Featured  ShowNotes

So I have a complete manuscript for the novel that I have been working on, and now it's time for me to publish. Here are my notes on various websites and companies that I have talked to in my hunt for a publisher. Please note, I am hunting for a SELF PUBLISHING COMPANY, which means that I am the one paying for the services in order to maintain the rights to my novel, rather than the publisher paying and taking a portion of my profits.

I am researching distribution channels for digital products and services, so I will share my research with fellow founders here. In July, I will add notes for those I plan to engage in ShowNotes app distribution.

OK, everyone asks about the books that changed my life. So here is a list of books that I found really amazing and have influenced me on many levels.

Tools that we use to do some interesting stuff.

Web development is fun but requires extensive tool expertise to be most effective. I will list a set of tools I have used over the years.

I am researching open source solutions for startups.

Like most people, I have been thinking about the recipe for success. There are too many variables involved in real-world success. Many attribute success to luck, some to being in the right place at the right time, and some to sheer perseverance. All of them have merits. But I wanted to be able to "engineer" a recipe for success that I could easily share with kids -- my boys. So, I have watched dozens of videos, read many books, and considered it a lot. Here is my recent attempt at making it simple to explain and focus on the key things that I think matter the most. This does not mean there is nothing else involved in success. But these are my key findings.

G.E.T - Grit. Education. Track.

I have been using following software on Mac (M1, M2) for some years and love them.

You can join many business communities to explore building business relationships and product awareness for what you are building. I am going to list them here.

Congrats! If you think you need a Content Distribution Network (CDN), you are moving up the chain! CDNs are quiet expensive so I have been exploring how to manage CDN cost for my primary company for years. 

I love photography but always need to remember the terms and details. That is so surprising since I am a super technical person.  So, I need to refresh myself on this subject occasionally.

• Aperture sets the depth of field
• Shutter Speed sets motion blur
• ISO sets the gain of the sensor

Remember this fantastic quote:

The best camera is the one with you!

I am compiling a list of Go To Marketing Platforms for my launch of ShowNotes.

I use many AI tools to manage my startup marketing and research tasks.

I will share the AI tools I use on a daily basis.

My wife (v1) has a ban on these Amazon products, but I discreetly purchase them through my business Amazon accounts. These items not the healthiest choice, yet I find them irresistibly satisfying. Proceed with caution!!

Generating leads can be one of the toughest challenges for startups, but it's the lifeblood of growth. In this note, I’ll dive into cold and warm lead generation strategies, sharing effective techniques and resources to help you build a consistent pipeline of potential customers.

Here are concise definitions for cold and warm leads: 

• Cold Lead: A prospect without prior interaction with your company or product. They may not be familiar with your brand and haven't expressed any interest in your offerings. Cold leads require more effort to engage and convert, as they need to be educated about your value. 

Warm Lead: A prospect who has shown interest or engagement with your business. This could be someone who has visited your website, downloaded content, or interacted with your brand through social media or email. Warm leads are typically easier to convert because they already have some awareness of and interest in your product or service.These distinctions can guide how you approach each type of lead in your startup's outreach efforts.

Here are some of my tips and tricks that I compiled.

I am researching the backlink building strategies for ShowNotes so I will share them here as I find them.

My group is exploring staying at big and awesome AirBnBs near the west entrance of Yellowstone Park. Here are my findings so far.

I am only looking at 6+ bed AirBnBs so far. I haven't found one that can accommodate all seven families. So we might have to divide it up into two different Airbnbs.

I am also looking exclusively near the western entrance of Yellowstone Park.

I never considered this route to build a startup. However, using statup accelerator is appropriate for many startups. For example, if you need a decent size AWS grant from AWS Activate for startups, you need to be associated with a startup accelerator.  Self-founded founder led startups do not get more than $1K in AWS Activate grant whereas incubator based startups can get up to $100K in AWS Activate credits. This is just a simple example of the benefits. There are tons of mentoring and funding connection benefits for being part of an incubator system.

So I have compiled a list of them that you can explore.

These marketing and growth hacks are a collection from various platforms, and I haven't tried them yet.

Enjoy,

Kabir

I wouldn't say I like HTML and CSS tweaking. Thanks to ChatGPT and its siblings, backend devs are no longer talking to human designers who always seem to find ways to screw up code with fancy CSS crap. Yep, they do. They break your code blocks, and eventually, you pull out each other's hair. So, I have listed a few CSS frameworks that work well for non-frontend devs.

I am working on getting my Mac Mini (M1) audio set up using R0DECASTER DUE with an external USB mic and an M2 Macbook Pro; I will share my research here.

AI scene has been forked into two paths: engineers building AI products for market and AI researchers aka scientists who are exploring fundamental science behind artificial intelligence. I am interested in the fundamental AI science and its progress so I am building a list of top AI scientists around the world.

My primary camera is a Sony A7 Mark V, and I already have a Sony ZV 1 as a backup camera, but I decided to toss it out and get an everyday camera I can take with me in most places.

I am looking for AI courses for my 9th-grade son, so here is my research on this topic.

