From Trade Show to Tech Stack: Building a SaaS Product with Real-World Insights from the 2025 Great American Coin Show

Building a SaaS product is messy. I know—I’m living it. As a founder and indie hacker, I’ve spent countless hours coding, testing, and talking to users. But the most unexpected insights don’t come from spreadsheets or sprint planning. They come from places like the 2025 Rosemont/Chicago Great American Coin Show.

Yes, really. That bustling trade floor full of collectors and dealers? It became my real-world SaaS bootcamp. The parallels were everywhere: bootstrapped growth, rapid customer feedback, choosing the right tools—all unfolding in real time. Here’s what I learned about building a product, one coin at a time.

The Trade Show Mindset: A Lean Startup Framework

The coin show wasn’t just commerce. It was a masterclass in lean thinking. Every dealer on that floor was running a miniature startup, testing demand, adjusting prices, and learning fast. Sound familiar?

The whole experience felt like a live MVP. No fancy pitch decks. Just real people, real products, and instant feedback.

Lessons from the Bourse Floor

• Customer discovery: I started by asking dealers what they were selling (and what collectors wanted). Same as my SaaS work—no assumptions, just listening.
• Rapid prototyping: A dealer changes their display after 20 minutes of slow traffic. We A/B test a button color. Same principle, different tools.

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• Bootstrapped cash flow: My first coin sale funded the next purchase. That’s the SaaS dream: early revenue fueling the next feature.

When I noticed high-quality Indian cents selling fast? I bought more. In SaaS terms: I doubled down on what users actually wanted, not what I assumed they’d like.

Tech Stack Selection: The Coin Grading Analogy

Choosing a tech stack? It’s not about what’s trendy. It’s about trust, reliability, and standards—just like picking a coin grading service.

At the show, I saw PCGS, ANACS, and CAC in action. Each has its own process, its own reputation. Your SaaS stack should work the same way: components you can rely on, each doing its job well.

Frontend: The Customer-Facing Layer

A coin slab makes the coin easy to see, trust, and store. Your frontend does the same for your product. I picked these tools because they’re clear, fast, and consistent:

• React for reusable components (like PCGS slabs—modular and dependable)
• Tailwind CSS for quick styling (standard holders anyone can use)
• Next.js for fast loading and good SEO (third-party verification for search engines)

Backend: The Processing Engine

Coin graders verify authenticity, process submissions, and return certified coins. Your backend handles your data, user access, and business rules. Here’s mine:

• Node.js with Express (handles lots of requests, like PCGS grading thousands)
• PostgreSQL for organized data (like a coin index, easy to search)
• Redis for frequently accessed data (like price guides—fast answers)

DevOps & Hosting: The Authentication Layer

CAC adds another verification layer for PCGS coins. Your DevOps pipeline does the same for your code—making sure it’s tested, secure, and ready:

• GitHub Actions for automated tests and builds (no human mistakes)
• Docker for standardized environments (like coin slabs—consistent packaging)
• Vercel/Netlify for frontend hosting (clean, professional presentation)
• AWS/Heroku for backend hosting (scalable, like a secure vault)

Product Roadmap: The Coin Acquisition Strategy

I didn’t walk into the show trying to buy everything. I focused on smart choices: core coins, then specialties, then value-added pieces. Building a SaaS product works the same way.

1. Start with what users *need* (like common Lincoln cents—core features)

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2. Add what makes you unique (like rare 1914-D cents—differentiating features)

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3. Build premium services (like authentication papers—enterprise features)

MVP to V1: The Feature Grading Process

Coins don’t go straight from pocket to showcase. They get graded, cleaned, verified. Features should follow the same path:

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1. Raw idea (ungraded coin) → Talk to users, see if it solves a real problem

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2. Prototyped feature (reviewed internally) → Test it with the team
3. Beta feature (tested externally) → Let power users try it with real data
4. Production feature (certified) → Launch it with monitoring and support

When I built a new authentication tool for my SaaS app, this process caught edge cases early. Just like a coin grader spots flaws invisible to most of us.

Getting to Market Faster: The Dealer Day Approach

Wednesday at the coin show was “Dealer Day”—early access for pros to trade and prepare. This is exactly how smart SaaS launches work: controlled, collaborative, and fast.

Pre-Launch Activities

• Founding customers: Like dealer-to-dealer trades, I offered lifetime plans to early users. They became my first testers and advocates.
• Beta documentation: Just as dealers share price guides, I provided early docs to beta users. Less confusion, better feedback.
• Performance tuning: Dealers fine-tune their displays before opening. I stress-test my app with real users to find bottlenecks.

Launch Strategy

When Thursday came, the show had momentum. My SaaS launch follows the same playbook:

1. Soft launch: Invite early adopters to test (like Dealer Day)
2. Feature freeze: Lock down core features—no last-minute surprises
3. Go-live: Open to everyone, with monitoring and support ready
4. Post-launch review: Check the data, talk to users—like dealers reviewing day one sales

Lean Methodologies: The Counterfeit Detection Paradigm

At the show, I saw counterfeit coins—pieces that looked real but weren’t. In SaaS, we face the same problem: user requests or market assumptions that seem valid but aren’t.

Build-Measure-Learn Loop

I used magnet tests and reference books to spot fakes. For SaaS, it’s data:

• Build: Create a feature (say, a new analytics dashboard)
• Measure: Track how users actually use it (time spent, clicks, saves)
• Learn: If it’s not working, ask why. Maybe users asked for it but don’t need it—the SaaS equivalent of a counterfeit.

Continuous Improvement

When users challenged my authentication advice, I provided clear examples. Same with SaaS: when users ignore a feature, I show them its value through dashboards and guides.


// Feature usage tracking middleware
app.use('/api/features/:name', (req, res, next) => {
const { name } = req.params;
const userId = req.user.id;

// Log feature access
FeatureUsage.create({
userId,
feature: name,
timestamp: new Date(),
metadata: {
params: req.query,
body: req.body
}
});

next();
});


This code helps me see which features are truly valuable (like authenticated coins) versus those that are just popular in conversation (like rare counterfeits).

Bootstrapping: The Trade Show Cash Flow Model

At the show, every sale funded the next purchase. No outside capital. No loose spending. That’s the bootstrapper’s dream—and it works perfectly for SaaS.

Revenue Recycling

• Early revenue → Core features: Like using first coin sales to buy more inventory
• Growth phase → Scaling: Reinvest in hosting, marketing, better support
• Profit phase → Innovation: Fund new products (like branching into new coin categories)

Cost Optimization

Dealers know: low overhead means more profit. I apply the same thinking:

• Serverless functions (like pop-up booths—pay only when you use them)
• Optimized database queries (like efficient inventory—less cost, more speed)
• Open-source tools (like free reference books—faster development, less cost)

Conclusion: The Great American SaaS Show

The 2025 Rosemont/Chicago Great American Coin Show reminded me: the fundamentals of a good product—whether it’s a rare coin or a SaaS app—are the same.

1. Validate before building: I check a coin’s authenticity before buying. You should verify user needs before coding.
2. Iterate fast: Dealers adjust their approach daily. Your product should too.
3. Focus on value: High-quality coins and core features build real customers, not just users.
4. Bootstrap wisely: Use revenue to grow, not to overspend too soon.
5. Build trust: In both cases, your reputation is everything.

As I prep for next year’s show—and my next product release—I’m carrying these lessons with me. The trade floor isn’t just about coins. It’s about lean thinking, customer focus, and smart growth. And honestly? It’s one of the best SaaS education I’ve ever had.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a new feature to test and some early adopter feedback to review. The Great American SaaS Show continues.

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