Interview with the founder of Calendesk

What is Calendesk?

Calendesk is an all-in-one appointment scheduling software that is designed to automate bookings and provide the best customer experience.

In this interview, we ask Maciej Cupial to share his story about Calendesk.

How did you come up with the idea for the business?

The concept for Calendesk was sparked during a casual conversation with my hairdresser. He was struggling to find an efficient tool to manage his bookings and customers, and given my background in programming, I thought, "Why not design a solution myself?" I thought it would be easy ... :)

How did you build the product?

Initially, I invested some savings from my previous business into hiring programmers to speed up the process. However, this approach proved to be a huge mistake as I quickly burned through my capital with little to show for it. As a result, I had to let the team go and personally take charge of product development. It was a tough lesson, but an invaluable one.

How big was your team when you started?

We kicked off the project with a team of 10, which included backend and frontend developers, iOS and Android developers, a DevOps expert, a marketing specialist, my co-founder, and myself. Currently, my co-founder and I manage the business, delegating tasks that aren't our strong suits. I oversee technical matters while my co-founder handles support and customer success.

How did you launch the business?

Our initial launch strategy was simple - we set up a landing page and initiated a Google Ads campaign. This approach yielded positive results as we began to see visitor conversions.

How have you grown the business since its launch?

We've utilized multiple channels to expand our reach, including paid ads on platforms like Google Ads and Capterra, organic growth through SEO, word-of-mouth referrals from satisfied customers, and adding links to our notifications and calendars to attract and retain new users.

What do your finances look like?

Our current Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) stands at $8,258.

What lessons have you learned?

There are a few key takeaways from my journey so far. First, only hire when you're certain it's necessary and beneficial. Second, conserve your resources and spend wisely - the hardest part isn't building the product but selling it. Finally, engage with your customers actively, seek their feedback, and focus on making the best product for them rather than obsessing over the competition.

What tools do you use/recommend?

Daily, I rely on tools like Slack for communication, Chartmogul for MRR tracking and basic CRM, Microsoft Clarity for identifying UX/UI issues (great Hotjar alternative), Trello/Clickup for task management, New Relic for platform monitoring, and Google Calendar for scheduling.

What is your advice for other founders/entrepreneurs?

Persistence is key. If you're not immediately seeing profits or attracting customers, don't be disheartened. Instead, keep refining your product, engaging with customers, and testing new strategies. The journey to success is seldom easy or quick, but it's always worth the effort.