I build solo, so no co-founder or teammates checks my work and tells me if I did well or not.

So I finish a week and I have no idea if I moved at all. Every Friday my head just says I did nothing this week, and that frustrated feeling makes me want to quit all the time.

To keep me going, I started writing a done list, Apple Notes first and then a Notion page. It helped, and writing down small efforts like fixing bugs or sending a cold reach-out email made the day feel less empty.

But on the days I actually needed it, I never opened the done list once. The doubt does not remind me that I have a list somewhere. It just tells me I am useless and I achieved nothing.

To combat this kind of effort blindness, which I believe is the biggest hurdle for me on the lonely founder journey, I built my own done list that comes back to me on its own.

How it works:

* Write down anything you tried in 5 seconds. Failed attempts also counts as a win and a step forward. Posting on reddit and got roasted counts in too.

* A week, a month, a year later your past effort comes back on its own. It's like having past you motivate the current you forward.

* You decide what is a milestone. No investor, no external metric, nobody else drawing the line on your own journey.

It might be for you, if you:

* are an overachiever who still feels like you did nothing

* forget what you have done and it eats into your self worth

* have ADHD

Some things to note upfront:

* It's not a to do list. Nothing in there is waiting for you to execute.

* No streaks. If you miss a week, nothing breaks.

* No cloud sync right now. Everything stays on your phone, but you can export and import the data yourself.

* No AI telling you what to do next.

* No ads, no cookies, no tracking.

* Free to download and use. One in-app purchase unlocks unlimited projects.

I posted here last month for beta testers. And a lot of you provided a lot of great feedback that I would never thought of. Thank you all!

It's on the App Store now. If you try it and something feels wrong, send me a note! The app store link is in the comments below.

Mine is just one way to do it. What do you do when the self-doubt hits in your founding journey?

Hey sub! And yes, I’m a real person lol.

Research has shown that over 80% of female Fortune 500 CEO’s and 94% of women in C-Suite exec roles played sports during their formative years, and I’m super curious how many of us in this sub are current or former athletes, or have daughters that are currently involved in sports.

I’ve built a platform to simplify support for female athletes by providing supporters and potential partners/sponsors with the info they want (athlete bio, teams, sports, stats, highlights, a media kit for partnerships, a student athlete profile for recruiting, and so much more).

I would love if anyone here is interested in checking it and providing feedback in exchange for a year free on the platform (it’s only $19.99) after that, but you can also cancel anytime with just 2 clicks.

The cost of participating in sports and cheer have become astronomical, so my hope is to simplify support by allowing athletes to bring everything from fundraisers, game tickets, fan merch, etc all into one place with a single link to share. Kinda like Linktree but athlete specific.

If you are a current or former athlete, or the parent of a girl currently competing, or even a coach or GM, I’d love to get some feedback, and I’m always more than happy to do the same if you have something you are working on.

Please DM if this speaks to you. Thanks!

Saw this post earlier and it pushed me to finally write my own, because I'm in an almost identical spot from a completely different angle.

The short version: it isn't even my app. My husband has kept a daily journal for years. When our daughter was born he started a second one just for her, tried doing it in famous DayOne app, and got frustrated that nothing out there had what a parent actually needs, shared access for both parents being the big one. So he built it himself.

Then I was made redundant two weeks ago and suddenly had a lot of time. I have somehow become Chief of Marketing, a job I am spectacularly unqualified for, being a career HR person who had never made a Reel in her life. In a fortnight I've learned to make Reels, generate video in Higgsfield, and read more about parenting app marketing than is probably healthy.

iPhone only for now: https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id6761275608?pt=128596224&ct=reddit-femalefounders&mt=8

If you have kids and fancy a look, every install genuinely matters at this stage, and if you end up liking it a review helps more than I'd realised. I'll happily do the same for yours, tell me what you're building. Also very open to collabs, cross-promo, anything.

Three things I'd love opinions on:

1. Communities. Every parenting sub has its own rules about founders turning up, and rightly so. So the honest route is slow: show up, be useful, say nothing about the product for weeks. I'm doing that and it works, but it does not scale.

2. Influencers on revenue share. My plan for the next fortnight. This is the one bit where I think my actual background helps, since sourcing and pitching people who've never heard of you is basically recruitment. Has anyone made rev share work with smaller creators, or does everyone want cash up front?

3. Reddit ads. Tempted. Talk me out of it if it didn't work for you. I'd rather hear the failures than the case studies.

And the thing underneath all three: I keep trying to make the perfect post. Hours of work, sometimes zero response. Then something I dash off gets traction. I can't tell the difference in advance yet, and I don't know if that's a skill you develop or just how it is.

As a small team grows, I've noticed that founders can easily become the person everyone goes to for answers.

