From PR Tool to AI Identity Infrastructure
I built the whole thing. It worked. And then I never launched it. Here's why — and what it turned into instead.
· 8 min read · Startedby SubstackTrevor Goss — Founder & Product Builder
I'm Trevor. I studied business at Cornell, spent a decade in enterprise product leadership, and now run Startedby — a product studio where I build, test, and ship software. In the last year I've shipped 10 apps using AI-assisted development.
Current
Startedby — Founder & Product Builder (2025–Present)
My product studio. I use it as a launchpad to build, test, and ship software products — from concept through launch. In the last year alone, I've shipped 10 applications using AI-assisted development.
Previous Experience
FinListics — VP Product (2022–2024)
Led cross-functional product team for a financial intelligence platform used by Google, IBM, Microsoft, and Deloitte.
Moovin — Head of Product / Founder (2017–2020)
Founded and scaled a rental home furnishings platform. Tripled revenue relative to invested capital in first 2 years.
Studio Projects
I've shipped 10+ apps through Startedby across web, mobile, and cross-platform. View all projects →
Recent Writing
Self-documenting architecture: how I use .md files to build across Replit projects
When you're building a native mobile app alongside an existing web app, the AI agent on project B has zero context about project A. Markdown files turned out to be the bridge.
· 8 min read · Trevor Goss SubstackA Supplemental Business Model for Publishers
For more than a decade, publishers have relied on two primary revenue streams: advertising and paywalls. What publishers need now are supplemental revenue streams — ones that don't cannibalize their existing business, but add to it.
· 5 min read · Real Big Deal BlogFrom Weeks to Minutes: How RBD Reinvents the Publishing Process
If you've ever tried to get your company covered in the press, you know the pain. The traditional process takes one to two weeks — and that's if the stars align. Real Big Deal flips that model on its head.
· 5 min read · Real Big Deal BlogSocial Share: Publish Once, Amplify Everywhere
Publishing an article is only half the job. At Real Big Deal, we think creating content for social media shouldn't feel like a second full-time job. That's why we built Social Share.
· 5 min read · Real Big Deal Blog