PgMustard
About the Company
pgMustard is an online tool for developers, designed to help troubleshoot slow PostgreSQL queries. Founded in April 2019 by Michael Christofides and his friend Dave, the company is based in Guildford, UK. The company generates approximately $3,000 in monthly revenue and has one employee.
pgMustard was created to provide a solution for developers struggling with query performance issues in PostgreSQL. The tool is highly valued for its ability to empower users to diagnose and fix performance problems effectively.
The company operates with high gross profit margins, low hosting costs, and a scalable infrastructure. While it does not yet pay high salaries, pgMustard has a strong foundation for future growth and sustainability.
Idea Behind Company
The idea for pgMustard originated from Michael and Dave's experience at Redgate Software, where they worked on various database tools. Recognizing the growing popularity and strong community of PostgreSQL, they saw an opportunity to create a tool to assist developers in optimizing query performance.
Michael leveraged his network of PostgreSQL enthusiasts from his time at GoCardless to gather initial feedback and validate the need for the product. Conversations with potential users revealed a gap in existing tools, inspiring the creation of pgMustard.
By addressing common pain points and providing valuable insights for query optimization, pgMustard aimed to become an essential tool for PostgreSQL developers worldwide.
Creating the Company
The development of pgMustard began as a side project, with both founders reducing their work hours to dedicate time to building the product. Dave used familiar technologies like Clojure, ClojureScript, Google Cloud, and Kubernetes, which proved to be reliable choices.
The founders operated remotely, with occasional in-person meetings to solidify their partnership and establish a founders' agreement. Despite slow progress initially, they persevered through challenges and iterated on the product based on feedback from alpha users.
Dave's decision to go full-time on the project ahead of schedule, followed by Michael, marked a significant turning point in their commitment to pgMustard. They continued refining the product, setting the stage for its launch.
Launching the Business
pgMustard's launch strategy involved leveraging existing blog content and a small newsletter to generate initial awareness. The PostgreSQL community's resources, such as Planet PostgreSQL and the official site's news policy, provided additional visibility.
The product launched with a 7-day trial and subscription options of 50€ per month or 500€ per year for up to 10 users. Early feedback and rapid iterations led to key feature additions, such as a visualization for operation timing.
The first subscription came just three days after launch, providing a morale boost despite initial fears of potential scams. Subsequent months saw varied success with paid marketing experiments and continued efforts to improve the product and attract users.
Earnings
pgMustard now generates approximately $3,000 in monthly revenue, with strong gross profit margins. Although the business does not yet provide substantial salaries, it maintains low operating costs and a scalable setup. Michael continues to supplement his income with part-time contracting work.
The company has seen growth through word of mouth, Google search ranking improvements, and a dedicated glossary for PostgreSQL EXPLAIN terms. Retention rates remain strong, supported by a commitment to long-term customer satisfaction and product improvements.
Michael also co-hosts a weekly PostgreSQL podcast and maintains a monthly newsletter, contributing to community engagement and visibility. The future looks promising as pgMustard continues to refine its product and expand its user base.
