
"Don't build shitty products for problems that don't exist."
This brutal advice from Maksim hit different. After spinning off from his first AEC tech company Kreo, he's now building PVFarm - solar design software that's pulling in $40K average revenue per customer.
In today's episode of Bricks & Bytes, we had Maksim and we got to learn about why distribution beats product in AEC, how he cracked the $150M solar design market, and why most startup marketing tactics fail in construction tech... and many more!
Tune in to find out about:
✅ Why relationship-based sales trump amazing products in AEC
✅ The two pathways to selling enterprise software in construction
✅ Why LinkedIn outreach and email marketing don't work for AEC startups
✅ How vertical integration beats horizontal CAD tools for specific building types
Listen now on Spotify to hear how Maksim went from building multiple failed products to finding product-market fit with a 40-hour learning curve software that customers love.
-----------
Our Sponsor:
Archdesk - “The #1 Construction Management Software for Growing Companies - Manage your projects from Tender to Handover” check archdesk.com
BuildVision - streamlining the construction supply chain with a unified platform - www.buildvision.io
4M Analytics - Instant, reliable utility data you can trust and verify - https://www.4manalytics.com/
-----------------
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Maxim and His Journey in AEC Tech
03:02 Lessons Learned from Creo: Market Understanding and Sales Strategies
05:58 The Relationship Between Sunbeam and PVFarm
09:12 Understanding Sunbeam's Focus and Product Offerings
11:57 The Importance of Collaboration in Design
14:54 Navigating the Competitive Landscape of Solar Design Software
17:57 Market Size and Growth Potential in Solar PV
20:56 Go-to-Market Strategies and Customer Engagement
23:58 Building Value Through Education and Relationships
26:55 Webinars as a Tool for Engagement and Education
33:28 The Value of Community Engagement
33:56 Marketing Strategies That Fail
36:00 Leveraging AI for Usability
39:26 Navigating the AI Landscape
41:14 Building Robust Tools in a Competitive Market
43:52 The Go-Kill Framework for Product Ideas
46:22 The Role of a CEO in a Tech Startup
51:53 Balancing Discipline and Flexibility in Teams
52:41 Successful Products in AEC
54:51 Building in Different Markets
57:12 The Importance of Community in Tech
59:20 Managing Remote Teams
01:01:08 The Intersection of Jiu-Jitsu and Business