I Built 30 Projects. They All Failed Except One

Key Concepts:

• Project Failure Reasons: Giving up early, unclear purpose, loss of momentum, "build it and they will come" fallacy, timing.
• Good vs. Bad Ideas: Knowing how to sell the idea (market knowledge, distribution channel, marketing plan), presence of competitors (market validation).
• Unid: A launch platform for tech products, initially a front-end tool directory.
• Pivot: Changing Unid from a directory to a launch platform.
• Momentum: Consistent marketing and building in public to maintain visibility.
• Sustainability: Balancing work with personal life for long-term success.

1. Introduction

• The video addresses the common critique that Starter Story only showcases successes, not failures.
• It features Thomas, founder of Unid, who has failed with over 30 projects before achieving success.
• Unid is a product alternative that makes $10,000 per month.
• The video aims to provide a realistic perspective on building a successful online business.

2. Thomas's Background and Failed Projects

• Thomas is the founder of Unid, a product alternative.
• He previously launched over 30 failed projects.
• Examples of failed projects:
  • Gum Affiliates: A marketplace connecting Gumroad sellers with affiliates (made $500 in 2 years before being abandoned).
  • Frisbee: A platform to exchange feedback about products (never published).
  • Gidley (SCS repository): A simple website builder.
  • Cidi: A web app to manage plans.
  • Bookmark manager.
• Thomas's GitHub account contains numerous abandoned repositories.

3. Reasons Why Projects Fail

• Giving Up Too Early: Many launch a project and quit after a week or two due to lack of immediate results. Products rarely succeed overnight. Iteration and learning from mistakes are crucial.
• Unclear Purpose: Landing pages with great design but unclear headlines fail to convey the product's offering. If the headline doesn't capture attention, users won't scroll down.
• Loss of Momentum: A classic mistake. Building in public and consistently posting about the product on social media creates momentum. Stopping for weeks or months requires restarting the momentum-building process.
• "Build It and They Will Come" Fallacy: People won't come just because a product has amazing features. Marketing and promotion are essential.
• Timing: A project's failure in one period (e.g., January) doesn't mean it will fail in another (e.g., July). Consistency and perseverance are key.

4. Unid: The Successful Idea

• Unid is a launch platform where users can showcase their tech products.
• It started as a simple directory for front-end tools.
• Initially, Unid generated only around $200 per month.
• Thomas pivoted Unid from a directory to a launch platform, which initially caused revenue to decline.
• After the pivot, revenue gradually increased, reaching $10,000 per month.

5. Timing and Market Opportunity for Unid

• The pivot to a launch platform was successful due to specific timing.
• Thomas capitalized on dissatisfaction among indie hackers regarding Product Hunt's focus on larger products and established audiences.
• Unid was launched as an alternative to Product Hunt, addressing this unmet need.

6. What Makes a Good Idea vs. a Bad Idea

• Good Idea: Knowing how to sell it. This could be due to market knowledge, a strong distribution channel, or a great marketing plan.
• Bad Idea: Not knowing how to sell it. Thomas's Gum Affiliates failed because he lacked knowledge of the Gumroad and affiliate marketing spaces.
• Good Idea: Having competitors. The presence of competitors validates the existence of a market. Creating a new market is nearly impossible.

7. Unid's Numbers and Metrics

• Revenue oscillates between $8,000 and $10,000 per month, depending on marketing efforts.
• The platform has reached 40,000 users.
• There are 2,000 paying customers (for skipping the line or advertising).
• Traffic is at 30,000 unique visitors per month.
• Unid redirected 10,000 people to listed websites last month, generating 10,000 clicks.

8. Unid's Tech Stack

• Next.js: Full-stack framework (front-end and back-end).
• Supabase: Database.
• Bentop: Emails and marketing automation.
• Hetzner: VPS hosting.
• Quify: Server management.
• Self-hosted: Analytics.
• Ferno: Customer support.
• Typefully: Social media scheduling.
• Paddle: Merchant of record for sales.

9. Advice for Aspiring Founders

• Thomas emphasizes the importance of personal space and work-life balance.
• He advises against locking oneself away for months without seeing anyone.
• Find a sustainable approach that allows for personal well-being.
• Recognize that building a successful business is a marathon, not a sprint.

10. Conclusion

• Thomas's story is presented as a realistic portrayal of building a successful business, highlighting the importance of perseverance and learning from failures.
• The video promotes Starter Story Build as a resource for learning how to build fast with AI and ship real-world apps quickly.
• The key takeaway is that success often comes after years of work and numerous failed attempts.