Some friends always ask me about my gadgets so here are my favorite one.

My notes on tips and tricks on switching to OSS LLM.

I have been thinking about creating a monthly or bi-monthly newsletter but have yet to really do it. First, let's find the right platform. Here is my research for finding the right platform.

Please note that Mailchimp and Substack are two major products in this category, but they are much more than simple newsletter platforms, so I don't cover them here.

I dislike Wordpress a lot.

But my friends  keep using it and keep asking me for recommendations.

I have SME company VPs using WP for their pet projects so its very dangerous for them to use random plugins and get their site hacked. Yep, it has happened. So I decided to make a list of my recommendations here.

When Solana came out, I was facinated with its technology, and the steller team.

Replenishing antioxidants in the body may help protect
against oxidative stress and lower cancer risk.

Antioxidants have gained significant attention for their health benefits. They can be found in a wide range of foods and are crucial in eliminating cancer-causing free radicals and promoting overall well-being. The USDA acknowledges that antioxidants effectively remove free radicals, which can damage cells and lead to severe illnesses if left unchecked.

Health professionals have harnessed the power of antioxidants in the treatment of various conditions, such as stroke, neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, and brain injuries. Moreover, antioxidants have shown promise in slowing down and even preventing the development of certain types of cancer. With such a wide range of health benefits, it's no surprise that antioxidants have gained popularity in recent years.

এখানে আমি আগামী শনিবার মনি ভাবির বাড়িতে হতে যাওয়া বৈশাখী পার্টির জন্য যে গানগুলি বেছে নিয়েছি সেগুলি রয়েছে।

I use X (formerly Twitter) and have a love-hate relationship with the platform. It has more conspiracy theorists than the population of Canada, and at the same time, it has a few dozen people I like to interact with, people I would have never met otherwise. So, it has value to me, one way or the other, and frankly, I was hoping to grow on this platform but never did the things right to grow.

So, I am giving it one more try in 2024 (starting in July), and here I am documenting the process so that if it works for me, others can try it too.

Remember, I am interested in sharing tech, business, and fun personal info on X, so this won't work for you if you are into politics and conspiracy theories.  Or will it?

I am planning to create a Chrome Browser plugin for PH to manage followers.

This is an ongoing note.

I am proposing a friendly introduction to debate and public speaking for our kids in 9-12 year range (5th grade to 7th grade) and this note will serve as the primary document to outline the details.

If you are interested, contact me via WhatsApp to join this program.

The program is designed with following in mind:

• Encourage, positive reinforcement and a supportive environment.
• Ensure that topics are simple and relatable for the age group.
• Provide resources like books, articles, and videos to help kids understand their topics.
• Keep the sessions interactive and fun to maintain enthusiasm and interest.
• Keep judges unbiased and not related to the kids participating in the final event.

Beyond the typical sightseeing by driving around, I am exploring what other things we can do together or separately during our group trip. So this note will be used for keeping a list of these activities.

It would be interesting to see how different AI chatbots research this topic. So here are my findings.

Once I had collected all the responses from the popular AI chatbot, I used the PRINT feature of this ShowNote to create a PDF and fed that to ChatGPT (GPT-4o). I asked it to generate a chart showing which AI chatbot was more pessimistic about the leaks, using a score of 1-100, with 100 being the most negative and one being the least negative.

I am finally ready for some decent photo editing software. Here is my research.

Some folks look for remote work and often ask where to find them.

I haven't got a clue, so I built a resource on this.

There are so many Large Language Models (LLMs) out there that many of my friends are confused about which one is the best. So I decided to make this note for them.

Finally, I decided to put together a public bucket list for my future travels. This is totally incomplete!

You would think everyone knows them by now!

I still get asked for a list of LLMs beyond ChatGPT.

So I created this note.

I am interested in podcasts, so I am exploring everything about them. Here, you will find my notes on starting a podcast to rank to everything else.

I love these tips and tricks.

I have been on Product Hunt for the last few months and in this note I will share my findings about the usefulness of Product Hunt (PH) for launching a consumer facing digital product or service such as the ShowNotes itself.

DISCLIAMER

I haven't yet launched ShowNotes on PH so not sure how it will go so this info is just what I have in my mind based on my experience with the folks who use PH on a regular basis.

This is a list of basic Linux commands that beginning Linux devs and users should know by heart. My 9th-grader son is learning this as part of his cybersecurity education at home :)

My boys—11 and 15—are playing tennis with me, so I am researching good YouTube videos to teach them the sport's techniques, rules, and gear. Once they have the basics down, I will hire a trainer soon.

For our future launch I am compiling a list of tips that are shared again and again by successful launch founders and other marketers. Of course with my 2¢ so take them with a large grain of salt.

Your comments are welcome! 

Startup funding is a critical step in a startup's lifecycle. Let's get to know some resources.

These funding platforms provide tech startups various options for securing early- and growth-stage capital. From traditional angel networks to modern equity crowdfunding models, each platform has unique features suited to different funding needs, company profiles, and stages of growth.

When you live in a town for fifteen years or so, you get to know the best places. I love Rocklin and the surrounding areas including Roseville, Lincon and Auburn.

