How a Nigerian Solopreneur Built $38K/Month SaaS｜Wlison's Inspiring Story

Hello, I’m David Kim.

I’m planning to create a series of videos discussing renowned indie hackers, their stories, and growth trajectories. Welcome to and subscribe my YouTube channel and Podcast "AI Watcher by DK".
We’ll deconstruct their cases and learn from both their successes and failures.

I’m on my indie hacker journey under an anonymous identity, aiming to share my progress from 0 to $100k MRR. Feel free to follow me on Twitter.

Today, we'll explore the inspiring story of Wilson Wilson, a 20-year-old indie hacker from Nigeria who has defied the odds to achieve remarkable success. Despite facing significant challenges in his home country, Wilson has managed to build a product that generates an impressive $38,000 in Monthly Recurring Revenue.

Making $38k MRR in Nigeria
Nigeria isn't exactly a great place for indie hackers to work, given it's a place where even basic electricity and internet access can be challenging. Many tools we take for granted, like Stripe, PayPal, and Wise, aren't available in Nigeria. However, Wilson has not let these obstacles stop him from reaching $38,000 MRR.

To overcome frequent power outages, Wilson took matters into his own hands by building a personal power station. For internet connectivity issues, he invested in a 5G router and even acquired Starlink service. These solutions demonstrate Wilson's determination and problem-solving skills in the face of adversity.

The Tool That Turns User Praise into Profit
Wilson's primary product, Senja (Polish for "review"), is a tool designed to help SaaS developers and creators collect user testimonials. This product addresses a critical need in the market, as positive reviews and user feedback can significantly boost a product's credibility and appeal.

Senja's interface is straightforward, offering two main options to start creation:

1. "Record a Video" for video testimonials
2. "Write a Testimonial" for written feedback

The platform goes beyond simple collection, offering features such as:

• Creation of attractive testimonial pages
• Social media sharing capabilities
• Reward systems for users who leave reviews
• Customizable "Thank You" messages

With over 20,000 users and an MRR of $37,000, Senja has proven to be a successful niche product that perfectly fits its market.

Rapid Iteration of Product Features
Wilson and his co-founder have shown a commitment to constantly improving their product. They spent an entire week focusing on user onboarding, creating a guidance video that they continued to refine for nine months after its initial release.

In an interesting move, they removed their live chat support feature. Contrary to expectations, this decision led to an increase in new users and fewer complaints. They replaced live chat with comprehensive support documentation, proving more efficient in addressing user queries.

Email Marketing Strategy
Despite removing live chat, Wilson maintained communication with customers through strategic email marketing. His approach included:

• Introducing product features
• Updating users on new releases
• Sending reminders for account management
• Gathering feedback on uninstallations

They utilized Encharge for their email marketing efforts, demonstrating the importance of ongoing user engagement.

Leveraging Product Hunt for Exposure
Wilson has experience with Product Hunt, having previously launched Mine My Reviews, an AI-powered tool for summarizing user feedback. While this product reached the top of Product Hunt's daily rankings, its popularity was short-lived.

Product Hunt can be an excellent promotional platform, especially if your target audience aligns with its user base. Benefits of ranking well on Product Hunt include:

• Potential features on third-party sites
• Instant feedback on product resonance
• Credibility boost through Product Hunt badges
• Potential investor interest for startups

However, Wilson's experience shows that a good ranking doesn't guarantee long-term success. The true measure of a product's potential lies in how well it meets user needs.

Building in Public on Twitter
Since starting his Twitter account in 2022, Wilson has amassed 24,000 followers. He shared several tips for growing a Twitter presence:

1. Set a public MRR goal to attract followers interested in your journey
2. Post frequently, especially when starting out (Wilson posts about 10 tweets per day)
3. Use hashtags in early tweets to increase discoverability
4. Avoid including links in tweets when your account is still new

The Marketing Genius Partner
A key figure in Wilson's success story is his co-founder, Olly, based in London. Despite never meeting in person due to visa issues, Wilson frequently expresses gratitude for finding such a valuable partner. Olly's expertise in marketing, particularly in optimizing landing pages, has been a significant asset to their business.

Conclusion
Wilson Wilson's story is a testament to the power of determination and innovation in the face of adversity. His success as an indie hacker in Nigeria, where even basic infrastructure can be unreliable, is truly inspiring. It serves as a reminder that with enough grit, creativity, and the right partnerships, one can overcome significant obstacles and achieve remarkable success in the tech industry.

If you're interested in following Wilson's journey or learning more about his insights, you can find him on Twitter as Wilson Wilson. His story offers valuable lessons for aspiring indie hackers worldwide, proving that with the right mindset and approach, success is possible even in the most challenging environments.

For more indie hackers insights, follow along. Until our next deep dive!