My Side Project Makes $15K/Month (Quit My 9-5)

Ben Bozzay

• Background as a software developer who created Tech Lockdown while working a full-time job and later after being laid off in 2023.
• Pivotal decision to go full-time on Tech Lockdown after being laid off, choosing to double down rather than seek a W2 job.
• Growth from roughly $3,000 monthly revenue at layoff to 5× that level, enabling full-time independent work.

Products and Offerings

• Core product: Tech Lockdown, a platform that helps adults block websites and apps and schedule filtered internet access.
• Content policy feature to schedule blocks and filter by categories or keywords across millions of sites and apps.
• Device-level enforcement via VPN connections so smartphones and computers use a filtered internet connection.
• 14-day free trial to let users set up and evaluate fit.
• Subscription tiers: $15 per month (month-to-month) or $10 per month (annual plan).

Metrics and Financials

• Over 2 million organic visitors in the last 2 years via Google search, referrals, and social channels.
• 1,300 customers generating over $15,000 in monthly recurring revenue.
• Mailing list of around 20,000 contacts.
• Tech stack and optional tools allow roughly 70% profit margins; infrastructure costs are low, while email and analytics tools represent notable recurring expenses.

Strategy and Growth

• Vision to build a simple, sustainable product around intentional internet use rather than chasing novelty.
• Primary growth engine: content marketing with highly researched, free guides designed to be shared.
• Key tactics: a step-by-step guide on converting an iPhone into a “dumb phone” that became a top-performing article, and a subtle Reddit promotion approach that prioritizes value over overt marketing.
• Audience-first approach: build a targeted, pre-qualified audience before product launch and validate with a simplified, shippable version.

Tech Stack and Infrastructure

• Backend: Supabase for database and authentication.
• Frontend: SvelteKit chosen for accessibility to JavaScript developers and faster iteration.
• Hosting: Vercel for continuous deployment and peace of mind at $20 per month.
• Email: Mailgun and Elastic Email, costing about $150 per month to support high-volume outreach.
• Analytics: Plausible Analytics, checked daily as a key decision-making tool.
• Paid tools: Google Gemini, Ahrefs (light plan), and other optional services to support content and operations.

Lessons and Advice

• Solve a problem you are genuinely passionate about—ideally something you would work on even without guaranteed monetization.
• Avoid overcomplicating the product; ship the simplest complete version to validate the concept before adding polish or features.
• Prioritize customer acquisition before going full-time and ensure you have a repeatable, scalable channel that fits your personality.
• Protect time and energy by aligning work with natural rhythms (e.g., deep work early, lighter marketing tasks later).
• Authenticity matters: be transparent, use “I” instead of “we,” and own the project publicly to build trust.
• Distill ideas to core features, test quickly, and avoid perfectionism that leads to burnout and delayed launches.