3 resources from Kalzumeus we point founders to, and the questions each answers.
✍️ Essay
✓ Link checkedFreeIntermediate
Why we picked it
Patrick McKenzie is one of the clearest writers on the line between bespoke work and a repeatable product, and this essay maps exactly how to turn one-off custom asks into something that scales instead of trapping you. For a founder whose biggest customer keeps requesting features, the move is to productize the pattern behind the ask rather than deliver it as pure service work. Read it as a starting point for deciding which requests become roadmap and which stay paid, scoped, one-off work.
Why we picked it
Founders selling their own product almost always price too low, because they see every flaw in what they built and undercharge to feel safe. This is the canonical argument for the opposite instinct: take the highest number you are considering and go higher, because low prices attract the most demanding customers and signal low value. It is a starting point for your nerve, not a pricing method, so pair it with the harder value work in the other two picks.
Why we picked it
Written specifically for engineers who would rather ship code than sell. McKenzie, a developer who bootstrapped his own products, breaks marketing and selling down into concrete, low-pressure actions like writing helpful content and making it easy to buy. It meets you where you are and removes the ick without pretending selling does not matter.
