Evil Martians

GTM Is You - Victoria Melnikova, Evil Martians

Jul 7, 2026 · 12:35

Victoria Melnikova argues that a founder's personal brand is the most underrated competitive advantage for developer tool startups in 2026, citing interviews with Sam Lambert (Planet Scale), Zeno Rocha, and David Cramer. She presents the Product-Market Fit Compass, a framework from Evil Martians that analyzed 37 successful DevTools, finding that 9 out of 10 times product signal is stronger than revenue, making distribution the bottleneck. Key tactics include moving to San Francisco for network effects, using banners and billboards to signal credibility (as TypeCents did with hundreds of billboards), hosting events like Supabase's user conference, and embracing failures (Zeno Rocha walked away from 300k ARR to start over). Melnikova emphasizes being unapologetically yourself, as AI can amplify but not replace unique personal brands, and notes that founder-led sales builds trust in early-stage startups.

Don't just slap on a chatbot: building AI that works before you ask

Feb 22, 2025 · 5:46

Arthur Objartel of Evil Martians argues that slapping chatbots on products is misguided, advocating instead for proactive AI that assists users before they ask. Drawing from his work on Tegon, an AI-powered issue tracker, he demonstrates three interaction modes—suggestion, action, and question+action—that operate within the natural workflow without chat interfaces. The AI triggers contextually relevant questions and actions, such as splitting issues or suggesting subtasks, all reversible with one click. He proposes three rules: AI supplements user agency, offers recommendations not force, and integrates without breaking flow. Examples extend to code editors catching pitfalls and design tools promoting accessibility. The talk challenges the status quo, urging experimentation beyond reactive chat interfaces.