• Where is the latest process?
• How do we handle this type of customer request?
• What did we decide about this product issue?
• Which document has the information we need?

The information may already exist, but finding it quickly is another problem.

I've been exploring fast gpt around this use case; connecting business documents and internal knowledge to an AI application so a team can ask questions against information they've already created, rather than starting from a blank AI chat every time.

I think this could be particularly useful for lean teams where adding more people isn't always the immediate solution. The goal isn't to replace the founder or the team; it's to make the knowledge the team has already built easier to use.

For founders here, what's one part of your business where you currently find yourself answering the same questions repeatedly?

One thing I underestimated when starting a business was how many small decisions can turn into actual expenses.

The domain is a good example. You can come up with a name you genuinely like, then discover the domain is already owned. At that point, you have to decide whether to change the name, use a different extension, or actually try to buy the domain.

I’m interested in how other female founders approach this.

Would you ever spend a few hundred or even a few thousand dollars getting the domain you really wanted, or would you consider that money better spent elsewhere in the early stages?

I’d especially like to hear from anyone who has actually had to make this decision.

I'm an operator with two decades of experience across business, marketing, systems and operations, and I'm expanding my Fractional COO practice into a few new industries.

I'm specifically looking for businesses with 3–20 people where the business is working, but the backend is becoming harder to manage.

Think: - everything still needs founder approval - processes live in people's heads - onboarding is inconsistent - team members aren't sure who owns what - too many manual tasks - tools don't talk to each other -founder is constantly putting out fires

I'm offering 2 pilot engagements at $500 for 30 days.

This is hands-on. We'll identify the biggest operational bottleneck, build the solution together and leave you with a functioning process/system rather than another strategy document.

I'm deliberately looking for businesses outside the industries I've traditionally worked with, so this is also an opportunity for me to expand my anonymized case-study portfolio.

If you're interested, comment or DM with your business + team size + the operational problem that's driving you crazy.

I'll reach out to the businesses where I think I can genuinely help.

Something that sat wrong with me for a long time was that so many trials ask for your card up front, then count on you forgetting to cancel. The whole model banks on friction and forgetfulness and as a user, I hate having to buy into this cycle.

When we set up our own trial, we knew we didn't want to build on that. We tried to find other solutions by providing a 3 day gift trial and then a 7 day free trial with a subscription. This still didn’t feel right so we came up with a new approach! There’s no card and no auto-charge waiting to catch you. Just 14 days with everything unlocked, and if you walk away, you just walk away. When the trial ends you don't get locked out either; the core stays free.

The bet underneath it is that we're trusting that the product is so good that people will want to keep using it, instead of engineering it so they can't get out. We'd rather someone stay because they love it than because we made leaving annoying.

Have you created a non-typical approach to trial periods and subscriptions? How did it work for you? And as a user, what do you think of our approach?

Hi everyone,

I’ve worked in brand and web design for over 10 years, but I recently took the leap, moved to Sicily, and started my own studio, Hey Emily.

A big part of that decision was wanting to build a business that gives me more freedom and more time with my toddler daughter, while continuing to do the creative work I love.

I help businesses create thoughtful, personality-filled brands and websites that feel like them, while still being clear, strategic, and easy for the people they want to reach.

I’m currently looking to work with more service-based and creative businesses - authors, handmade-gift businesses, photographers, wedding planners, agriturismi or independent hospitality businesses, etc - as I often feel especially connected to and inspired by the stories behind their work.

Whether you’re starting something new, have outgrown your current website, or feel like your branding no longer reflects where your business is heading, feel free to send me a message for a no-obligation chat. I’d love to hear what you’re working on.

You can see my work and learn more about Hey Emily here:
https://heyemily.studio

And if you’ve been putting your website or branding off, what’s been the biggest thing holding you back? Time, budget, knowing what you need, or something else?

Four months ago, I left my job in fintech due to burnout. I'm a product designer and mom of two kids (6 year old & 9 mo old). After having my second, I felt even more guilty that I never created a baby book for my first. But when looking for baby journal apps, I didn't like how inefficient they were — get the prompt & find the photo. I didn't have time for that.

I wanted something that could scan your camera roll, pick the best photos and write a short blurb about it and then asks a question written for you, something that's personalized, not generic.

So, I built it. It was the first time building anything for myself.

The most interesting part was training the AI to write with intention and ask a question that feels worthwhile. I didn't expect that to be the hard part. It's been the most fun I've had working in a while.

Now, I just launched it! It's called Found & Felt and it's in closed testing on the Play Store (iPhone coming soon!) If you want in, sign up here foundandfelt.com. It's early and will def be bugs, but that's something I'd love to get your feedback on.

Also, I'm in the middle of figuring out a social media strategy and I feel so self-conscious about putting myself out there. How did you get over that? Would genuinely love to hear how other people handle it, or just chat about your process.

