The author of the text, Checkly, removed the "beta" tag after launching a private beta period, which involved several challenges and learnings. The company initially integrated Stripe for payment processing, but faced difficulties with its API and pricing strategy. To acquire early customers, Checkly offered discounts in exchange for testimonials, while also monitoring user feedback to improve features. However, this led to the "one more feature" trap, where the author added new features despite the need for balance between price and value. The company had to navigate the buy vs. build dilemma, choosing to use existing services like Heroku and GitHub instead of building their own solutions. Additionally, Checkly experienced an acquihire distraction, but ultimately parted ways with a potential acquirer on good terms. After the beta period, the author's role shifted from 80% engineering to 80% marketing and sales, as they focused on acquiring more launching customers through organic and paid channels.