banatie-strategy/06_future_topics_backlog.md

# Future Topics Backlog

**Date Created:** October 19, 2025
**Purpose:** Track strategic topics for future discussion sessions
**Status:** Living document - add topics as they arise
**Usage:** Review weekly, prioritize quarterly

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## How to Use This Backlog

### Adding New Topics
When a topic arises that needs discussion:
1. Add it to the appropriate section below
2. Include brief context (why this matters)
3. Note urgency level (Urgent / Soon / Eventually)
4. Link any related documents or data

### Prioritizing Topics
**Review this backlog:**
- Weekly: Check if any "Urgent" items need scheduling
- Monthly: Re-prioritize "Soon" items based on progress
- Quarterly: Prune "Eventually" items that are no longer relevant

**Decision framework:**
- **Urgent:** Schedule within 1 week (blocker or time-sensitive)
- **Soon:** Schedule within 1 month (important but not blocking)
- **Eventually:** Park for 3+ months (nice-to-have, not critical now)

---

## Current Priority: ICP Validation
**Status:** BLOCKING all other topics

Until ICP is validated (selected + customer interviews complete), most other strategic discussions are premature. Focus on:
1. Complete ICP self-assessment
2. Conduct 10-15 interviews
3. Make go/pivot/stop decision

**All topics below are AFTER this milestone.**

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## Urgent Topics (Schedule Within 1 Week)

### None at present
(ICP validation is the only urgent item - see separate doc `03_icp_research_questions.md`)

---

## Soon Topics (Schedule Within 1 Month)

### 1. MVP Scope Definition
**Context:** After ICP validated, need to strip product to ultra-minimal feature set
**Why urgent:** Cannot launch without clear scope
**Questions to address:**
- What's the ONE killer feature for validated ICP?
- Which planned features can we cut completely?
- What's the 80/20 - minimum to prove value?

**Inputs needed:**
- Customer interview insights (what do they actually need?)
- Current feature set inventory
- Development time estimates for each feature

**Desired outcome:**
- Single-page doc: "MVP v1 Scope"
- Clear go/no-go list of features
- 4-6 week timeline to shippable product

**Owner:** @men (recommendations) + Oleg (feasibility assessment)
**Urgency:** Soon (after ICP validation)

---

### 2. Pricing Strategy Finalization
**Context:** Rough pricing discussed ($49/$149), need to validate and finalize
**Why important:** Pricing is positioning - affects who signs up
**Questions to address:**
- Free tier: Yes/No? If yes, how limited?
- Trial length: 7 days? 14 days? 30 days?
- Tier structure: How many tiers? What limits per tier?
- Annual discount: 2 months free (standard)? More aggressive?
- What's our cost structure per customer? (COGS analysis)

**Inputs needed:**
- Validated ICP budget data (from interviews)
- Competitor pricing benchmarks (update with latest)
- Our cost structure (Gemini + CDN + infra per 100/500/1000 images)

**Desired outcome:**
- Pricing page copy ready
- Calculator: Image volume → recommended tier
- Value proposition per tier clearly articulated

**Owner:** @men (strategy) + Oleg (cost calculation)
**Urgency:** Soon (before MVP launch)

---

### 3. Pre-Launch Strategy
**Context:** Oleg asked: "нужно ли прямо сейчас создать лэндинг, где-то зарегестрироваться"
**Why important:** Early buzz vs. premature exposure trade-off
**Questions to address:**
- Landing page: Now or at launch? (Lean toward NOW)
- Product Hunt: Register product early for followers?
- Beta access: Waitlist or invite-only?
- Launch sequence: Soft launch → community → PH → press?