I decided to make a ShowNote about the things I love in Rocklin and the surrounding towns.

Software developers are adopting more and more LLM and other LLM-powered third-party tools and co-pilots to help them with mundane and or routine programming tasks like generating generic code snippets to code documentation to even test code or documentation. This speeds up development, QA/QC and acceptance and so there is a lot of AI tools in the market. 

I use LLMs like ChatGPT directy and do not use copilots yet so I decided to research the new and trendy tools and see what the hype is all about. First step is to compile a list of them and then try them out. I am sharing my research so you can save some time and

Be aware that I haven't used these tools yet but compiling a list from various sources.

I wrote my first program in Sinclair BASIC in 1988 and have been writing software professionally. In this note, I will share my honest opinion about various programming languages. 

Researching this for my kids.

Modern websites or progressive web apps (PWAs) are excellent solutions, requiring no downloads and running smoothly in native browsers. I usually advocate against building native apps for Apple or Android unless necessary features can't be implemented in a PWA or web app. Many users, especially younger generations, prefer not to type URLs or save websites as bookmarks. In this context, downloadable apps improve engagement. However, building completely native apps can be resource-intensive, and web-view-based apps offer a great compromise. Benefits include:

1. Faster, cheaper development
2. Consistent user experience
3. Easy maintenance

Adhere to platform-specific guidelines and requirements to launch ShowNotes web-view apps on Apple's App Store and Google's Play Store. This ensures a valuable user experience and respects user privacy. Web-view-based apps balance native apps and web-based solutions, making them suitable for businesses and developers.

Some third-party services will create this web-view wrapper app for anywhere from $99 to 500, and some will even deal with Apple and Google App stores for you at an additional cost. In short, a realistic budget for a web-view app for a basic PWA app would be anywhere from $500-$1500.00. 

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is still very important for Web-based SaaS companies. I am sharing my notes on this topic.

Most people who know me knows that I am an Apple fanboy and buy a new iPhone every time it comes out! But I don’t buy every Apple products and this note shows what products I don’t buy and why!

Since Web3 / crypto is heating up. I need to go back and track some past investments.

So I am exploring tools that might be useful to you too.

Must founders who are in a prefunding, early stage need to check information in this list. I wrote this from personal experience in creating a new startup recently. The research is ongoing so expect corrections and updates.

There seem to be great interest in AI detectors and counter measures so I am investigating this myself. My notes are public and on-going.

Struggling with limited funding as a founder? Uncover powerful strategies to minimize your operating expenses with our expert advice.

Got a tip? Become a part of our community and share your insights!

Email is NOT dead.

I honestly believe it and see it in action based on my enterprise customers spending hundreds of thousands of dollars every year on email marketing.

I am compiling a list of tools and techniques for helping me use email marketing effectively. You can enjoy my open source research to save you some time!

Launching a public website or app is a must for all tech startups. Some startups are software companies, so they should know what software/services they need to keep their infrastructure safe and secure. 

I will share some pointers that might help you if you are unsure how to enhance your security on a small budget. Expect to spend 5-15% of revenue for on going security.

I am investigating how to address Product Market Fit (PMF) for ShowNotes so I am using ShowNotes to keep track of my research in this area.  Product Market Fit is an extreme important matter for any startup or new product of an existing company.

Product market fit is when a product's features and capabilities closely match what a specific market segment wants and is willing to pay for. It indicates that the right product is being offered to the right customers at the right price. Achieving product market fit validates that there is sustainable demand and interest in the product, and that growth is possible by further improving the product for the target customers. Simply put, it means the product resonates with and satisfies its intended market.

Some of my key points that I liked from my research:

• Avoid vanity metrics - downloads (doesn't mean anyting if they are not active)
• Use real metrics - retention (active users) and usage
• New user data may skew retention metics (watch for it)
• Have a great and fast release cycle

I often use Javascript to do interesting things with external websites. They are harmless to the site as the changes that are affected are all temporary. I am thinking about developing a Chrome plugin that will deploy my favorite Javascript mods on to sites that frequently visit. Here are some tricks that I use from time to time.

I use Google Chrome so the instructions are for this browser. Your milage on other browsers will very.

Most of these small vanilla Javascript tips that require no external libraries, needs to be applied on a target website by following these common steps:

1. Open the website where you want to change the text in your Chrome browser.
2. Right-click on the webpage and select "Inspect"  to open the developer tools.
3. Navigate to the "Console" tab within the developer tools.
4. This is where you can run JavaScript code on the webpage.
5. Copy the entire code for the specific hack in your clipboard
6. Paste the copied copde into the console and press Enter.
7. This will instantiate the code in the context of the current webpage. 
8. Then follow specific instructions in the commented header section.

Disclaimer

These are strictly for educational purposes only. You should not apply these tricks on websites without explicit permission. It's crucial to highlight the importance of ethical behavior and respect for digital properties.

I am researching email SaaS solutions that has inbound email API with webook capabilities for our INTEVOMAIL solutions. To create redundancy, we need at least two providers.