If you’re an early-stage founder or just dreaming about launching your own startup, you want to maximize your odds of success. But here’s the thing: not all ideas are created equal. Some are so tempting, so popular, that you’ll see them everywhere—but they’re actually traps that have burned more founders than can be counted.
In this video, Rob Walling walks through seven startup ideas he’d never build.
Watch more videos like this 👇
Validate Your SaaS Idea FAST (Step-by-Step SaaS Validation Process): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rXXRdB3TJI
6 SaaS Ideas To Build in 2025 (Before Someone Else Does):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WXHWKDEbIs&t=127s
Links in the video:
Get the Free SaaS Launchpad module: https://www.saaslaunchpad.co
📈 SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/microconf?sub_confirmation=1
Welcome to MicroConf – Where Independent SaaS Founders Launch, Meet, Learn, and Grow! MicroConf is the world’s most trusted community for bootstrapped SaaS founders.
MicroConf is a community of SaaS founders that brings together bootstrapped and independently-funded B2B SaaS companies who are not looking to chase “unicorn status” or venture capital.
We provide SaaS training, education and networking opportunities for other founders who are pre-product, focused on scaling their business, and looking for an exit strategy.
MicroConf began more than a decade ago. Since then, we’ve hosted more than 25 events with nearly 200 speakers, helped thousands of attendees, and impacted tens of thousands more through our videos and online community.
Ready to take your SaaS startup to the next level? Check these out:
In Person Events: https://microconf.com/upcoming-events
Digital Events: https://microconfremote.com
Mastermind Matching: https://microconf.com/masterminds
Let’s Connect…
Website: https://microconf.com/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/microconf
Twitter: https://twitter.com/microconf
Interesting. What’s left? ;). Just kidding. 😂. JM
Super to the point! I have iterated many business ideas myself, including markerplaces, B2C software, etc. This video validates my conclusions without exceptions.
Thanks for sharing. Very educational. 🙏🙏💯💯👍👍🔥🔥
Idea #3 isn't too bad tbh. It just needs to address a pain point that the market has with existing services.
if you cant make enough money by taking a percentage, why not just take a larger percentage?
Here’s an idea: a teleprompter that make reading off script on a YouTube video like this less amateurish
I’m amazed at how much was wiped out.
I asked GPT for a rough estimate on how many successful bootstrapped startups fall into at least one of these categories:
“~60–75% of successful bootstrapped startups fall into at least one of the above categories.”
There’s almost certainly some survivorship bias, but I also think there are a lot of solid points being made about the cons of these particular ideas.
There are also cons to B2B ideas, but I appreciate the perspective, and congrats on your success!
He’s right unfortunately give up on your dreams unless it’s one of his ideas at $59.95 😂
I think most of the people leaving negative comments on this video seem to be missing the point.
The point of the video is if you're bootstrapping (bootstraping?) a business WITH NO OUTSIDE FUNDING.
If you already have lots of resources, most of these ideas will work. But the target audience for this video is those who don't have those resources to begin with.
YC CALL them TARPIT IDEAS!