Business idea · SaaS
Shared Surplus Analysis Tool
Shared Surplus Analysis Tool is a financial analysis platform that helps businesses measure the value of customer savings and shared economies of scale, similar to what investors like Nick Sleep evaluate. It was pitched on My First Million in the episode "We found an app that lets you buy anything for $0" (aired June 24, 2026).
At a glance
| Podcast | My First Million |
|---|---|
| Hosted by | Sam Parr and Shaan Puri |
| Episode | We found an app that lets you buy anything for $0 |
| Aired | June 24, 2026 |
| Category | SaaS |
| Real companies on the episode | Costco, TCL, Carlyle Group, Amazon, SpaceX, PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator) |
The problem it solves
This tool provides businesses with insights into their pricing strategies and customer value propositions, helping them to enhance customer loyalty and competitive positioning.
How it makes money
B2B subscription service for businesses that want to track their shared surplus metrics and improve their financial strategies.
Skills you need
Financial analysis, software development, data analytics, and market research.
The market, and why this works now
Most businesses overlook the potential of customer savings as a competitive asset. The rise of open banking regulations allows for easier access to financial data, making it feasible to implement a shared surplus analysis tool. A strong first-revenue move could involve targeting the SaaS community on Indie Hackers to attract early adopters who value customer insights. A key constraint will be the technical hurdle of integrating various data sources, which may extend the timeline for product launch and limit initial user adoption.
Our analysis, written after the episode. Not a quote from the show.
Real companies discussed on this episode
- Costco
A membership-based warehouse club that offers bulk goods at reduced prices, making its profits primarily from membership fees rather than product sales.
- TCL
A television manufacturer that initially produced low-quality TVs but improved over time to become a significant player in the market.
- Carlyle Group
One of the largest private equity firms in the world, specializing in investment strategies across a wide range of industries.
- Amazon
An e-commerce giant that started as an online bookstore and expanded into various product categories while providing services like Amazon Prime.
- SpaceX
A private aerospace manufacturer and space transportation company known for developing the Falcon rockets and Starship spacecraft.
- PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator)
A leading service for grading and authenticating trading cards and collectibles, providing a trusted stamp of approval on the condition and authenticity of the items.
Where this idea came from
Podcast: My First Million, hosted by Sam Parr and Shaan Puri
Episode: We found an app that lets you buy anything for $0
Aired:
Summarized from the episode transcript. The show does not say which speaker raised each idea, so we credit the show, not a person.