Blog 🜂
Notes on launches, Spark, and The Forge — straight from the people building FireLaunch. No fluff.
Distribution·First 100 users: 11 ways indie makers actually got there
Eleven concrete tactics that worked for solo founders going from 0 to 100 paying users in 2026 — no growth-hacks, no Twitter follower-count nonsense.
Launch playbook·Where to launch your indie product in 2026: 14 platforms ranked
The honest verdict on every launch platform that still matters in 2026 — Product Hunt, Hacker News, BetaList, Indie Hackers, and the smaller boards filling the gaps.
Spark & The Forge·How Spark is calculated
Spark is the number that decides who reaches The Forge. Here's exactly what goes into it — no black box, no hand-waving.
Writing·How to write a product tagline that doesn't suck
Most product taglines are vague, vain, or both. Here's a working method, with 14 real examples deconstructed line by line.
Launch playbook·Why launch day shouldn't be the end
Most launch boards reward a single big day, then forget you. FireLaunch is built for what happens after the confetti settles.
Pricing·One-time vs subscription pricing: why most indie tools should stop charging monthly
Subscription pricing made sense for SaaS in 2010. For indie tools in 2026 it's a tax on the maker and a guilt trip for the customer. Here's the case for going one-time.
Spark & The Forge·The math behind The Forge: what 'launching in week one' actually means
FireLaunch lets you earn permanent placement by hitting 250 Spark in 7 days. Here's exactly what that looks like in real numbers — and why the bar is set where it is.
Launch playbook·The indie maker launch checklist: 47 things to do before going live
A working checklist for solo founders who want a launch that actually sticks. Pre-launch through day +7, no fluff.
SEO·Dofollow vs nofollow backlinks: why most directory submissions are a waste of time
The single attribute that determines whether a backlink helps your SEO. Most launch boards quietly use the wrong one — here's how to check.
Launch playbook·How to launch on Product Hunt in 2026: a survival guide for indie makers
Product Hunt's algorithm rewards the loudest, not the best. Here's what actually works in 2026, what doesn't, and where smaller launch boards fit in the stack.