How to Build a Service You’d Actually Use (and Be Proud Of)
Creating a service that truly stands out is not about chasing every feature or trying to please everyone. The real recipe is much simpler: build something you’re genuinely proud of, something you’d use yourself. That’s the foundation of a service that works, grows, and actually solves real problems.
For the past few months, I’ve been working on my own SaaS project, retainer.io. I’ve talked about it a lot in my other videos, but today, I want to share the ideas behind it, not just the technical details. The journey has been full of questions: How can I deliver the best possible service? How can I offer something exceptional to freelancers?
To answer these, I created a detailed user profile—an “avatar”—and even built a full training workshop around it. The first part alone runs for 48 minutes, and the whole workshop goes deep into what makes a service truly useful. I even recorded parts of it outside on the balcony, just to keep things fresh.
What I’ve learned is that if you can solve a painful problem in an amazing way, you’re already ahead. I call this the “excessive way”—going above and beyond to fix what others ignore. For me, retainer.io aims to be the operating system for freelancers. That’s a bold claim, but ambition is key. I’m not there yet, but every step forward makes me prouder of what I’ve built.
Here’s something important: don’t try to create a “feature factory.” People don’t want a service that does everything but nothing well. They want something that works perfectly, even if it’s missing a few bells and whistles. Think about Apple. The first iPhone was far from complete—no 3G, a mediocre camera, no external memory. Yet, people loved it because it worked flawlessly. It was perfect, but incomplete.
That’s the approach you want. If your service is incomplete, there’s always room to improve. But if it’s buggy or unreliable, your reputation takes a hit right away. Nobody wants to be in the group of SaaS products that crash all the time. I focus a lot on making sure retainer.io does a few things really well. It might not do everything yet, but what it does, it does right.
I’m still working a day job, so my side project fills my weekends, especially Sundays. I’m proud of how far I’ve come, but I know there’s still a lot of room for improvement. That’s what keeps me motivated—the chance to make things better, step by step.
Improvement doesn’t happen by accident. You need a plan. Don’t scatter your efforts. Decide what you’ll focus on each day. Maybe today is for marketing, tomorrow for coding, or fixing a bug. Use time blocking—set aside chunks of time in your calendar for each task. When you organize your days like this, you don’t waste time searching for free moments. You see exactly where you have space to work.
The right mindset is everything. If you have it, the rest follows. Passion makes all the difference. When you’re passionate about your mission, you find the energy to keep going, even when things get tough.
Here’s a key lesson: fall in love with the problem, not the solution. The solution will change over time as technology and needs evolve. If you’re stuck on your first idea, you’ll struggle to adapt. But if you’re always thinking about how to solve the core problem better, you’ll keep improving. Sometimes, that means adding new features or premium options to help users solve their problems even faster.
“If you’re not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you’ve launched too late.”
— Reid Hoffman
“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”
— Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
So, what’s your quest? What problem are you passionate about solving? Step by step, you’ll find your mission. Remember, the best time to take action is now. Don’t wait for everything to be perfect. Start, improve, and keep going.
Key Takeaways
- Build a service you’d use yourself and be proud of.
- Focus on doing a few things perfectly, not everything poorly.
- “Perfect but incomplete” is better than “complete but buggy.”
- Organize your time with clear blocks for each task.
- Fall in love with the problem, not the solution.
- Improvement is a journey—keep moving forward.
Reflection
- What real problem are you solving?
- Are you proud enough of your service to use it yourself?
- How can you make your product “perfect but incomplete” today?
Pierre-Henry Soria
#Entrepreneurship #Product Development #Productivity #Self-Transcendence #Service Design #Side Business #Startup Advice #Time-Management