Ship Notes

Welcome to Ship Notes — insights, lessons, and behind-the-scenes ideas from the world of focused execution.

This is where we publish sharp, practical thinking for indie hackers, makers, and founders who care less about noise and more about momentum.

Subscribe to get new posts — no fluff, no filler, just smart signals to help you build and ship things that matter.

Shopify Just Made AI Mandatory - What That Means for the Rest of Us

Shopify just made AI use mandatory across the company - not as a tech experiment, but as a cultural standard. Here’s what that shift means for professionals everywhere, and how AI-literate employees can gain massive leverage inside their roles and beyond.

The Career ROI of a Side Project: How Building Your Own Thing Boosts Your Job and Future

A side project isn’t just a creative outlet — it’s one of the smartest career moves you can make. This post explores how building your own thing boosts your skills, visibility, and future value (especially in the AI era), and why now is the best time to start.

Vibe Coding Got You This Far — Here’s What Unlocks Your Next Level

Vibe coding got you in flow — now take it further. This guide shows how solo devs can use AI to vibe product manage like pros: validate real problems, shape MVPs, and ship with strategy. It’s creative momentum, with a compass.

How to Stay Focused When You’re Building Solo (Even Without a Co-Founder)

Solo founder? No problem. This actionable guide breaks down 5 simple systems — including AI-powered accountability — to help you stay focused, ship consistently, and avoid burnout. Because success doesn’t require hustle. Just a structure that works.

How to Know If Your Startup Idea Has Legs — In Just 7 Days

Validate your startup idea fast — in just 7 days. Whether you're testing a business concept, vetting a SaaS, or searching for product–market fit, this focused sprint delivers real signal from real customers. No code required.

What Gumroad’s First Weekend Can Teach You About Validating an Idea Fast

Sahil Lavingia built Gumroad in a weekend — but what he really nailed was validation, not speed. This post breaks down his MVP through the lens of ShipBuddy’s Idea Validation Sprint so you can apply the same focused approach to your own side project — no audience required.

Why the Most Creative AI Users Aren’t Engineers

The most creative AI users aren’t the most technical — they’re the most collaborative. This post explores new Stanford research on prompting, why people skills beat prompt hacks, and how to unlock 10x creativity by treating AI like a teammate, not a tool.