take that helps you be more efficient as a business owner?
I am avoiding unnecessary calls and meetings.
Meetings interrupt me from my work and consume lots of mental energy, and I make sure only to make calls when necessary.
Being a solopreneur, your time is the most precious asset, and you should use it wisely.
Do you have any advice you would impart to an aspiring young person?
Step outside of your comfort zones and pursue your desires.
Over the past several years, I’ve discovered that anything is achievable when you put in the effort and are patient!
Let us know something you believe to be the truth that virtually no one is with you on.
Building any SaaS tool is a breeze and can be done by anyone in just a few hours.
The most challenging thing is to promote and brand it consistently, which can take many years of effort!
In your role as an entrepreneur, what’s the one thing you’ve done repeatedly and suggested everyone else do?
Tell me about your achievements, failures, goals, ideas, and hopes.
This allows others to learn from your experiences, improves your brand, and aids in clarifying your vision and thoughts.
You can also share more with the world.
What’s one thing that has helped you expand your company?
You are putting more effort into marketing.
As a founder of technical expertise, I would devote too much time to developing new features and working on unnecessary technological changes.
Marketing brings new customers and customers into your company which helps you stay focused and profitable.
What was the biggest mistake you faced as an entrepreneur? If so, what did you do to overcome it?
At first, I could not find new customers and users who would buy my services.
However, I was wrong! I believed that creating a quality product was the only requirement to succeed in business.
After I started investing in marketing by making my presence known on Twitter, writing articles to improve SEO and leveraging marketing via email, people became on autopilot.
By listening to their feedback and then implementing it, I designed better products for them.
What’s one business concept you’d like to share with our readers?
Recently, I’ve noticed many successful Notion products.
For instance, a form builder (or an in-app feedback widget) sends all responses to the Notion database, a website builder built from your concept files, etc.
The Notion has built a strong community around its product, and placing bets on them is the right choice.
What was the most expensive $100 you’ve ever spent? Why?
My favorite purchase for under a hundred dollars would be the Kindle.
It allowed me to get more reading material and read due to its comfortable screen and absence of distractions (compared to a conventional laptop or tablet).
What is the one program or web service that can help you become more productive?
Notion. I use it daily!
It’s the location where I organize my ideas, tasks, and documents.
Additionally, I compose all blog posts using Notion because I am awed by their incredibly intuitive editor.
What is the best book that you think for the community? And the reason why?
Traction by Gabriel Weinberg is an excellent book to help founders understand marketing and plan their strategies for acquiring customers.
What is your most cherished quote?
Take a step out of your comfort zone!
What could the Key Learnings “Jim Raptis” offer to Enterprenuer readers?
The creation of content for social media and blog posts can be a time-consuming process.
This is why Jim created BrandBird.app to assist anyone in creating gorgeous graphics with minimal effort.
Jim has created a portfolio of SaaS products by using his technical expertise and integrating these with strategies for marketing such as SEO, public speaking, and marketing via email.
As an independent entrepreneur, following a daily routine and setting a limit to your daily work hours is your only option to remain productive (and well-behaved).
