Projectwise · itsyogesh · Jan 25, 2026 · Jan 25, 2026 · Jan 28, 2026
diff --git a/PROJECTWISE_2026_PLAN.md b/PROJECTWISE_2026_PLAN.md
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+# Vision & Problem Statement
+
+> **Mission:** Enable anyone to build a sustainable business on open source software.
+
+---
+
+## The Problem
+
+### 1. Open Source Maintainers Are Burning Out
+
+| Statistic | Source |
+|-----------|--------|
+| **60%** of maintainers are unpaid | [ByteIota 2025](https://byteiota.com/open-source-maintainer-crisis-60-unpaid-burnout-hits-44/) |
+| **60%** have quit or considered quitting | ByteIota 2025 |
+| **44%** cite burnout as reason for leaving | ByteIota 2025 |
+| **45%** say burnout is top challenge | Intel Survey 2023 |
+
+**Real-world impact:**
+- Kubernetes Ingress NGINX retired due to maintainer burnout
+- External Secrets Operator has only ONE active maintainer left
+- Asahi Linux lead quit citing burnout
+
+### 2. AI Is Disrupting Developer Education
+
+Traditional income streams for developers are drying up:
+- Stack Overflow traffic declining (AI answers questions)
+- Tutorial/course creators losing to AI-generated content
+- Documentation writers being replaced
+
+**Result:** Skilled developers need new ways to monetize their expertise.
+
+### 3. The "Commercialization Gap"
+
+Open source projects exist on a spectrum:
+
+```
+FREE                                                      PAID
+│                                                            │
+│  Self-hosted    White-label    Managed       Enterprise   │
+│  (DIY)          (Resellable)   Hosting       Licenses     │
+│                                                            │
+└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
+                         ▲
+                         │
+                    THE GAP
+
+    No platform helps people navigate this spectrum
+    or connects them with implementation help.
+```
+
+---
+
+## The Opportunity
+
+### WordPress Proved the Model
+
+The WordPress ecosystem is worth **$600+ billion** with clear layers:
+
+| Layer | Example | Value |
+|-------|---------|-------|
+| **Platform** | WordPress.org | Free, open source |
+| **Managed Hosting** | WP Engine, Kinsta | $156B+ market |
+| **Agencies** | 50,000+ worldwide | Implementation |
+| **Freelancers** | Codeable, etc. | $20-100/hr |
+| **End Customers** | Businesses | Pay for solutions |
+
+**Key insight:** WordPress didn't build all this. It emerged organically because the platform enabled it.
+
+### The Modern Equivalent Doesn't Exist
+
+For newer open source (Plausible, n8n, Cal.com, etc.):
+- No central directory of "commercial-ready" projects
+- No verified expert network for implementation
+- No standardized way to find white-label options
+- No connection between contributors and paid work
+
+---
+
+## The Solution: Projectwise
+
+### What We're Building
+
+A curated directory of **commercial-ready open source software** that connects:
+
+```
+┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
+│                      PROJECTWISE                            │
+├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
+│                                                             │
+│   PROJECTS              EXPERTS              OPERATORS      │
+│   ─────────             ───────              ─────────      │
+│   Open source           Contributors         Entrepreneurs  │
+│   with commercial       who can deploy       who run OSS    │
+│   potential             & customize          as SaaS        │
+│                                                             │
+│         │                   │                    │          │
+│         └───────────────────┼────────────────────┘          │
+│                             │                               │
+│                    PROJECTWISE.IO                           │
+│                    Discovery + Trust                        │
+│                                                             │
+└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
+```
+
+### Core Value Propositions
+
+| Audience | Value |
+|----------|-------|
+| **Projects** | Free promotion, more adoption, potential revenue share |
+| **Experts** | Paid work, portfolio, verified contributor status |
+| **Operators** | Curated software, trusted experts, business ideas |
+
+---
+
+## Target Users
+
+### Primary: Operators (Demand Side)
+
+> "I want to start a SaaS business but don't want to build from scratch."
+
+- **Demographics:** Entrepreneurs, agency owners, technical founders
+- **Geography:** Global, especially emerging markets (India, Brazil, Nigeria)
+- **Budget:** $500-5,000 for implementation
+- **Goal:** Launch a SaaS product quickly using proven software
+
+### Secondary: Experts (Supply Side)
+
+> "I contribute to open source. How do I get paid for my expertise?"
+
+- **Demographics:** Developers, former educators, Stack Overflow users
+- **Skills:** Know specific OSS projects deeply (contributed code)
+- **Availability:** Part-time or full-time freelance
+- **Goal:** Monetize their open source knowledge
+
+### Tertiary: Projects (Platform Side)
+
+> "We want more adoption and potentially revenue from white-label."
+
+- **Demographics:** OSS maintainers, small teams, VC-backed startups
+- **License:** MIT, Apache, BSD, or AGPL with commercial options
+- **Goal:** Grow ecosystem, reduce support burden, generate revenue
+
+---
+
+## Success Metrics
+
+### Phase 1 (MVP - Week 4)
+
+| Metric | Target |
+|--------|--------|
+| Projects listed | 50 |
+| Weekly visitors | 500 |
+| Expert signups | 20 |
+| Operator interests | 10 |
+
+### Phase 2 (Growth - Week 8)
+
+| Metric | Target |
+|--------|--------|
+| Projects listed | 100 |
+| Weekly visitors | 2,000 |
+| Expert signups | 50 |
+| Operator interests | 30 |
+| First job posted | 1 |
+
+### Phase 3 (Traction - Week 12)
+
+| Metric | Target |
+|--------|--------|
+| Projects listed | 150 |
+| Weekly visitors | 10,000 |
+| Expert signups | 100 |
+| Operator interests | 75 |
+| Revenue (sponsorships) | $500/month |
+
+---
+
+## What We're NOT Building
+
+| Not This | Why |
+|----------|-----|
+| Another "awesome list" | No curation, no commercial focus |
+| GitHub alternative | We link to GitHub, not replace it |
+| Hosting provider | We connect to Coolify, Railway, etc. |
+| Freelance marketplace (Upwork) | Focused only on OSS implementation |
+| VC-backed startup factory | Sustainable, indie-scale business |
+
+---
+
+## The Evolution from Original Projectwise
+
+| Aspect | Original (2017) | New (2026) |
+|--------|-----------------|------------|
+| **Problem** | OSS needs design help | OSS needs sustainable business models |
+| **Solution** | Connect designers | Connect projects + experts + operators |
+| **Audience** | Designers | Entrepreneurs, developers |
+| **Model** | Volunteer | Commercial (eventually) |
+| **Tech** | React + Express + MongoDB | Next.js + Payload + PostgreSQL |
+
+---
+
+## Long-Term Vision (2-3 Years)
+
+1. **The Index** — Definitive source for commercial OSS discovery
+2. **The Network** — Verified experts for every major project
+3. **The Marketplace** — Jobs, revenue sharing, partnerships
+4. **The Standard** — "Projectwise Verified" badge for commercial-ready OSS
+
+---
+
+*Last updated: January 2026*