How I Applied the ‘Cherrypick’ Mindset to Build, Iterate, and Scale My SaaS — A Founder’s Playbook

Building a SaaS product? I’ve been there. I’ll share how I used a simple, powerful approach to create, tweak, and grow my own app — all while bootstrapping.

The Art of the Cherrypick: Borrowing a Numismatist’s Mindset for SaaS Success

When I built my SaaS from scratch, I didn’t focus on doing everything. Instead, I looked for what others missed — the hidden opportunities with outsized potential. It’s called cherrypicking, a term from coin collecting. Experts hunt for rare minting errors others overlook. I did the same with market gaps, features, and tech choices.

Coin collectors scan thousands to find one 1937 Washington Quarter with the DDO (FS-101) error. It’s a tiny detail. But to the right eye, it’s gold. I trained myself to see those details in SaaS. Now I call them product cherrypicks.

What Is a SaaS Cherrypick?

In coin collecting, a cherrypick is a rare coin sold for far less than it’s worth. In SaaS, it’s a market need, tech shortcut, or user pain point that’s ignored or undervalued.

Here’s my example:
Instead of making a full CRM, I focused on one thing: automating follow-up emails for solopreneurs who hate writing them. Big players ignored this. So I built a simple AI tool for micro-sequences. Took six weeks. Got 120 paying users before anyone noticed.

Remember this: Don’t build the obvious. Build the overlooked.

My Lean Tech Stack for Fast, Scalable SaaS Development

Bootstrapping means every hour and dollar matters. My stack had to be cheap, flexible, and fast — like a collector with a loupe, not a full lab kit.

Frontend: React + Next.js + Tailwind

I went with Next.js for server-side rendering, SEO, and flexible page rendering. Paired with Tailwind CSS, I built UIs in hours. No design systems. No waiting on Figma files.

I knocked out the onboarding flow in a single weekend:

// Onboarding step component
const OnboardingStep = ({ title, description }) => (
  <div className="bg-white p-6 rounded-lg shadow-sm border border-gray-100">
    <h3 className="text-lg font-semibold text-gray-900">{title}</h3>
    <p className="mt-2 text-sm text-gray-600">{description}</p>
  </div>
);

Backend: Firebase + Supabase (Hybrid)

I used Firebase Auth & Firestore for real-time data and user sign-ins. The free tier works forever for early-stage apps. For analytics and complex queries, I added Supabase with PostgreSQL.

This mix let me scale parts independently. Firestore handled user sessions and notifications. Supabase powered the admin dashboard with granular reports.

Hosting & DevOps: Vercel + GitHub Actions

Vercel for frontend (instant global deploys). GitHub Actions for CI/CD. No DevOps team needed. I automated staging to production with one workflow:

on:
  push:
    branches: [ main ]
jobs:
  deploy:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
      - run: npm install
      - run: npm run build
      - uses: amondnet/vercel-action@v27
        with:
          vercel-token: ${{ secrets.VERCEL_TOKEN }}
          github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
          vercel-org-id: ${{ secrets.VERCEL_ORG_ID }}
          vercel-project-id: ${{ secrets.VERCEL_PROJECT_ID }}

My infra cost stayed under $50/month for the first six months — backups, monitoring, and emails included.

Product Roadmap: Focus on the ‘Doubled Die’ Features

Like the 1937 DDO Quarter, I looked for features with hidden value — small tweaks that delivered big results.

My plan:

• Must-have (the basics): Auth, dashboard, billing
• Cherrypick 1: AI follow-up templates (easy to build, users loved it)
• Cherrypick 2: One-click Gmail import (no one else offered this)
• Cherrypick 3: Behavioral analytics (showed users what worked — built trust fast)

I didn’t build a full automation suite. I zeroed in on what users really wanted and made it simple. That became our core advantage.

How to Find Your SaaS Cherrypicks

1. Read support tickets — not just the loud ones, but the ones that keep repeating.
2. Study why users leave — what’s pushing them to cancel?
3. Run a micro-sprint — build one thing in five days. Test with ten users. If they’re excited, it’s a keeper.
4. Browse forums and Reddit — “I wish [competitor] did X” is gold. That’s your DDO.

Getting to Market Faster: The 7-Day Launch Framework

I launched my MVP in one week. Here’s how:

Day 1: Pick the Cherrypick

Chose one high-leverage feature: “Auto-generate 3 follow-up emails based on user actions.”

Day 2: Build the Core Flow

Used Next.js API routes + OpenAI API to generate emails:

// pages/api/generate-emails.js
export default async function handler(req, res) {
  const { behavior } = req.body;
  const prompt = `Generate 3 follow-up emails for a user who ${behavior}. Keep tone professional but warm.`;
  const completion = await openai.createCompletion({
    model: "text-davinci-003",
    prompt,
    max_tokens: 300
  });
  res.json({ emails: completion.data.choices[0].text.split('\n\n') });
}

Day 3: Add Auth & Stripe

Added Firebase Auth and Stripe Checkout with a few lines of code.

Day 4: Design with Figma (1 hour)

Designed three screens: tell us your behavior → see your emails → subscribe.

Day 5: Deploy & Test

Deployed to Vercel. Tested with five beta users via Calendly.

Day 6: Collect Feedback

Used Tally.so for a quick survey: “What’s missing?” and “Would you pay $9/month?”

Day 7: Launch to Indie Hackers

Posted a short write-up with a free trial link. Got 38 signups in 48 hours.

Key insight: Speed beats polish. Launch early — but only if you’ve picked the right problem.

Bootstrapping Mindset: Scanning the Market Like a Pro Cherrypicker

Coin experts don’t buy every coin. They scan. They filter. They act when they see value. Founders should do the same.

How I “Scanned” the Market

• Spent 2 hours weekly on niche forums (Indie Hackers, Reddit, Twitter)
• Tracked rising search terms on Google Trends (“automated follow-up emails” grew 120% YoY)
• Used Ahrefs to find low-competition keywords (“best follow-up email templates for coaches”)
• Listened to users — not just surveys, but reviews, support logs, and social chatter

When to Hold vs. Fold

Just like a collector skips a coin with hidden damage, I dropped features that:

• Needed long-term upkeep (e.g., legacy integrations)
• Had low usage in testing (< 20% of users touched them)
• Couldn’t scale (e.g., manual onboarding)

I kept only what was high-impact, low-effort — my version of “extra silver” in a piedfort coin.

Conclusion: Build Less, See More

The 1937 DDO Quarter isn’t valuable because it’s flashy. It’s valuable because someone knew what to look for. Same with SaaS.

Here’s what worked for me:

• Cherrypick your niche: Solve one overlooked problem better than anyone.
• Choose your stack wisely: Pick tools that save time, not just impress.
• Launch fast, learn faster: Test ideas in days, not months.
• Scan the market: Watch for undervalued opportunities — like doubling on IGWT.
• Bootstrap smart: Spend only on what moves the needle.

You don’t need a big team, a huge budget, or years of work. You need the right perspective. Train yourself to see what others miss — and build there.

Because in SaaS, like in coin collecting, the best wins are the ones no one else sees… yet.

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