Launch That Website
Launch That Website
In the bustling digital nomad hub of Bangkok, where entrepreneurial dreams often collide with tropical reality, an unexpected meeting between two tech entrepreneurs sparked what would become both a remarkable success story and a cautionary tale.
A Serendipitous Beginning
The story begins in Manila's pristine Bonifacio Global City, where the Dynamite Circle network – a tight-knit community of location-independent entrepreneurs – first brought John and me together. Like many chance encounters in the nomad world, we shared war stories over San Miguel beers but went our separate ways, only to reconnect months later in Bangkok's vibrant Thong Lor district.
John had built a loyal following of 2,500 web developers through his Cornerstone templates business, while I'd spent years deep in the WordPress ecosystem, crafting plugins that powered everything from e-commerce sites to membership platforms. The synergy was obvious – his templates, my plugins, and a market hungry for comprehensive solutions.
From Concept to Launch
What began as a casual conversation about market gaps quickly evolved into an ambitious venture. We identified a crucial pain point: developers were cobbling together disparate tools and templates, creating a workflow that was about as elegant as a drunk elephant trying to navigate a Bangkok soi.
Our solution? Launch That Website – a seamlessly integrated suite of WordPress plugins and templates that would transform how developers built client sites.
xychart-beta
title "First 90 Days Revenue Split"
x-axis ["Entry Level ($97)", "Premium ($197)", "Agency ($6000)"]
y-axis "Revenue in $K" 0 --> 150
bar [75, 125, 100]
The Behavioral Economics of Pricing
Here's where it gets interesting. Rather than following the conventional WordPress plugin pricing playbook, we leveraged behavioral economics principles to craft our pricing strategy:
- Entry-level package: $97 (not $99) – Using precise pricing to signal value-based pricing rather than psychological manipulation
- Premium tier: $197 – Positioned as the "rational choice" with additional templates
- Agency package: $6,000 – Anchoring high to make the other tiers appear more attractive
Marketing Magic
The campaign strategy was surgical in its precision. We segmented John's mailing list based on purchase history and engagement patterns, crafting personalized narratives for each segment. The results were staggering:
| Package Type | Conversion Rate | Average Revenue Per Customer |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level | 4.2% | $97 |
| Premium | 2.8% | $197 |
| Agency | 0.5% | $6,000 |
The Unexpected Success
Within three months, we'd generated $300,000 in revenue – a figure that exceeded our most optimistic projections. The WordPress community embraced our integrated approach, and testimonials flooded in from developers who'd transformed their workflows using our suite.
When Success Breeds Complexity
However, as revenue soared, cracks began to appear in our partnership foundation. What started as minor disagreements about support ticket handling evolved into fundamental differences in vision. Should we focus on scaling the existing product line or pivot toward enterprise solutions? The tropical paradise of Bangkok began to feel considerably less idyllic.
The Dissolution
By November 2015, just six months after our chance reunion, we made the difficult decision to dissolve the partnership. The irony wasn't lost on us – we'd created something tremendously successful but couldn't find a way to maintain it.
Lessons in Digital Entrepreneurship
Looking back, several key insights emerge:
- Validate Before You Venture: Our success wasn't luck – it was built on John's existing audience and validated market needs.
- Price with Purpose: Behavioral economics principles aren't just academic theories; they can dramatically impact your bottom line.
- Partnership Agreements Matter: Even (especially) among friends, clear agreements about roles, responsibilities, and exit strategies are crucial.
- Success Amplifies Everything: Both strengths and weaknesses in a partnership become magnified under the spotlight of success.
The Legacy
While Launch That Website no longer exists, its brief but brilliant run demonstrated the potential of integrated WordPress solutions and the power of behavioral economics in digital product pricing. Sometimes the most valuable outcome of a venture isn't the revenue generated but the lessons learned along the way.
In the end, perhaps the most fitting epitaph for Launch That Website comes from a former customer: "It was the Ferrari of WordPress solutions – beautiful, powerful, and ultimately, too fast for its own good."
