bentossell

maybe a new language is due - like a revamp of applescript

Good point, will add!

I dont really like using WP. Lots of alternatives out there that do great stuff.

Yeh never great with logos so just used an ‘m’ - haven’t had any issues yet…

The first idea on the list: “ Create an auto-updating website from a Google Doc or Sheet” can be done pretty easily already, without writing code.

(I’m the founder of a company, Makerpad[*], that teaches people no-code)

Glide[1] - lets you create apps from a google sheet. Set up the template connected to your data and as it updates, your app will too.

Stacker[2] - build web-apps without code. Supports Airtable and most recently, Sheets.

Softr[3] - similar for websites but using Airtable as the data source. I think Sheets support will come soon.

Sheets2Site [4] - website builder with google sheets.

For GoogleDocs you can use parameters in the doc that change using something like Zapier (disclaimer: they acquired my company last year). I haven’t explored it the other way around eg. Data into a google doc updating something elsewhere.

[0] https://www.makerpad.co/ [1] https://www.glideapps.com/ [2] https://www.stackerhq.com/ [3] https://www.softr.io/ [4] https://www.sheet2site.com/

I'm the founder of Makerpad[0] which is built solely with no-code tools, teaching others how to build with no-code tools.

I was full-time on it with a small team for 18 months when we were acquired by Zapier in March this year.

Our revenue was public in 2019/2020-ish and pulled in around $420k/year

[0] https://www.makerpad.co/

appreciate you summarising it like this!

yeah we had a 50/50 split agreement and applied to YC on that basis too.

Mubs helped me as a side project because he's a friend, I offered to pay him but he didn't want anything. He works on a ton of side-projects for fun. Think the interview piece in this section definitely came across badly.

I'm the guy in the interview...Mubs was helping me as a side project for fun. We've done a bunch of things together over the years. I offered to pay him but he didn't want anything, I gifted him stuff that he wanted instead.

My thoughts: Earnest invested in my company[1] in September 2019. Through the lens of the company receiving the investment, this has been far from underwhelming.

I've been able to hire a few folks to join the company, ship features faster, increase revenue to new heights and are always there as my first point of call as a solo-founder. It's a tough job but the support has been super helpful. From other founders in the same position as me as well as from the mentor network.

From the inside, the other founders are growing each month and bringing in more and more revenue - so based on the way they invest it looks like everything is going in the right direction.

I'd recommend it as a current Earnest-backed founder for sure. Happy for others to reach out if they're considering it too.

[1] https://www.makerpad.co/

I've been seeing what cool things people have been doing with different tools (without code).

Josh Miller shared his chrome browser history tool. Avg. 126 sites/day. 45% of sessions start w/ a Google Search. Visited Twitter 4.7K times in the last 6 months!!

I think no-code is attractive for a number of reasons. When you're non-technical (can't code) then you're told to learn to code or find a technical co-founder if you want to build something.

It's not that reassuring for someone just starting out wanting to test a random idea that you have to do these big things in order for it to see the light of day.

No-code tools are becoming so powerful that you can build all sorts of things and I built a site with lots of tutorials for that purpose[1] (It's a membership site, some tutorials are free). Things like a marketplace app like Airbnb[2], an Instagram like app[3], eBay marketplace[4], tools for product/market fit[5], membership sites and a lot more using a number of tools.

Now I know lots of people have their opinions about cloning sites but personally, I think if you have an idea for a specific site which would work like X then I don't see why using the user experience of a similar site can't be the starting point for where these non-technical folk start testing their ideas.

Also, I think it's powerful for professionals to be able to build themselves small tools in order to increase their workflows, productivity etc without relying on dev resources especially in an increasingly remote workforce.

[1] https://www.makerpad.co/ [2] https://www.makerpad.co/tutorial/airbnb-mobile-app-clone-plu... [3] https://www.makerpad.co/tutorial/instagram-clone-using-glide... [4] https://www.makerpad.co/tutorial/creating-a-marketplace-app-... [5] https://www.makerpad.co/tutorial/how-superhuman-built-an-eng...

thanks for posting!

(founder of Makerpad)

Honestly I’m expecting small payments for a fix (less than $50) but there’s been projects for 10k submitted (although these are more complete solutions)

Sure! Like everything there are levels of experience...

- you could be setting up an Airtable to run online courses but you want someone to help you level it up - you may need some help on an advanced automation using Zapier - you may have starting building sites with Webflow but need someone to give you some pointers for an extra level of polish

no of course not. But many are built in the same way.

The only reason these tutorials are built as 'clones' is to show the features for others to tweak for their own.

I disagree with codeless software being doomed to fail.

I’ve built lots of applications without code (and teach others how @ https://www.makerpad.co/) one being a mini Netflix ‘clone', Airbnb ‘clone’ and Fiverr ‘clone’.

They may not be able to withstand Netflix level of users and usage but why should every startup/business have to aim for that. It could service hundreds/thousands of users and turnover great revenue for those running it.

spot on!

Crazy that he lied...but is that a lie to cover it up?

He received offers about turning it into a movie (apparently)...does the lie make it a better movie?

yeah I do it with pocket (mentioned in another comment) - makes it super simple!

I use Pocket and wrote in a separate comment how to use that.

I made a tutorial for something like this recently which you can use the Pocket extension with (https://www.makerpad.co/make/newsletter-generator-chrome-ext...) and the newsletter tutorial is here (https://www.makerpad.co/pro/automated-weekly-hourly-email-di...) but it's paywalled.

But you just set up zapier to link new bookmarks to airtable, then use the digest zapier trigger to weekly/daily send a list of all the new links sent to airtable via gmail or the zapier email action.

You can also link this with Mailchimp for a bigger newsletter too (which is in the paywalled tutorial)

“Y Combinator, like Silicon Valley itself, tends to produce great innovation with a generous pinch of bullshit.”

Interesting way to round off the post!

yeh I do the water trick often.

I've been thinking of just doing a simple - no drinks past midnight. yet to be tested in practice.

Really appreciate that!

Makerpad.co - I teach people how to build projects without code. I’m collaborating with companies now to help provide educational content on how to use the tools for a non-technical project or business. Last 4 weeks revenue is around 30k (from memberships and companies paying to be listed and create the content which isn’t released yet). It’s pretty much all profit too as I do it solo with little overhead.

There’s a huge interest growing around building without coding and any technical people are also jumping in too.

Yikes, will fix

I’ve built up an audience around no code building and think I’m one of the first people others think of in this space. I understand the audience as I’m a non technical maker too.

I’ve had like 3 referral kickbacks at around 12 dollars each just to be totally transparent ha

Companies paying to be listed and collab on some content (not yet released)