
<Image
  publicId="external-references/proximity-acquires-smpl/cover"
  alt="A screenshot from a press release announcing proximity acquiring smpl"
/>

In early 2020, [smpl](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/smpl-llc) was acquired by [Proximity](https://www.proximity.space). I was cofounder and CEO of smpl - we proudly helped independent coworking spaces manage their communities with automated billing, invoicing, and community management. It was a wild ride, and I couldn't have done it without my two amazing cofounders.

We were acquired by our biggest competitor, Proximity, who are continuing the dream by creating a network of amazing, independently owned coworking spaces around the world.

[Read the press release about the acquisition](https://www.proximity.space/news/proximity-acquires-smpl-software/) to find out more.

There is another (paywalled) article on [Business Insider](https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-a-coworking-software-deal-proximity-buys-smpl-2020-4) about the acquisition, too!

[More about smpl](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/smpl-llc) on Crunchbase.

Tools we used to build smpl:

- [Firebase](https://firebase.google.com/)
- [Stripe](https://stripe.com)
- [React](https://reactjs.org)
- [Intercom](https://www.intercom.com)
- [LogRocket](https://logrocket.com)


Proximity Acquires SMPL Software


## Right then, that settles it.

I'm building a tiny little business. I've been itching to build something from start to finish that I can complete relatively quickly, and so that's what I'm doing. I'm sitting at my computer right now, browsing the web for inspiration for itty-bitty businesses; ideally, something I can put together in under a month (even better if I can keep it to a couple weeks).

So, it's time for me to build something. Hopefully someone will be happy with whatever I come up with, and fork over some money.

## Why am I qualified to do this?

Let's talk about that.

### I've built a SaaS company in the past

Although I was not alone, I built it with two amazing friends [@helloseann](https://twitter.com/helloseann) and [@garrettTichy](https://twitter.com/GarrettTichy). We built [smpl.io](https://smpl.io) (sold in 2020), a subscription-based SaaS which helped independent-scale coworking spaces run smoothly. It was a fairly complicated, SaaS company built on a complex subscription model with lots of options, and bells and whistles, and an endless list of exciting features to build. It was also a complicated marketplace to build for, which was an awesome experience, but really was all-consuming.

### I work as a Developer Advocate at Stripe

Building smpl is a big part of the reason that I'm working at Stripe today as a Developer Advocate - making that business tick meant that we were wading in the depths of some of the more intricate parts of building with Stripe: subscriptions, Connect, and international taxes. It gave me a massive appreciation for the monetization-side of building a business.

### I can work in the open

I'm going be live streaming as much of this process as I can on my [Twitch](https://twitch.tv/irreverentmike) and [YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/c/MikeBifulco). I would love it if you subscribe so that you can catch some stream sessions - this is where I'll brainstorm and iterate on ideas, build the damn thing, and put it out into the world.

## What am I going to use to build this?

Well, I've got lots of things I want to try. I've been tapping into the power of lots of no-code tools lately, and writing about [**CRMs**](https://mikebifulco.com/posts/how-do-you-choose-the-right-crm-for-your-product), so it's likely we'll see some of those come into play. I've been enjoying web things with [**Remix**](https://remix.run) and [**Next.js**](https://next.js.org), and I'll use [**Stripe**](https://stripe.com) for taking payments when we're ready for that. There may be an interation of this thing that is completely no-code, too. I know that there are quite a few APIs available for making physical things appear in the world which I might take advantage of. There are **mailing APIs**, like [**Lob.com**](https://lob.com) (who are a sponsor of [APIs You Won't Hate](https://apisyouwonthate.com), by the way). There are also services which can be used for **printing physical goods** like stickers or posters or shirts or mugs which I may use, too.

## What do I want to get out of this?

I'm following a path that may be familiar if you spend time on [Indie Hackers](https://indiehackers.com), or if you've read about [David Vassallo's Portfolio of Small Bets](https://dvassallo.gumroad.com/l/small-bets), or the book [Company of One, by Paul Jarvis](https://www.amazon.com/Company-One-Staying-Small-Business/dp/1328972356).
I want to learn from the experience of starting a business today as a creator, pursuing my small ideas to see what gets traction and what doesn't.

I'm going to live stream as much of this process as possible, and take notes along the way - ultimately, I'd like for you, the reader, to be able to benefit from my experimentation as well. As I'm building, I'll do my best to take feedback and iterate quickly. I want to get a sense of how long it takes for one person to build something, and just what it takes to support a product in the wild.

So, let's do this thing! Head over to [my YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/c/MikeBifulco) and [my Twitch](https://twitch.tv/irreverentmike), hit subscribe, and you'll get a notification when I'm streaming.


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I'm building a tiny product

Proximity Acquires SMPL Software

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Proximity Acquires SMPL Software

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