Finally hit $500 MRR with my Mac AI writing app (in 4 months)

I finally did it after 3+ years of struggling!

Some of you might have seen me here. I built a lot of software tools, some of which include,

• Search engine for developers
• Browser tab manager
• AWS cloud savings tool
• Google Sheets to website
• SEO content generator using GPT-3
• Well-being assistant using GPT-3
• All-in-one website analytics tool

A few more that I have even forgotten. Most of the products did not make any money, mainly because I did not do the right marketing it deserved. That's expected from an independent developer. Then GPT-3 came, and I got hooked on it.

GPT-3

I started using GPT-3 in 2021 and was thrilled by its potential. I built a few GPT-3 related tools. I saw a huge potential but realized that most people are unaware of it. It could be used for many of our mundane tasks. I decided to build a tool to help busy professionals take advantage of GPT-3. I did not do a lot of validation but decided to start lean.

I built a native app for Mac called Elephas to integrate into their daily tasks.

First version

I think I got lucky. I posted my first version on HackerNews and got a few paid customers. I always put a cost to my product, which helps me with the validation. The initial website looked bad. I still managed to get some paid customers and valuable feedback.

Mentor

Considering I have failed multiple times, I hired a mentor, Ayush, through Twitter, who helped me with decisions. It is good to have someone you can talk to who understands product development and strategies.

Tools and product decisions

I set up MixPanel analytics to understand usage analytics (anonymous metrics without any sensitive data). I reviewed the major features our initial users used and adjusted the landing page to reflect them. This resulted in better conversions.

I use Gumroad to manage subscriptions, and it comes in really handy as they offer native email workflows.

I realized a lot of my users did not understand the full potential of the tool. I set up a knowledge base tool and organized all the features in an easy-to-navigate structure. Support requests dropped.

Revenue path

Jun 17 - First paid customer

Sep 1 - $200 MRR

Sep 29 - $300 MRR

Oct 12 - $400 MRR

Oct 18 - $500 MRR

Testimonials

I attribute the recent increase in sales to the positive testimonials the tool has received. In the past, I have failed to work closely with end users, and this time I rectified that.

Challenges

As an independent creator, I have to assume multiple roles (like many of us here),

1. Software developer
2. Content writer
3. Marketer
4. Support person

But I don't just do them because I have to - I actually love doing them!

Distribution

I realized building is only a part of it. The Internet is filled with so many tools, and attention is the new currency. I focused on writing on different platforms, which gave me the initial push.

Elephas got covered in 2-3 newsletters so far, which has given some additional momentum.

500 MRR is not a lot, but it is a lot better than no revenue at all. I had $0 MRR for 3+ years.

Moving forward

I am looking for the right marketing strategy that will help me take this tool to a larger audience. Happy to receive any feedback.

You can check out my tool here.