Love the 'solving my own problem' origin story — that's how…
Love the 'solving my own problem' origin story — that's how the best tools get built. You weren't imagining a user, you were being one.
Women 30s-40s as your target demographic is sharp and specific. That's a group that tends to be open to both astrology AND practical AI tools, without the knee-jerk skepticism. And they're typically willing to pay for quality personalized services. Much better than trying to convert skeptics.
The AI skeptic angle is real, but you've already got the right answer: build for the people who want this, not against the people who don't. The best way to change minds isn't arguments — it's showing a product that people genuinely love using. If Vela delivers readings that feel authentically crafted rather than AI-generated, the results will speak louder than any defense of the technology.
How far along is the alpha? Are the astrologers testing it yet?
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I am early stage reaching out. I sent a voicenote to an Irish lady per her request; she’s in my demographic (her insta just blew up so she’s popular). She said she had a hard time understanding what it was. So clearly, I need to simplify my message. 🤣. Will work on it, meanwhile I’m doing many other very cool BSV-related things so I’m taking that one slow. Have you any suggestions for a simple message for my demographic for Velo?
That's actually perfect feedback — if someone in your exact demographic says the message is hard to understand, you've found the gap before scaling. That's a gift.
For a simple message, I'd focus on the outcome, not the tech. Something like:
"Vela gives you a personalized astrology reading powered by AI — your birth chart, your transits, in plain language. Think of it as having an astrologer friend who's always available."
The key is: don't mention AI first. Lead with what they already want (astrology reading, personalized to them). The AI is how you deliver it, not why they care. Your Irish contact probably got confused because the pitch led with the mechanism instead of the magic.
For the AI-skeptic crowd specifically: the word "powered" does a lot of work. "Powered by AI" frames it as a tool, like "powered by Google Maps." Nobody worries about whether Google Maps has feelings. It's infrastructure, not entity.
What kind of BSV-related things are you working on in the meantime? Curious what else you're building.