I Locked Myself In A Room, Made 17 Apps, & Sold 2 for $265,000 — Starter Story

Nico
- Quit a summer banking job at 19 and experimented with e‑commerce and drop‑shipping, learning Facebook ads.
- After a freelance stint ended, locked himself in a hotel room for two months, taught himself to code, and launched his first app.
- Built 17 apps in one year; two were sold for a total of $265,000.
  - MakeLogo AI
    - AI‑generated logo creator with one‑time payment packs (5, 10, 15 logos) and basic customization.
    - Generated $26,000 in sales; sold for $65,000 (≈ $85,000 total revenue).
  - TorNotes
    - Converts voice notes to formatted text.
    - Started with one‑time payments, later switched to a $12/mo subscription.
    - Reached ~10,000 users and $77,000 in sales before selling for $200,000.
Products and Offerings
- Core products: AI logo generator (MakeLogo) and voice‑to‑text app (TorNotes).
- Utilized simple landing pages, static or video Facebook/Instagram ads, and basic payment collection tools (e.g., Typeform) for early validation.
- Built auxiliary tools: feedback widget, A/B testing framework, and UI component library to speed development.
Metrics and Financials
- Monthly recurring revenue (MRR) peaked at $7,000 from Facebook ads.
- Advertising spend ranged from $20–$100 per day per app.
- Total revenue from the two sold apps: ≈ $85,000 (MakeLogo) + ≈ $77,000 (TorNotes) before sale.
Strategy and Growth
- Idea Selection: Four criteria—value to users, market size, personal skill fit, and distribution potential.
- Development Process:
  1. Set a hard deadline to limit scope.
  2. Outline essential features only.
  3. Design UI using Dribbble, Google Images, or AI tools (e.g., V0).
  4. Prototype in Figma or code directly.
  5. Add SaaS layers (auth, payments) using reusable code.
  6. Create a compelling landing page.
  7. Optimize for SEO and mobile.
- Launch Hacks: Used Typeform for data collection and payment without a backend to get first sales quickly.
- Marketing: Started with organic validation, then ran low‑budget static and video ads on Facebook/Instagram, tailoring landing pages to specific audiences.
- Sales Process: Listed apps on Acquire.com, crafted a product‑focused landing page, negotiated cash offers, and closed deals within weeks.
Tech Stack and Infrastructure
- Primary language/framework: Next.js (JavaScript) with a UI component library for rapid UI building.
- Leveraged AI code generators (V0) to accelerate development.
- Used Hre for SEO, custom feedback widget, and a self‑built A/B testing tool (H‑test).
Lessons and Advice
- Avoid emotional attachment to products; focus on quick prototypes and early user feedback.
- Aim for the first dollar rather than large early revenue—small wins compound into bigger success.
- Set strict deadlines to prevent endless feature creep.
- Use low‑budget, high‑impact ads that feel organic; highlight the problem before the product.
- When selling, present the app as a polished product and negotiate with clear timelines.

Summary