How to start a micro SaaS for small shopkeepers in India?

Having built a successful micro-SaaS for local retailers, here's my practical roadmap:1. Identify a specific pain point - inventory management, billing, customer loyalty, or GST compliance are great starting points2. Build a minimal viable product (MVP) focusing on 2-3 core features that solve their biggest problems3. Price it appropriately - Indian small shopkeepers are price-sensitive; consider ₹500-₹2000 monthly subscriptions4. Offer both mobile and desktop interfaces - most shopkeepers use phones during the day but prefer computers for reports5. Provide excellent local language support and simple UIStart with 10-15 pilot customers in your local area, gather feedback, and iterate. Focus on reducing their manual work rather than adding fancy features. The key is simplicity and reliability - most shopkeepers aren't tech-savvy but will pay for solutions that save them time and reduce errors.

From my experience as a startup mentor for Indian businesses:Phase 1: Validation- Spend time with 20-30 local shopkeepers understanding their workflows- Identify which problems they're willing to pay to solve- Analyze competitors like Khatabook, OkCredit, but find your nichePhase 2: Development - Use low-code platforms or standard tech stack to reduce costs- Build for offline functionality - internet connectivity can be unreliable- Integrate with popular payment gateways and GST portalsPhase 3: Go-to-Market- Start locally with face-to-face demos- Offer free trials and onboarding assistance- Create simple video tutorials in local languagesPhase 4: Growth- Implement referral programs- Add features based on user feedback- Expand to neighboring areas once you have 50+ happy customersThe micro-SaaS model works well because you can start with minimal investment and scale organically through word-of-mouth in business communities.