📊 Business Patterns
This document identifies recurring core features that drive value on TrustMRR and maps them to Constellation capabilities with research-validated insights.
Approach: Signal-only analysis. Focus on features that recur across products, not individual examples. Identify what's easiest to build and highest ROI.
Data Source: TrustMRR is a database of Stripe-verified startup revenues, offering insight into what features drive real MRR. This analysis focuses on successful products in the $40k–$250k+ MRR range.
Research Foundation: This document integrates insights from comprehensive empirical research on time-to-revenue, margin economics, failure modes, and strategic positioning.
Master Feature Table (Profit Compass)
Use this table to make roadmap decisions: Focus on features with High/Very High Reuse Value and Low/Medium Difficulty first.
| Feature | Typical Product | MRR Range | Time-to-Revenue | Margin | Reuse Score | Difficulty | Phase | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Text Rewriting | AI content tools | $40k–$200k | 2-4 months | 70-85% | 9/10 | Low (1/5) | Phase 2 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Text Generation | Copy tools, writers | $40k–$250k | 2-4 months | 70-85% | 9/10 | Low (1/5) | Phase 2 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Structured Extraction | Lead / ops tools | $50k–$100k+ | 2-4 months | 75-90% | 7/10 | Low (1/5) | Phase 2 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Background Jobs | Automation tools | Infrastructure | N/A | N/A | 9/10 | Medium (2/5) | Phase 3 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| AI Chatbots | Support / sales bots | $30k–$200k | 6-12 months | 50-65% | 8/10 | Medium (2/5) | Deferred Plan 1* | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Marketing Automation | Social / outreach tools | $50k–$250k | 6-12 months | 60-75% | 9/10* | Medium (3/5) | Phase 2 + 3 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Content Moderation | Supporting feature | Supporting | N/A | N/A | 6/10 | Low (1/5) | Phase 2 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| RAG/Embeddings | KB chat tools | $5k–$60k | 5-7 months | N/A | 8/10 | Medium (2/5) | Deferred Plan 1 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| SEO Tools | SEO automation | $50k–$100k | 6-12 months | 60-70% | 5/10 | Medium (3/5) | Phase 2 + 3 | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Media Generation | Image/video tools | $50k–$80k | 12+ months | 50-60% | 3/10 | High (4/5) | Deferred Plan 2 | ⭐⭐ |
*Requires Phase 2 + Phase 3 foundation
Key Insights:
- Text Operations (Phase 2) enables fastest time-to-revenue (2-4 months) and highest margins (70-90%)
- Background Jobs (Phase 3) is strategic infrastructure (9/10 reuse) that unlocks $200k–$250k MRR products
- Structured Extraction offers best margins (75-90%) and low market saturation (best first product)
- Phase 1 → Phase 2 → Phase 3 sequencing is empirically optimal (validated by research)
See Roadmap for phase definitions.
Quick Reference: Feature → Phase Mapping
| Phase | Focus | Key Features | MRR Potential | Time-to-Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Minimal AI Foundation | ChatModel infrastructure | Foundation | N/A |
| Phase 2 | Text Operations | Rewriting, Generation, Extraction | $40k–$250k | 2-4 months |
| Phase 3 | Execution Layer | Background jobs, automation | $200k–$250k* | 6-12 months* |
| Deferred Plan 1 | RAG/Embeddings | Chat-with-data, KB tools | $5k–$60k | 5-7 months |
| Deferred Plan 2 | Media Integration | Image/video integration | $50k–$80k | 12+ months |
*When combined with Phase 2
Why Phase 1 → Phase 2 → Phase 3:
- ✅ Fastest time-to-revenue (2-4 months to $5k MRR for Phase 2)
- ✅ Highest margins (75-90% for structured extraction, 70-85% for text operations)
- ✅ Unlocks highest MRR products ($200k–$250k with Phase 3)
- ✅ Validated by failure mode analysis (operational controls prevent cost explosion)
See Roadmap for detailed phase definitions.
What NOT to Build
High-Risk Features (Avoid):
- ❌ Generic chat platforms (ChatGPT owns 82.7% market share)
- ❌ Video/image as core product (50-60% margins vs 70-85% for text)
- ❌ Agent frameworks (no indie validation, complexity trap)
- ❌ No-code platforms (over-engineering, commoditizing fast)
- ❌ Fine-tuning (maintenance burden, no defensibility)
Decision Rule: Reuse score ≥7/10, 70%+ margin, $50k+ MRR validation required.
Strategic Recommendation
If you want maximum validation with minimal work, build ONE of these first:
Option 1: Structured Extraction SaaS
- Uses Phase 2 Structured Extraction directly
- Already making $50k+ MRR in market
- Best margins (75-90%)
- Low saturation (best first product opportunity)
- API-first = clean architecture
Option 2: Text Rewriter/Humanizer
- Uses Phase 2 Text Rewriting (anchor primitive)
- Already making $40k–$180k MRR in market
- Fastest validation (days to build, 2-4 months to $5k MRR)
- 70-85% margins
Why These Two:
- ✅ Use Constellation almost unchanged
- ✅ Already making $50k–$150k MRR
- ✅ Fastest path to revenue validation
- ✅ Research-validated as optimal first products
See Text Operations Epic for capability definition.
References
- Strategy — Strategic foundation
- Roadmap — Phase structure and priorities
- Text Operations Epic — Capability definition
Notes
- This document integrates research-validated insights from comprehensive market analysis
- All MRR data is Stripe-verified from TrustMRR database
- Phase mappings align with Roadmap
- Terminology uses "Text Operations" (not "Text Intelligence") to match current strategy