Page 4 - SSD Nodes Celebrates 7-year Anniversary

Matt Connor: We are! In a couple of weeks, we are going to be doing a 7-year anniversary sale.
We're going to be unleashing some incredibly discounted 3-year plans. We found that if we offer
people a large enough discount, they'll commit to a longer term in advance when it actually ends

up being a significant discount.

Joe Dager: Well, that sounds interesting that people would even think that a somewhat young
company would really look at the fact that I'll go three, seven years. Does that strike you odd?
Have you tested it that people are willing to do it?

Matt Connor: It struck me pretty amazingly that people would go and visit the first time and
purchase a 3-year plan. I mean, we do offer a 14-day refund, and after that, we'll give you
prorated credit, but yeah, it does strike me as kind of amazing. But it is 90% cheaper than the
competition, so I think when you look at the numbers and the risk you'll be spending like 3 or 4
months at the competition that equals the same as 3 years with us.

Joe Dager: One of the things that strikes me about SSD Nodes and yourself was that you

bootstrapped the company. That seems not the normal way a startup works anymore. We're
always out there pitching and looking for VC funding and everything. Can you go back seven years
and paint that landscape for me a little bit? First of all, why did you bootstrap? Wondering if
anyone would give you money?

Matt Connor: I think it was mostly because it was unconventional at the time, trying something
new. I wanted to try it without any strings attached, and once you get investor money, then you
can't do what's right for the customer and what's right for the business. The investor has to make

a really large return for the numbers to work out and in a very short amount of time, 10 years,
seven years or so. They'd be looking at a return in three more years if we got VC funding. But it
just gives us more freedom to give the customer what they want and to provide a good service.
Also, constraints force you to get more creative versus just having a really large bank account,
that you can spend it on whatever you want.

Joe Dager: You bootstrapped, one of the things I always tell people when I talk to them about a
startup, I tell them don't quit your day-job. Did you quit your day job? Did you go all in?

Matt Connor: I did. I mean, not immediately of course, because you have to make sure all the
numbers work, and you have to grow at a sustainable pace and all that, but yes, now I am.

Joe Dager: I didn't mention this, to begin with, but what is SSD Nodes? What are you doing?

2522 Chambers Road Suite 100 Tustin, CA 92780
https://SSDNodes.com