Work Log 2022.01.30: Stripe + Zapier Integrations
Updates from the past two weeks include
Built a Stripe integration
I used a combination of Stripe Checkout and Stripe Customer Portal to add support for multiple subscription payment tiers. The Stripe documentation is quite good, and using that in combination with a couple blog posts and various Stack Overflow posts, I was able to build the integration in about 3–4 days.
The Stripe API is top-notch, but I feel like there’s a lack of practical examples on how to set up a payments integration. The information about how to build it is out there, but it’s not all in one place. I’m planning on writing up an extremely detailed step-by-step guide on how to set up basic SaaS subscriptions using Checkout and Customer Portal.
Built a Zapier integration
Zapier was attractive as the first datasource integration to build into Canopy Charts because it’s really a meta-datasource integration. The new Zapier integration will enable connections between Canopy Charts and many other tools, most notably Google Sheets, AirTable, and Firebase.
The integration was mostly straightforward to build, but there were some parts of the authentication flow that had me confused initially. It’s not intuitive how to set up OAuth between Zapier and your app if you are using Firebase Authentication as your auth provider. As with many things I was able to eventually figure it out with the help of a couple blog posts, the official documentation, and several hours of staring at the problem.
I’m planning on writing up a detailed guide explaining how to replicate my setup so that those who come after won’t have to piece together info from so many disparate sources.
I have plans for several blog posts, but I feel that right now the best use of time is finishing up this initial set of integrations.
It’s hard to strike the correct balance between marketing and building product when you are a solo founder also working a full-time job. The time I have to spend on Canopy Charts per week is about enough to move one project forward in a meaningful way. And at the moment I feel about as confident as I can be that building is what I need to be doing.
I spent enough time in the last 2–3 months of last year getting feedback on the product to know that time spent building integrations will not be wasted. And once the integrations are ready — hopefully in 2–3 weeks — I will again shift focus back to marketing.
I know I need to try getting the product in front of more eyeballs, which I’ll be comfortable doing when these integrations are done. My plan is to launch on ProductHunt and Hacker News, plus do more of the same cold emailing that got me my first few conversations with potential customers.
