Technically Netflix, Spotify, etc. are content as a service, not software as a service. The software serves to provide content - if there was no content the value would be gone.
Marketplaces are abundant, Amazon is worth a gajillion dollars.
There are probably a multitude of non-profit tech companies that work off of donations and 0 interest funding.
OpenAPI sells credits based on usage.
Also do we need another business model, financial model, etc.?
… good luck.
What about finding a way to be passionate about the other things?
Make it the best place to work; 4 day work weeks, great staff development, hack weeks, remote work practices, etc.
If you believe in the product, you could try it.
However, as others have pointed out, likely they need some free labour.
What I’d do to make sure they’re not screwing you is ask for vesting shares. Sign on for 2.5% of the company, then at every 12 month interval get another 2.5% to 10% (example numbers, but I wouldn’t take less than 10% for free labour).
Make sure to get a lawyer to look at the contract, no dilution options for forced sale options for the others.
No offense, but if you’ve had 2, maybe 3 people leave a project with you, might need to ask yourself if you need to make a change.
Are you asking for updates too much? Pushing too hard for features? Too hard headed about the product and design?
If I could, there’s a good talk by Jason Cohen talking about bootstrapping WP Engine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otbnC2zE2rw
The reason I like this one is that they actually are externally funded now but they didn’t take funding until they were a well established, multi-million dollar revenue company.
So if you’re ever worried, just remember it’s not black and white. You can bootstrap until you die, bootstrap then take funding once you’re more established, or try for funding from day 1.
> When is it okay to just quit?
If it’s a bootstrapped start up, whenver you want.
You’re not beholden to anyone but you and your cofounder, and if it’s not working out you have every right to quit.
My IMMEDIATE concern is a legal and ethical one.
A certified dietician undergoes many years of study to develop diet plans specific to individuals. This involves taking into account not only goals, but body weight, BF%, pre-existing conditions, family history, etc.
ChatGPT is not a certified dietician and your app does not provide expert advice. I would be very careful with an application that auto-suggests diet plans for someone. If it suggests a diet plan for someone which causes health issues or worse, death, that’s on you and your brother.
I’m a qualified personal trainer; if I client asked for a diet plan I would state the following:
Obviously I’m just a dude on the internet, but people’s health isn’t something to be messed around with. Could you go to sleep knowing you’ve seriously hurt/killed some of your users?