The Alchemy of "Sawdust"
Week 5: Why your "byproduct" is actually your product
The "Tree" and the "Sawdust"
It is the end of the year. You are tired. The idea of writing a "2026 Strategy" feels exhausting.
This is because most founders focus only on the "Tree"—the major asset (the Webinar, the Course, the White Paper). When the Tree is finished, they move on.
They sweep up the "Sawdust"—the notes, the drafts, the research—and throw it away.
The Solution: Sell Sawdust
Based on the philosophy of Jack Butcher (Visualize Value), Sell Sawdust operates on a simple premise: "Build Once, Sell Twice."
“The concept of selling sawdust is simply sharing the byproduct of your work. If you build your audience on top of demonstrable proof, the path to sales is frictionless.”
The Story: Mateo's Search
David (from our email) had a hard drive full of "Trees." Yet he felt like he had to plant a new forest for January.
He used Sell Sawdust to monetize byproducts instead.
The Query
Role: B2B Consultant. Asset: My 45-minute "Sales Strategy" Webinar. Option 2: I have an existing 'Asset'. Generate ideas for me to repurpose it.
The Result (Trial View)
(Free members get 3 high-quality ideas to get started.)
The "Cheat Sheet" Lead Magnet: Extract the 5 core frameworks from the slides and package them as a one-page PDF.
The "Objection Handling" Thread: Take the Q&A section where you answered tough questions and turn it into a text-only Twitter/LinkedIn thread.
The "Micro-Course": Strip the audio, divide it into 5 modules, and offer it as an email drip campaign to build trust with new leads.
The Front Row Advantage: The Execution Plan
David found the ideas, but he needed the roadmap.
As a Front Row member, the tool leverages the full logic (inspired by Stefan Georgi's repurposing models) to generate a 10-Point Strategy Table including:
Est. Price/Value (e.g., "$47 Tripwire Product").
Time to Create (e.g., "1 hour editing").
3 Distribution Methods for each asset.
2026 is for Leverage, not Grinding
You have already done the work. Now you just need to capture the value. Don't start from zero in January. Start from experience.
1. What are you sitting on?
A webinar recording? A folder of rejected pitch decks? A high-performing internal SOP? Stop creating from scratch. Start selling your sawdust.
Create your free account (or log in) to ask Sell Sawdust right now.
2. Share your discovery
Did you create amazing new content on LinkedIn or Instagram? Tag @FoundersLive in a comment on your post. We’ll re-share our favorites in the next feature.
🔓 Unlock the Full ecosystem
The free public version gives you a taste. Front Row membership unlocks the full power of the archive and the network.
The Front Row Difference
Backstage Intelligence: Access the full suite of tools (Colors, Advice, Tools, and more).
Backchannel Community: Connect directly with the partners and founders you find in the Directory.
Unlimited Access: No cap on how many questions you can ask or how deep you can go.
3 Ways to Access
Every founder is at a different stage, so we have options for everyone:
1. The Annual Pass (Best Value) 🏆 Get full access for $159/year. (Save +20% compared to the monthly rate.)
2. The Monthly Flex Prefer to go month-to-month? You can join Front Row for $16.99/mo. (Great for flexibility, though you pay more over the year.)
3. The Fan Pass Not ready to commit? You can join as a Free Fan to set up your profile and explore the public feed.
The Bottom Line
If you want the best price, the Annual Plan is the smart move.
