I’ve only geeked out a few times when booking someone on the show – this was one of them.

I was excited for the opportunity to sit down and dive deep into learning how Justin approaches his work-life balance, because with, Marketing for Developers, and countless other products for sale, he also holds down a day job.

Crazy, right?

One important aspect that really draws me to Justin is his authenticity. I know, I know. I’m sick of hearing that word too. But seriously, I feel like I know this guy really well. I love listening to his Product People podcast because he is realistic and down-to-earth.

A lot of people in the marketing or product development world are really just putting on an act for us. They are all trying to stay on the current trends to make themselves seem relevant, or creating a Facebook page so they can push ads on us. That’s not the case with Justin. He’s openly experimenting with all of his product launches so that we can take away some really actionable advice.

Even though you might think that with his good looks, amazing beard, and type-A personality, selling a product would be second-nature, but this is not true. Just like us, Justin has had to overcome the same self-doubt and fear that we all go through. He has just learned how to push past this fear and use what he has to succeed. In today’s episode we’ll learn how he creates, and the difficulties and triumphs he has faced along the way.

In a world of market research and A/B testing, building a product (or service) might feel too black & white. Justin’s approach is simple – build something that solves a problem. It’s a very organic and grassroots approach that I certainly appreciate. Focusing on solving problems means that you already have a market. Plus, when you can solve a problem that you may have in your own life, well that’s just the whipped cream on top.

Build something you enjoy. This may seem obvious, but too many people think abstractly when they are creating a product. Try not to think too big. Just try to think of something that you can create and put your own spin on. Think of something that helps you grow an audience organically, because when you have an organic audience you have a community; and when you have a community you have loyalty, and loyalty is gold. You’ll grow a raving fan base, a referral machine, and a product that will keep gaining revenue long after you created it.

Listen to the episode:

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Learn more about Justin:

* Marketing for Developers

* Product people podcast

* Follow him on Twitter

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