How to build a developer tool, with Adam Frankl - VP of 4 DevTools unicorns

Adam Frankl has been VP at four different Developer Tools unicorns, including JFrog, Neo4J and Sourcegraph.
Adam is the author of the Developer Facing Startup and recently launched the Developer Facing Startup Founders Academy: a program that helps founders launch and grow their developer tools.
In this conversation, Adam Frankl discusses the critical role of a Technical Advisory Board (TAB) in the success of developer-facing startups.
He emphasizes the importance of understanding developer needs, effective interviewing techniques, and the necessity of building credibility and community. Adam outlines a structured approach to gathering insights from developers.
He also highlights the significance of storytelling in marketing and the need for founders to engage deeply with their user base to discover and address their problems effectively.
Takeaways:
- A Technical Advisory Board is essential for startup success.
- Founders must prioritize understanding developer needs.
- Effective interviews should focus on the problem, not the product.
- Social proof is crucial for building credibility.
- Developers are influenced by their peers and community.
- The 'Dream Sequence' outlines the developer adoption process.
- Storytelling is key to engaging potential users.
- Founders should continuously engage with their user base.
- Identifying key personas is vital for targeted outreach.
- Developers are not leads; they require a different approach.
Links:
- Developer Facing Startup Founders Academy developer-faci...
- Adam Frankl's LinkedIn / adamfrankl
- The Developer Facing Startup www.amazon.co....
Keywords:
Technical Advisory Board, Developer Startups, User Research, Developer Needs, Social Proof, Community Building, Founder Responsibilities, Developer Adoption, Interview Techniques, Startup Success

[@bhavikchavda579]

Insightful Jack 👏

[@scalingdevtools]

Thanks!

[@prasad_subrahmanya]

How to get users to speak with you? What's your advice on how to reach out to them? (structure of the email or LinkedIn message).

[@scalingdevtools]

Adam does go into detail on this on his book but I also found this article medium.com/@graphmaven/the-single-most-important-thing-5e7fa3b795cb "Find candidates on LinkedIn. Reach out to them directly - no email blasts. Tell them you are founding a startup to attack your problem, and ask them if they would consider joining your TAB."

[@Alex_Cevi]

You call them. It’s not that crazy. I do this multiple times a week. Customers love it 9/10 times because it’s a personal touch. Say you’re the founder and ask them whatever questions you have. Reduces churn a lot.