In today's wave of entrepreneurship, there is a business model that can be done by one person without financing, with free time, high income, and accumulation. That is independent developers, especially independent developers of AI products. Today, let’s talk in depth about the methods behind this and the closely related “BOOSTRAP” entrepreneurial method.
With the emergence of AI, many new opportunities have emerged. Many software can be rebuilt with AI, causing a large number of market opportunities to emerge at once, opening up a vast world for independent developers, allowing them to use AI technology to flex their muscles in the software field and create more valuable products.
There are many mature SaaS tools on the market today, such as using Figma for product prototyping, Webflow for website building, Notion for project management, etc., which greatly facilitates independent developers to quickly implement their ideas. You can even use GPT to help when writing code, and some products can be made without writing code. Compared with early independent developers, the difficulty of entering the industry has really been reduced a lot.
The "building public" model is now popular among independent developers. They will make their ideas, product development, marketing methods, and profitability public. This is completely different from the past situation where information in the software industry was opaque. At that time, it was difficult for novices to obtain information in the industry. But now everyone has found that information disclosure can gain fans, and there are many target customers among the fans. This also makes it easier for novices to refer to the practices of experts, making it easier to Enter the industry.
For example, "photo AI.com" created by a well-known foreign independent developer has a monthly product revenue of over 60,000 US dollars. There are also products with simple functions such as "remove bg", which can help users remove the background by uploading pictures. They have large traffic and considerable profits. There are also domestic developers who make watermark removal products. They use AI to remove watermarks by selecting them, and the traffic is also good. In addition, products that can enlarge images to 8K resolution are also very popular among users such as graphic designers, and everyone is willing to pay to use them. These cases tell us that independent developers do not need to build complex systems, but can make money as long as they seize specific needs and make products with practical functions.
The independent developer model mentioned here is not limited to one-person development, but also emphasizes the "bootstrap" method of starting a business through self-reliance and making money, which is very different from starting a business through financing. It can be carried out by one person or a small team. The core is to control costs, achieve revenue growth, and let the business develop like a snowball.
Financing entrepreneurship requires telling investors a grand blueprint, and the ability to tell stories is crucial; while BOOSTRAP entrepreneurship is mainly about telling users stories about the usefulness of the product, with the focus on marketing, and does not require founders to have the ability to tell stories to investors.
The traditional three major functions of CEOs in financing startups are to manage people, manage money, and manage direction. For example, they need to manage a larger team, conduct road shows, make financial models, and master the ability to spend big money on investments. However, BOOSTRAP startups often have few people and resources. There is no need to manage people, and there is no need to raise funds, conduct road shows, or make complex financial models. You only need to calculate and post accounts, ensure that the investment ROI is positive, and the data indicators are good. It is also more flexible in direction control and pursues the shortest time. , Minimize cost to test the market, product ideas should be small and directly hit the pain points, and there is no need to worry too much about perfecting the idea.
When making a product, focus on one selling point. It is best to adopt a subscription charging model. First, spend 10% of the time so that 90% of people can use it, and then gradually improve it after verifying whether the product is profitable. In terms of market operations, there are many channels available, such as Product Hunt, advertising, SEO, and operating social accounts (such as TikTok, etc.). It can be seen that independent development requires comprehensive capabilities, including understanding the market, products, design, code, operations, Marketing and many other aspects.
In short, independent developers have great potential now and in the next year or two. Li Ziran himself has also invested a lot of energy in experimenting with AI products. If you are interested in this area but lack experience or comprehensive capabilities, you can even consider joining Li Ziran's team to explore and develop together. Independent developers and the "BOOSTRAP" entrepreneurial approach may be a new path worth trying for many entrepreneurs today. I hope that everyone can find their own opportunities in this world and gain success.
I wonder what everyone thinks about this? Welcome to leave a message and share in the comment area, and don’t forget to share this article with friends around you who have entrepreneurial ideas!
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