NoteForms
About the Company
NoteForms is a SaaS company that specializes in providing a form builder that integrates seamlessly with Notion, a popular productivity software. The company’s tool allows users to create forms that work directly within Notion, making it easier to manage data and workflows. With its user-friendly interface and effective functionality, NoteForms has quickly gained traction, particularly among tech companies that value integration with Notion’s robust platform.
Julien Nahum, the sole founder and employee of the company, runs NoteForms with a clear focus on simplicity and efficiency. The company operates with minimal costs, which has helped maintain profitability from an early stage. Julien uses his extensive background in web development to manage and expand the platform, ensuring that the product remains both reliable and scalable for its users.
Idea Behind Company
The idea for NoteForms was born from Julien’s deep appreciation for Notion and the potential of its newly released API. After leaving his job as an SDE at Amazon Web Services in May 2021, Julien returned to Paris to focus on personal projects. Though he didn’t have a specific project in mind, he was determined to explore new opportunities in the tech space without relying on his savings.
Julien’s inspiration came from his experience with Airtable, a no-code tool for creating collaborative databases. He recalled how Airtable’s form feature allowed users to easily create forms that fed directly into their databases. Recognizing the similarities between Airtable and Notion databases, Julien saw an opportunity to build a similar tool for Notion, filling a gap that he believed many Notion users would appreciate.
Creating the Company
Julien quickly moved from concept to execution, leveraging his years of experience in building web projects. With a well-established tech stack and a clear vision, he built the first version of NoteForms in just four days. He decided to build in public, sharing his progress on Twitter and other social media platforms, which helped him garner early interest and feedback.
The initial product was simple and free, which allowed Julien to attract early users despite the tool’s limitations. He used this period to gather feedback, refine the product, and build a community around NoteForms. By engaging directly with users and creating a dedicated Facebook group, Julien was able to identify the most critical features to develop next. This customer-centric approach was key to the company’s early growth and success.
Launching the Business
The official launch of NoteForms was in May 2021, starting with a free version to attract users. Julien promoted the tool within various Notion communities on social media platforms like Facebook, Reddit, and Twitter. The positive response from these communities helped NoteForms gain traction quickly, leading to its selection as the Product of the Day on Product Hunt.
As the user base grew, Julien decided to monetize the product with a simple pricing model: a flat fee of $15 per month. He offered a 40% lifetime discount to early users, which helped secure the first paying customers. The viral nature of form builders, where users share forms that lead others back to the product, contributed significantly to NoteForms’ growth. This organic marketing strategy, combined with a strong community presence, has kept the company on a steady growth trajectory.
Earnings
Today, NoteForms is a profitable venture, generating $14,700 in MRR with low operational costs. Julien has transitioned from freelancing to focusing solely on NoteForms, dedicating about an hour each day to customer support and overseeing the developer’s work. With a current conversion rate of 3.5% from free users to paid subscribers, the company is on track to meet its short-term goal of reaching $200,000 ARR.
Julien plans to continue growing NoteForms by improving conversion rates and reducing user onboarding friction. He is also exploring new acquisition channels, such as paid ads, and working on other SaaS products to diversify his income streams. Despite the risks associated with building on a platform like Notion, Julien is optimistic about the future and aims to reach $333,000 ARR by December 2023.
