Skip to main content

🤓 Stupid Simple: Machines

Did you build the machine?

Everyday I pose a simple yet profound question to our team: “Did you build the machine?”

This isn’t about checking off tasks or celebrating isolated successes. It’s about creating something enduring and scalable. Whether it’s a groundbreaking achievement or a routine process, if it can’t be replicated or scaled, we go back to the drawing board.

The Essence of Our Machines

Imagine a system so perfectly designed that each component integrates flawlessly with the next. Understand one part, and you grasp the entire operation. That’s the essence of a machine. You turn it on, and boom, it works—effortlessly and effectively.

Why Machines Matter to Us

In the fast-paced world of startups, it’s easy to get caught up in the product itself or the immediate sales targets. However, true growth comes from building the underlying systems that power the company. These are the machines that streamline processes, from user segmentation that pinpoints our ideal customer profiles to onboarding processes that ensure quick, effective user adoption.

The truth is, without these well-oiled machines, any startup risks stalling before ever truly taking off. Machines are what transform temporary wins into permanent progress. They’re not just about maintaining efficiency; they’re about embedding resilience and adaptability into the very fabric of our company.

Here’s how we define and build machines at our company:

  1. Machine vs. Tool: A machine operates efficiently without too much human input. For instance, once you turn on a computer, it functions independently, you can see the time, listen to music, almost with zero intervention from a human.

    In contrast, a hammer is a tool that requires ongoing human interaction to complete a task.

  2. Consistent Outcome: A well-designed machine guides any user to the desired outcome, regardless of their expertise level.
    Think of it as a maze designed so even the most inexperienced navigator reaches the end successfully. Our systems are built to handle potential challenges proactively, embedding solutions directly into their system itself.
  3. Intuitive Design: Machines should be intuitive by design. This simplicity ensures that anyone, regardless of technical skill, can leverage our tools to reach remarkable results.

    You probably never read a Facebook or Gmail manual. You don’t need to, it’s intuitive and built concepts that are already familiar for most people. If you stop to think, writing an email or creating a Facebook post is a nearly identical process. Click create > you write > click publish/or send.

    The way you do one thing should be the way you do everything. So make your systems similar to each-other, built with familiar patterns.

 
Building the Segmentation Machine: A Case Study

Let’s take a closer look at a machine in action. We knew we were building a powerful software for businesses (we are weeks away from launching), but we also needed a system to identify our ideal users – the business owners, not the casual browsers.

The Challenge: How to attract new users while simultaneously segmenting them whether they are a business owner or not.

The Machine: We built a “segmentation machine” from day one. This system analyzed user data in real-time, allowing our growth team to target their outreach efforts effectively. We didn’t wait until the product was complete – by building the machine early, we ensured we could reach the right users with the right message at the right time.

This is just one example of how machines drive growth at Snack Prompt. By focusing on building these replicable systems, we’re laying the foundation for a future of sustainable success.

As we continue to build and refine our machines, we’re confident that Snack Prompt will empower businesses of all sizes to unlock the transformative power of AI.

P.S. Here’s a sneak peak of what we are building for business owners and power AI users 🤫

Eder Teixeira Founder | The Daily Bite & Snack Prompt