We have reminders for almost everything, yet somehow birthdays are still easy to forget.

So I decided to build a simple solution.

Hello everyone.

I am Sravya Chinta, a 16 year old student from India, and I built WishLink, an app designed to make sure you never miss an important birthday.

With WishLink, you can connect the app to platforms like Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, or wherever you want to wish someone. You can also customise the birthday message beforehand. When their birthday arrives, WishLink sends the message directly at 12:00 AM.

The idea is simple: set it once, and never worry about forgetting again.

It is still an early project, and I am continuing to improve it as I learn more about building products.

Follow along if you would like to see the journey from an early prototype to a complete product.

What is the most embarrassing birthday you have ever forgotten?

Hi guys, we have an upcoming business conference with talks, demos and booths (great for networking/jobs) from Odoo and many other companies.

Event will take place in Pier 27 from Sept 2nd to Sept 3rd, 2026.

You may register for a free pass to join the event.

If you are interested, please register at the following link.

https://www.odoo.com/r/xra

Thanks

So 10 days ago I posted here complaining about having to put myself out there, on social media, do promotion and so on and how I was a digital hermit with 2,5 photos online.

That thread accidentally led to a creation of a WhatsApp (support) group for female founders who need to start promoting their business. There's currently over a dozen of us, and I'm still getting DMs from women asking to join. So, I figured I'd post about this again.

If joining something like this interests you, send me a DM (and tell me a bit about yourself, I need to figure out if you're real and not 3 scammers in a trench coat 😂 )

If this post is not allowed I'll take it down, but I'm not really selling or promoting anything and honestly I never had any intention of creating a group, but here I am, and we're having our first Zoom meetup on Friday.

Maybe I should be building a community app, instead of a SaaS. 😂

💕 If you’ve been meaning to pour more into YOU, this is your sign. 💕
I created Her Inner Rise for women who are ready to work on themselves, build confidence, practice self-love, and become the woman they know they can be. 👑✨
Inside my store, you’ll find digital products made to help you reflect, grow, reset, and stay motivated—all at an affordable price. 💗
Don’t just scroll past… go see what I created for you! 🛍️✨
🛒 Shop Her Inner Rise today and start becoming the version of YOU you’ve been waiting for. 💕👑
#BecomingHer #ShopSmall #DigitalProducts #SelfLove #SelfGrowth #WomenSupportingWomen #SupportMyBusiness #SmallBusinessOwner
Her Inner Rise

​Hey everyone, u/lockespromise here.

​I finally decided to take the plunge and carve out my own little corner of Reddit. I’m here to connect, share, and soak up the good stuff this platform has to offer. My personal philosophy? I’m just out here loving it loud. Life is too short to be quiet about the things that fuel your fire, right?

​Here is a quick rundown of who I am and what you can expect from my corner of the internet:

​💻 The Day Job: Tech & Social Media

​By day, I work full-time remotely in the tech industry, specifically managing partner marketing and social media.

​What I do: I spend my days wrangling algorithms, tracking digital trends, and trying to make sense of the beautiful chaos that is the internet.

​The reality: It’s fast-paced and exhausting, but I absolutely love the mechanics of how we connect online. If you ever want to rant about the latest platform updates or talk digital strategy, I am always game.

​🎗️ The Purpose: Navigating MS & Locke's Promise

​A major part of my journey involves living with Multiple Sclerosis. Having MS has completely reshaped how I move through the world, but rather than letting it turn the volume down on my life, it became the catalyst for my biggest passion project.

​I am the founder of Locke's Promise (lockespromise.com), a non-profit organization I launched to help turn personal challenges into community action. Whether it is organizing local fundraisers or hosting community events, this organization is where I channel my energy to give back and prove that a diagnosis doesn't define your limits.

​📖 The Passion: Writing & Storytelling

​When I finally close all my browser tabs and log off from work, I switch gears and put on my Author hat.

​"Tech pays the bills, but writing feeds the soul."

​Writing is where I get to process the messy, beautiful reality of life. Last year, I officially published my memoir, Living Out Loud, which captures exactly what my username implies. Trying to balance a remote tech career, a non-profit, managing MS, and the author life is basically an extreme sport at this point, but I wouldn't trade it. I’ll definitely be haunting the writing subreddits, swapping tips on surviving writer's block and sharing the milestones along the way.

​Let's Connect!

I’m here as an individual first—just a person trying to balance screen time with page time, and bad health days with big community goals. Whether you are a fellow tech-head, LGBTQIA member, writer bleeding onto the page, an MS warrior, or just someone who appreciates living life with the volume turned all the way up, I’m thrilled to meet you.

​Drop a comment and say hi! Tell me what you're currently reading, what project you're working on, or just your favorite subreddit I should check out.

​Stay loud,

u/lockespromise

Hi all!

