Two months ago I decided to quit my job and work on Reading Glue full time. I reviewed everything that we learned in problem and solution interviews, and I realized that over the past few months I was building a solution that did not totally match what my customers had told me they needed. Working on Reading Glue part time at nights had disconnected me from my customers. I kept building onto a solution without any customer feedback. The worst part was that I was modifying the solution in order to somehow come up with a revenue model. I was no longer solving the problem people had expressed to me in the beginning, but making a pile of garbage that I dreamed might be able to make some money. I scrapped all of my code base, and started building something new. I started building a product that focused solely on one thing, solving my early adopter's problem in the simplest way possible.
Last night I officially launched Reading Glue. We focus on improving a child's reading ability through the use of comprehension strategies. At its core, Reading Glue is a resource for parents to find book and activity ideas that can be used to teach and practice the use of comprehension strategies with their child. We help close the gap between the classroom and home by showing parents how they can teach and practice reading with their child just like a professional would in the classroom.
The response to Reading Glue has been awesome so far. It is now time to learn from my users and see how we can deliver the most value while still staying focused on solving their biggest pain point. We are making a big push by promoting Reading Glue through several summer reading programs. We will also be applying for the Impact Engine, an accelerator in Chicago that is focused on helping startups addressing societal problems . Lastly, I will be pitching Reading Glue at the Fox Valley Demo Day in Elgin on June 19. I am excited to get out there and see where this can go. There are bound to be a lot more ups and downs, but I feel like I am laser focused on what needs to be done now. If you are a parent (or know a parent) of a child grades K-5, then we would love for you to try it out.
Reading Glue | Reading strategies that stick.
http://readingglue.com
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