I'm trying to make $20k in 6 months with code — Week 1 done, $0 made
Hey IH 👋
I'm Thomas — full-stack dev and Web3 builder.
Two weeks in on my $20k in 6 months challenge. Here's what I've shipped so far:
→ Fiverr gig live (Next.js + Supabase web apps)
→ HIVE — Telegram tap-to-earn game engine on Gumroad
→ Lagos Storefront Kit listed on Gumroad
→ Launched TBT — my own token on Solana mainnet (Token-2022)
→ YouTube channel live — BuildWithThomas
→ Posting daily on X — @thomas_builtit
Revenue: $0. But the foundation is real and everything is live.
Week 3 starts June 5 — first client hunt. DMs go out, Fiverr optimization, direct outreach to businesses.
Two questions for the IH community:
- Anyone gone from $0 to first client on Fiverr — what actually worked?
- Best way to position a Solana token deployment service to non-crypto clients?
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The foundation is real, but I’d be careful not to split the first-client hunt across too many offers at once.
Right now you have Fiverr apps, Gumroad kits, a Telegram game engine, a token service, YouTube, and X. That is a lot of surface area, but first revenue usually comes from one painfully clear offer aimed at one buyer.
For the next 2 weeks, I’d probably pick one service offer only: “I build small business web apps with Next.js + Supabase in 7 days.”
That is much easier to sell than “full-stack dev + Web3 builder + token deployment + game engine.”
For the Solana token service, I would not position it to non-crypto clients yet. Too much education needed. I’d aim that at crypto founders, Telegram communities, meme/token launchers, or Web3 builders who already understand why they need deployment help.
The real test now is not more shipping. It is whether one offer can get replies from 30 to 50 direct messages.
Really appreciate you taking the time to break that down — genuinely useful perspective.
I think the post didn't fully convey the strategy though, so let me clarify.
Each channel has a specific target:
X → crypto users, Web3 builders, token launchers. That's where TBT and the Solana deployment service lives. Same stack, same audience.
Fiverr → small businesses and developers who need Next.js + Supabase web apps. Completely separate buyer.
Gumroad → developers and builders who want ready-made templates and tools.
YouTube → not a sales channel at all. Pure build-in-public documentation for anyone who wants to follow the journey or learn from the challenges along the way.
These aren't competing offers aimed at the same person. They're parallel lanes targeting different buyers using skills that overlap heavily under the hood.
Your "painfully clear single offer" advice is solid — but it assumes one audience. I'm running multiple clear offers to multiple specific audiences simultaneously.
And I fully agree with the underlying principle. By month 2 or 3, the data will show what's actually converting and what isn't.
At that point I'll double down on what works and cut what doesn't. Right now I don't have enough signal to know which lane wins — so I'm testing all of them deliberately before narrowing focus.
Thanks again for engaging — this is exactly why I posted here.
That clarification makes sense.
If each lane has a separate buyer, then the risk is not audience confusion. The risk is whether each lane has a clean enough test to show what is actually working.
That is where I’d be strict.
For each lane, I’d define:
Who exactly is the buyer
What painful problem they already understand
What one offer you want them to buy
Where you can reach 30 to 50 of them
What reply or payment signal proves the lane is worth continuing
Otherwise all lanes can stay “active,” but none gives you a clean revenue signal fast enough.
I can put together a short written breakdown if useful: strongest lane to test first, sharper offer wording for each lane, outreach angle, and a 14-day validation plan to find the fastest path to first revenue.
Share your email if you want me to send the details privately.
This is a really clean framework — appreciate you breaking it down that way.
You're right that each lane needs a defined validation signal, not just activity. That's the discipline I'm building into Week 3 starting June 5.
I'll take you up on the breakdown —
[email protected]
Looking forward to seeing what you put together.
Just sent you a note.
Kept it focused on the strongest lane to test first, sharper offer wording, outreach angle, and a simple 14-day validation plan.