I made these 23 websites (and earned $562,943)
A Journey to Building 23 Websites: How I Turned My Career Around
In 2021, I faced a significant challenge when I was fired from my job as a software engineer. Rather than seeking another traditional role, I decided to take matters into my own hands and go solo. Since then, I have built 23 websites ranging from software habit trackers to innovative AI tools. I handle everything myself, including coding, design, and marketing.
In this article, I’ll take you through each website I’ve created and provide insights into their revenue generation. Some projects were wildly successful, while others, not so much. Additionally, I'll highlight three websites that have been acquired.
The First Project: Mood to Movie
The first app I launched after getting fired was called Mood to Movie. The concept was simple: recommend movies based on the user's mood. If you're feeling sleepy, it recommends action-packed films. Users could scroll through options and even hide movies they didn’t like.
Initially, I didn’t seek to monetize the app, but it gained traction, bringing in over 100,000 visitors. One viral post on Hacker News was particularly beneficial, netting about 10,000 visitors. TikTok users also played a role in spreading the word, creating organic buzz, especially around a humorous “horny mood” feature.
Habits Garden: Gamifying Self-Improvement
After Mood to Movie, I wanted to create something that could potentially generate revenue. Inspired by Atomic Habits, I came up with a mini-project called Habits Garden, a habit tracker intertwined with gaming mechanics. Users could track their habits and grow a virtual garden visible to friends.
The app was launched in March 2022 and quickly gained traction, especially after being featured on Hacker News. With more than 14,000 users, the revenue started relatively low at around $300 per month but peaked at about $500 when I removed a free plan. Eventually, I sold this project for $10,000.
Books Calculator: Visualizing Reading Goals
Next, I developed the Books Calculator to help users gauge how many books they could read based on their input parameters. This was a marketing tool linked to Habits Garden.
Despite a slow start, organic traffic began to build, and I executed a strategy around programmatic SEO to create numerous keyword-optimized pages. Currently, the project is generating a steady amount of traffic.
50 Hacks: A Collaborative Productivity Hub
My fourth website, 50 Hacks, serves as a crowd-sourced platform for productivity hacks. Launched on Product Hunt, it quickly gained popularity, earning the title of "Product of the Day." It received around 200,000 visitors and generated some revenue through ads, totaling approximately $350.
Building Body Crush: An Accountability Tool
During a flight, I set a challenge to create an entire app called Body Crush, designed for friends to form accountability groups around habits. Although it achieved decent traffic, it remains a free tool with no revenue generation.
Decision Game: A Fun, Engaging Experience
Following that, I created a simple game called Decision Game, where users had to make choices quickly to save a character from a monster. This game attracted over 32,000 visitors. The aim was to promote my habit tracker, but the traffic has since dwindled.
Gamification Directory: Compiling Resources
To harness my previous efforts, I also built a directory called the Gamify List, featuring various gamified applications for learning and self-improvement. Although it hasn’t generated significant interest yet, it consistently attracts about 30,000 visitors.
Health and Fitness Apps: Heroit and More
I then launched another habit tracker called Heroit, where users could grow workout avatars. This project won a Product Hunt badge and made a modest income through a mobile app, though it remained free to use.
The AI Wave: Building with New Technologies
In early 2023, I entered the AI space with several projects such as Navel AI and Navel 25. Although these became trendy and attracted decent traffic, they didn't generate substantial revenue.
Scaling Payoff: By Dispute and Z Invoice
As I explored more practical applications, I developed By Dispute, a simple software dedicated to preventing chargebacks on Stripe, generating around $32,000. Following that, I created Z Invoice to simplify invoice generation, yielding approximately $4,000 in a couple of months.
Current Endeavors: Poop Up and Other Tools
My latest tool, Poop Up, allows notifications on websites and has earned around $32,000 quickly after its launch.
Through my journey from corporate employee to solo entrepreneur, I have built a vibrant portfolio of projects, each with its lessons and achievements. In total, my entrepreneurial ventures have generated approximately $380,000 in revenue over the years, showcasing that even in the face of setbacks, perseverance and creativity can lead to remarkable outcomes.
Final Thoughts
It's been an incredible journey, and I hope my experiences resonate with others looking to venture into entrepreneurship. If you want to learn more about my process, stay tuned for more updates.
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