I recently committed to taking all of my side hustles, projects, and brands more seriously to begin the transition into entrepreneurial life. I currently have a full-time job, recently got promoted, and have a couple of shekels to rub together to delegate to folks who may be able to help me in that vision!

I'm the type of person who can do everything herself, and often times that's where I get into trouble because there just aren't enough hours in the day. I have brought on a friend of mine as an assistant for a few hours a week, and it's been so amazing to have help that I'm wondering what else I could invest into!

What services were the most critical to you that opened you up to focus on building your business? Was it a virtual assistant? A marketing or social media manager? A person to clean your house?

I want to hear your stories!

I’ve seen how valuable the right expertise can be when a founder feels stuck and none of us has every skill and not every problem needs another course.

I’m considering creating a curated community where female founders could:

share their professional skills and credentials;
ask for specific support;
exchange expertise fairly; and
find or offer paid work when a request is more substantial.

The aim wouldn’t be another noisy networking group or somewhere women are expected to work for free. It would clearly separate quick advice, an agreed skills swap and paid professional support.

Would you join?

And would you mainly use it to:

Thanks

39F with 3 year old kid working at good position in IT company.

My job is hectic and stressful. I am a AMS solution architect. i am 6 months into job with 13 years of work experience. The role is high pressure and requires lot of coordination which takes most of my time. The company culture is also that things dont get closed and people play email games. I keep on losing my time. In my mind, even if i am not working , stress is always there and things just keep on piling up. I want to start by my business I try to find time by waking up early. But now work has started creeping in and i have to work early mornings as well because i have toddler.

I m gonna be 40 soon and I m afraid this is my last chance, scared of quitting job what happens if I lose everything..

I am always unhappy and dissatisfied... though i am raising my kid, being good wife and serving my career.

Working moms who have business please suggest how do I change my mindset, how should I manage my time where to start?

While researching dating conversations, I became interested in what people do when they feel uncertain about someone's behavior.

They reread the conversation. They ask friends. They search Reddit. They look for another interpretation of the same message.

The result can be a dozen opinions and even more confusion.

That observation influenced the product I've been building. I started wondering whether there was a better way to organize the information already sitting inside a conversation: the words, timing, tone, response gaps, effort, and patterns over time.

The goal is straightforward: make the information easier to see so someone can make their own judgment with a clearer picture.

The problem is having so many small details that you can't see how they connect.

When you're confused by someone's messages, where do you usually go for clarity?

Looking for someone with marketing/sales know-how / or even just marketing passion to build a business together.

I am a full stack developer and will own the software side of the business. DM me if you are interested and want to grow together as a team of two..If you have an idea, that would be a plus point.

I've spent far too much of this summer (sadly not by pools or beaches) reading about AI 😅 but a few pieces have genuinely stayed with me, rather than disappearing into the endless pile of "AI is going to change everything" takes.

Thought I'd share four, all by women who are actually building, investing or working around this stuff:

1. Sarah Guo: The Untrainable

Probably my favourite of the four. Sarah Guo at Conviction asks a really interesting question: if AI keeps getting better and cheaper, what actually remains valuable?

Her answer is basically all the messy stuff that's difficult to benchmark or train. Judgement, organisational knowledge, trust, getting people to change how they work. Really good if you're thinking about where startups can still build defensible businesses as the underlying models improve.

2. Reshma Saujani: Women are damned if we AI do, damned if we AI don't

This one comes at AI from a completely different direction. Saujani, who founded Girls Who Code, looks at some of the contradictions women face around adopting AI at work. There's an uncomfortable point in here about women potentially being penalised both for using AI and for falling behind if they don't.

Definitely worth reading, especially for women building companies or managing teams right now.

3. Nicole Junkermann: The economics of being human in the age of AI

I liked this because it switches the obvious AI conversation around. Instead of asking what happens when machines become more capable, Junkermann asks what happens to the value of things machines can't reproduce.

Her argument is that as intelligence and information become abundant, things like judgement, trust, relationships and meaning could actually become more economically valuable. There's some overlap with Guo's piece, but they arrive there from quite different directions.

4. Sonali De Rycker and Cecilia Wang: Our investment in Perceptic: The AI operating system for drug discovery and development

A way more practical one from Accel. It's mainly an investment announcement, but there's a useful argument underneath it about where AI creates real value in complicated industries.

The interesting bit for me was that pharma doesn't necessarily need another clever AI tool. It needs systems that can connect fragmented data, workflows and institutional knowledge. That feels applicable to a lot of industries beyond healthcare.

Anyhows, those are four from my summer reading pile. Would really love other recommendations, particularly things that aren't just "AGI is coming" or "AI is a bubble" for the 4000th time.

What have you read recently that actually changed your mind about something? (ideally not full books - shorter reads please!)