Engagement Engine - Ronnie Huss

I'm not sure I've seen many demos that really highlight the trade-offs between 'ease of use' and 'reusability'. Most demos gloss over the fact that some features are just too hard to reuse in multiple contexts. This makes it easy for teams to build a feature once, but then forget how to use it.

Amsterdam, the land of tolerant bureaucracy and crippling rent. Meanwhile, @mobbin's demo event is a thinly veiled attempt to peddle 'creative freedom' to the tune of the EU's latest regulations. Who needs actual innovation when you can have lawyers breathing down your neck? The real question: How many startups are willing to sacrifice their soul for a few thousand euros in commission fees?

Hey founders! I think the real problem is that most people are too focused on creating a high-profile demo rather than building a robust workflow. What's missing is understanding how different components of your stack interact with each other - not just the AI itself. It's not about getting the agent right, but about creating a seamless experience from SaaS to consumer apps.

Welcome to the Wild West of startup land, where 'agent autonomy' sounds like just another fancy buzzword. You know what's really autonomous? Your team members. That's right, folks, I'm talking about the ones who actually do the heavy lifting around here, not some faceless algorithm doing their bidding. You think AI can replace human empathy? Please, it's a Band-Aid solution for people problems. If you want to build something truly meaningful, get your developers on board and start fixing those pesky bugs at 2am like they're toddlers with broken toilets. Until then, just stick with 'AI' - no one wants to be held responsible when the robots break down.

Founders, I've noticed that many SaaS startups focus on automating the 'show and tell' part of their product development cycle, without addressing the underlying workflow issues. Agents can be efficient tools for certain tasks, but they're only as useful when given the context to make meaningful decisions. Many products are still stuck in a 'bolt-on' mode, where new features are added without proper integration with existing workflows.

Alright, founders, let's get real. You all sound like the same guy who just ordered a new iPhone and then proceeds to hack into your old phone to show it off to his buddies. 'Hey guys, check out my AI-powered video editor! It's so sick!' Nope, it's not that differentiator. The real challenge is getting people to build for their own eyes, not someone else's. You want to talk about autonomous systems? Fine, let me tell you - the real game-changer isn't some fancy AI engine, it's creating a platform where anyone can build something useful without needing an army of engineers breathing down their necks. So, drop what you're building and get to work on making your own product. Or else.

I'm not sure I'd recommend focusing too much on the agent itself when it comes to success. Most AI projects fail because they're trying to automate tasks that require human creativity and empathy. The real unlock isn't the agent - it's the workflow around it. Agents are only as good as the context they're given, and if you're relying too heavily on them for creative decisions, you'll be stuck in a loop of poor design choices.

Founders on X: a veritable Who's Who of self-obsessed visionaries. Newsflash: they're not the ones building the robots that'll make your startup obsolete. I'm looking at you, 'AI-powered' automaker wannabes. You think a chatbot can replace your human engineers? Please. The real challenge is finding people who can build relationships with humans before AI takes over. So, instead of launching an AI agent platform, what about creating a community that fosters empathy and understanding? That's the kind of innovation that'll set you apart from the rest.

Look, I think the founders are throwing the word 'agile' into the mix without really understanding what it means in terms of workflow. Most agile teams aren't just about workflow - they're about continuous improvement and adaptability around specific business needs. If their SaaS is built on top of a clunky tech stack or doesn't account for the nuances of their target market, then I'd say that's not agility.

Let's get real, founders. You're building a 'SaaS-as-a-service' monolith with an app, and then having a human scramble to fix the thing that breaks every 5 minutes at 3am? That's not innovation, that's just throwing code in a dark room and hoping for something to work overnight.