Issue #1: Let's get going 🚀

Hey, I’m JC (Juan Carlos)! 👋

Welcome to Distribution Lab, read on to find out more

I worked as software engineer for 10+ years, at startups like Gorgias, Temedica, and Certapet, and at established companies like Globant and Sport-Thieme

Now, I’m offering AI implementation services through my agency, moonside

For the past 2 years, I have built AI solutions for businesses in multiple industries

I’m focused on AI agents since the beginning (way before it become “the thing”)

Originally from Caracas, Venezuela. Now, I’m based in Munich

I’m 38, married, no kids, no pets

Simply put, a weekly newsletter where I’m going to document my experiments, learnings, and resources while I figure out “distribution”

What do you mean with “distribution”?

I mean distribution in the context of marketing, particularly online marketing

The definition I have right now about distribution goes like this:

“The strategies and channels you use to put your product in front of users”

Of course, the goal is to convert these users into paying users (meaning customers)

No idea if this is an accurate definition, but I’ll find out (I hope)

I know it’s related to GTM (go-to-market) and growth marketing but not sure how

Let me share some context first

I have never done any paid marketing. True story

Not a single cold email campaign or paid ad campaign

The closest I’ve done as cold outreach was to purchase LinkedIn Sales Navigator

I cold DM’ed like 20 or 30 people on LD. Only 1 or 2 people booked a meeting.

Neither became client. Then, I stopped and cancelled the subscription

Despite, I was able to get clients somehow and the agency started to work

My marketing strategy back then was to build my personal brand and to do content marketing, so I published blog posts and resources on my website, posted content on LinkedIn and X, and launched a Youtube channel and a Substack newsletter

Right now, this is the current situation:

The other strategy I developed on the go was community and platform

I joined the Voiceflow’s discord community and after a few months building AI bots on the platform, I was accepted into their Certified Expert program

This, of course, gave me an instant authority boost and leads stared to come in

This strategy worked for me and I would do it again

LinkedIn and YouTube also started to work and some leads came from there too but it’s not consistent and it feels risky

Business is doing ok but things can turn around quickly, so I want to be more prepared and don’t want to be stressed about it

Now, why Distribution Lab?

I’m convinced I need to learn distribution if I want to succeed at entrepreneurship

Building was never the problem because I can code, distribution was

So, I want to learn distribution mainly for two reasons:

The goal of launching Distribution Lab is to “learn by doing” and document the process

It’s also an accountability experiment:

Can I write a newsletter consistently? Like weekly? For how long? Not sure

I tried with my Substack and “failed”, but I’ll do my best to stay consistent this time

I have been learning marketing for a while

I know the difference between organic vs paid, and inbound vs outbound marketing

I took an SEO course back in 2023

I’ve took other mini courses and consumed a considerable amount of content about marketing over the years

BUT… something is missing, concepts haven’t fully clicked, and leads are not coming

Why now?

I have also know for years that a mix of coding and marketing skills is powerful, but now with AI and Claude Code, coding is not the key leverage, distribution is

Greg Isenberg has being tweeting about it recently

People like Greg, Tibo, Pieter Levels, Marc Lou, Danny Postma, and many others have nailed this and have proofed that indie-hacking is possible

I have been wanted to join the party for a while, but now I feel is the right time for me

These are my current questions around distribution:

Is it the same as outbound marketing?

Is it the same as GTM?

Can it include organic marketing, or is it only about paid marketing?

Does it applied to B2B only, or it can be applied to B2C?

What‘s the difference between distribution and lead generation?

My idea is to do the learning throughout the week

Then, on Fridays, assess results from previous week, execute on new ideas, correct any issues, and document everything here

Ideas I’m already exploring: running ads, testing new channels, integrating new tools, doing outreach, experimenting… like in a lab

Let’s see how it goes

Claude: I started by asking Claude a few questions and how I should learn about distribution and GTM

YouTube: Claude suggested some resources, so I watched a few videos on Youtube

(I’m keeping track of them in this playlist)

X: I signed up for X Premium for the first time, got my blue badge, and started posting daily. The goal is to “build in public” and I believe X is the place to be

Interestingly enough, my account was dead pre Premium sign up, no engagement. After payment and posting? I gained 9 followers

Conigma: I joined Conigma, a GTM Slack community I found on X via Alfie Carter

Newsletter: joined Tibo’s newsletter (I have been subscribed to Marc Lou newsletter for a while, so another good one)

Clay: I joined Clay and enrolled in their “Clay 101: GTM Automation” course

Tools: got to know about RB2B and Snitcher (didn’t know you can identify a visitor on your website at that level)

Newsletter: launched this newsletter 🎉

That’s all for this one, until next week 💪