**Considerations:**
- Employer discovery risk (see Topic #7)
- Building in public benefits (social proof, feedback)
- Too early = vaporware stigma
- Too late = missed early adopter energy

**Desired outcome:**
- Pre-launch checklist
- Landing page V1 content
- Launch timeline (soft → full)

**Owner:** @men (strategy) + Oleg (execution)
**Urgency:** Soon (1-2 weeks after ICP validation)

---

## Eventually Topics (3+ Months Out)

### 4. Social Media & Content Strategy
**Context:** Oleg's accounts: Twitter, LinkedIn, dev.to, daily.dev
**Why important:** Developer marketing = content marketing + community
**Questions to address:**
- Which platforms to prioritize? (Can't do all equally)
- Content calendar: How often? What topics?
- Build in public: How transparent? What to share?
- Personal brand vs. product brand?
- LinkedIn: When to post? (employer risk)

**Framework to develop:**
- Platform-by-platform strategy
- Content pillars (3-5 themes)
- Distribution schedule (realistic for 15-20 hrs/week)
- Metrics to track (not vanity - real engagement)

**Research needed:**
- Analyze successful indie hackers on each platform
- Benchmark posting frequency
- Study what content gets traction in developer communities

**Desired outcome:**
- 90-day content plan
- Templates for recurring post types
- Clear dos/don'ts for each platform

**Owner:** @men (strategy) + Oleg (execution + authenticity)
**Urgency:** Eventually (after MVP has first users)

---

### 5. Plan B Strategy
**Context:** Oleg asked: "если сам banatie не выстрелит"
**Why important:** Mental preparation reduces panic, enables faster pivot
**Questions to address:**
- At what point do we call it? (time? money? metrics?)
- What would Plan B look like?
  - Different ICP for same product?
  - Different product for same ICP?
  - Completely different direction?
- How to preserve learnings/relationships if we shut down?
- What's the psychological/emotional process of letting go?

**Scenarios to explore:**
1. Pivot to different ICP (e.g., agencies → e-commerce)
2. Pivot to different product (use image gen expertise differently)
3. Acqui-hire / sell (if there's traction but not enough for solo)
4. Shut down gracefully, return to job search with upgraded skills

**Desired outcome:**
- Clear abort criteria (documented)
- Pivot playbook (if X, try Y)
- Emotional preparedness (this is OK, not failure)

**Owner:** @men (scenarios) + Oleg (personal constraints)
**Urgency:** Eventually (revisit if red flags appear)

---

### 6. Google Ads & Paid Marketing
**Context:** Oleg asked about Google Ads viability
**Why not urgent:** Paid marketing is for AFTER PMF, not before
**Questions to address:**
- Is Google Ads right channel for developer tools?
- What keywords would we target?
- What's realistic CPC and conversion rate?
- Budget needed for meaningful test?
- SEO vs. Ads priority?

**Current stance:**
- **Don't run ads before PMF** (waste of money)
- Focus on organic: content, community, word-of-mouth
- Consider ads only after:
  - $5K+ MRR
  - <3% churn (proven product)
  - Clear ROI on customer acquisition

**Revisit when:**
- We have 20+ customers organically
- We know our LTV (lifetime value)
- We've maxed out organic channels

**Desired outcome:**
- Paid marketing readiness checklist
- When to start ads (specific triggers)
- Channel-by-channel assessment (Google vs. Twitter vs. LinkedIn)

**Owner:** @men (when ready)
**Urgency:** Eventually (6-12 months out)

---

### 7. "Свечение Фейса" (Employer Discovery Risk Management)
**Context:** Oleg's concern: "как сделать так чтобы работодатель не узнал о моем проекте раньше времени"
**Why sensitive:** Side project could jeopardize current income
**Questions to address:**
- Legal: What does employment contract say? (IP clauses? Non-compete?)
- Ethical: Is there conflict of interest? (Same industry?)
- Practical: How to market without LinkedIn exposure early on?
- Timeline: When is it safe to go public?

