After 18 months of solo development, I just submitted Focuser to Kickstarter for review.
Focuser started because I was managing a job search across Apple Reminders, Notes, and a handful of manual checklists. I spent more time maintaining the system than using it. The whole thing was tedious. So I built something better: a tool for intentional living that handles the tedious parts automatically and makes clear where your effort actually goes.
The core app works. I use it every day. What the campaign funds is the final layer: Focus Metrics, third party integrations, and the polish that takes the mobile experience from functional to refined.
I went Kickstarter over VC because I didn't want to pitch, didn't want oversight, and wasn't willing to compromise on being ad-free. Kickstarter lets me finish it properly.
Review takes a few days. Pre-launch page goes live after that.
If any of this resonates, the waitlist is open at lifefocuser.com.
The pairing of 'runs locally' + 'no API keys' is undervalued positioning. It speaks to the technical buyer who has already been burned by SaaS tools that changed pricing, added rate limits, or went down at the wrong moment.
The one-time purchase model makes sense when the tool does a defined job well. What's the job this tool does?