Other Playbook
How 755 startups used other to grow. Here's what the data says about what they actually did.
Most Used Tools (173 companies)
Pricing Models
How They Got Their First Customer
Time to PMF
Top Companies by MRR (755)
Hive Blockchain is a digital currency mining company founded by Harry Pochgranti that validates cryptocurrency transactions on blockchain networks, primarily Ethereum. The company went public on the TSX Venture Exchange in September 2017, raising $17 million on day one followed by additional equity raises totaling approximately $200 million Canadian by end of 2017. As of Q1 2018, Hive operates mining facilities in Iceland and Sweden with a $30 million annualized run rate revenue.
Collective raised $50M in funding to compete with HR and business management platforms like Rippling and ZenBusiness. The company has achieved approximately $1M MRR, indicating strong product-market fit and growth trajectory in the HR/business operations space.
Event SaaS is a SaaS platform that has achieved significant growth, reaching $6M in annual recurring revenue with 100% year-over-year growth. The company raised $28M in funding at a $128M valuation, demonstrating strong market traction and investor confidence.
An investor database SaaS that serves 400 paying firms at $1k/month each, generating approximately $4.8M ARR. The company is bootstrapped and growing at 100% year-over-year, demonstrating strong product-market fit in the B2B data space.
SalesImpact is a sales coaching platform that has achieved significant traction, reaching a $4.5M annual run rate. The company is in talks to raise $6M at an $80M valuation, indicating strong investor confidence in their business model and growth trajectory.
Pieter Levels is a prolific indie hacker and entrepreneur running multiple AI startups that collectively generate $250,000 in monthly recurring revenue. Despite claiming "Indie Hacking is dead," Pieter exemplifies how the practice has evolved in the age of AI tools and platforms, discussing topics from dependency risks to preparing businesses for potential exits while maintaining a strong presence on social media.
A marketplace platform connecting construction companies with equipment rental opportunities, enabling them to monetize idle equipment between jobs. The founder has grown the business to $100k/mo in revenue, demonstrating strong product-market fit in the construction equipment sector.
RippleWorx is a SaaS platform that helps team leaders manage and track sentiment within their organizations. The company has grown to 50 customers and achieved over $100k/month in revenue, demonstrating strong product-market fit in the team management and employee engagement space.
A bot building SaaS platform has reached $1.2M ARR ($100k MRR) with a relatively lean capital raise of just $300k. The startup demonstrates efficient bootstrapping and sustainable growth in the automation/bot space.
Enact is a SaaS platform that helps solar panel firms manage their projects. The company has achieved significant traction with 100 solar panel firms paying $83k/month collectively to manage $1.5 billion in projects on the platform.
UrbanHire is a recruitment SaaS platform founded in 2016 focused on bulk hiring for high-turnover industries like banking. Currently generating ~$70k MRR from 168 paying customers out of 3,600 total users, with 80% retention. The company is pivoting from pure SaaS to an insurance broker model with tech components, targeting Indonesian mid-market companies with integrated HRIS and benefits administration services.
Matt Verlaque left his job as a fireman to build UPlaunch with cofounder Jake. As a first-time founder with no coding experience, he learned to code while building the business and overcame an initial stagnant business model to achieve profitability. The company now generates over $65,000/month in revenue.
A HIPAA-compliant chatbot solution that has achieved 400% year-over-year growth and reached $60k MRR with a $15M valuation. The product serves the healthcare industry by providing AI-powered conversational tools that meet strict regulatory requirements.
Windsor is a bootstrapped SaaS company that has achieved $55k MRR ($660k ARR) and chose to turn down VC funding to maintain independence and control over their product direction.
Canny is a bootstrapped SaaS product founded by Sarah Hum, who left her job at a big tech company to start her own venture. Rather than raising funding and staying in San Francisco, Sarah chose to bootstrap the company and travel the world while building. The company has grown to over $50k/month in revenue.
Libsyn is a podcast hosting platform that has been operating for 11+ years and is currently profitable. With over 29,000 paying podcasters hosting their shows on the platform, the company generates approximately $600,000 in annual revenue from subscription fees averaging $15-20 per customer monthly. Rob Walsh, Vice President of Podcaster Relations, shares industry insights about podcast downloads, iTunes algorithm mechanics, and advertising CPM rates ($30-50 range for shows with 5,000+ downloads per episode).
Venly is a blockchain-focused SaaS platform that grew from $5k to $40k MRR in the last 6 months. The company helps users leverage blockchain technology in their applications and services.
FlowChat reached $40k MRR in just 4 months using a single growth tactic. The exact tactic and product details are not specified in the available source text.
A Twitter-focused SaaS tool generating $35k MRR ($420k ARR) with reported profitability of $10k/month. The founder indicates they would accept a $1.8M cash acquisition offer.
Call Loop is a voice and text messaging platform founded in 2009 and soft-launched in 2011 by Chris Brisson and co-founders. The company operates on a usage-based model where customers buy credits in bulk or pay monthly depending on their use case. By 2015, Call Loop had generated $385,000 in top-line revenue and was on track to exceed $450,000 in 2016, serving 2,000-3,000 total customers and sending 300,000-400,000 text messages monthly.