**Risk assessment:**
- **High risk channels:** LinkedIn (colleagues watch), company Slack
- **Medium risk:** Twitter (if colleagues follow), local meetups
- **Low risk:** Reddit (pseudonymous), Indie Hackers, dev.to (niche)

**Mitigation strategies:**
1. **Separate brand identity**
   - Banatie brand (not "Oleg's project")
   - Separate social accounts (not personal)
   - Generic bio (don't mention current employer)

2. **Delayed LinkedIn presence**
   - Don't post on LinkedIn until 3-6 months in
   - OR: Negotiate with employer first (transparency)
   - Post only after you have customers (serious project)

3. **Check employment contract**
   - Review IP assignment clauses (does employer own side projects?)
   - Check non-compete (can you work in same space?)
   - Consult lawyer if unclear (worth $200-500 for peace of mind)

4. **Gradual public presence**
   - Month 1-3: Stealth, private beta
   - Month 3-6: Soft public launch (dev.to, Indie Hackers, Reddit)
   - Month 6+: Full public (LinkedIn, Twitter, local meetups)

5. **Employer conversation options:**
   - **Option A (Risky):** Ask permission explicitly (could trigger concern)
   - **Option B (Safe):** Wait until you have traction, then inform
   - **Option C (Safest):** Keep stealth until you're ready to quit

**Desired outcome:**
- Clear timeline: When to go public on each platform
- Legal clarity: Contract reviewed, no surprises
- Backup plan: If employer finds out early, how to respond?

**Owner:** Oleg (contract review) + @men (strategy)
**Urgency:** Eventually (but address BEFORE pre-launch marketing)

---

## Parked Topics (Low Priority)

### 8. Partnership & Integration Strategy
**Context:** Which tools to integrate with? (Webflow, Framer, Shopify, etc.)
**Why low priority:** Need PMF first, then expand distribution
**Park until:** $5K+ MRR

### 9. Hiring & Delegation
**Context:** When to bring on help? What roles first?
**Why low priority:** Solo is viable until $10K+ MRR
**Park until:** Oleg is bottleneck (too much support, too many leads)

### 10. Fundraising Consideration
**Context:** Stay bootstrapped or seek funding?
**Why low priority:** Prove PMF first, then decide
**Park until:** $10K+ MRR or clear acceleration opportunity

### 11. International Expansion
**Context:** Which markets to target first? Localization needs?
**Why low priority:** Start global, but don't overthink geography
**Park until:** Clear geographic demand signals emerge

### 12. Exit Strategy / Long-term Vision
**Context:** Build to sell? Build lifestyle business? Build empire?
**Why low priority:** Too early to know
**Park until:** Post-PMF, $20K+ MRR

---

## Topics Completed ✅

### ✅ Market Positioning & Segments
**Completed:** Oct 19, 2025
**Output:** `01_market_positioning_and_segments.md`
**Key decisions:** Converging AI gen + CDN, targeting developers, not enterprises initially

### ✅ Reality Check & Timeline
**Completed:** Oct 19, 2025
**Output:** `02_reality_check.md`
**Key decisions:** 3-phase approach, keep job until $6K MRR, hybrid at 6 months

### ✅ Business Terminology & Concepts
**Completed:** Oct 19, 2025
**Output:** Inline clarifications in discussion
**Key terms:** ARR, MRR, churn, ICP, PMF, pivot, bandwidth

---

## Topic Request Process

**For Oleg:**
When you want to discuss something new:
1. Add it to appropriate section above
2. Include context (why this matters now)
3. Note urgency level
4. Flag in weekly check-in if it's time-sensitive

**For @men:**
- Review backlog weekly
- Reprioritize based on Oleg's progress
- Proactively surface topics as they become relevant
- Prune topics that are no longer applicable

---

## Quarterly Review Prompts

**Every 3 months, ask:**
1. Which topics can be removed? (no longer relevant)
2. Which topics should be elevated? (more urgent than before)
3. What new topics should be added? (based on progress)
4. Are we focusing on the right things? (strategy check)

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**Document owner:** @men + Oleg (joint)
**Next review:** After ICP validation complete
**Last updated:** October 19, 2025
**Related docs:** All strategic documents reference this backlog