I made $1M in 2025 (WRAPPED)

2025 Income & Lifestyle Report: A Year in Review

Key Concepts:

• SaaS (Software as a Service): A software distribution model where a third-party provider hosts applications and makes them available to customers over the Internet.
• MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue): Predictable and consistent revenue a business expects to receive every month.
• ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue): The value of the recurring revenue normalized to a one-year period.
• Dollar-Cost Averaging: An investment strategy where a fixed amount of money is invested at regular intervals, regardless of the asset's price.
• V02 Max: The maximum amount of oxygen a person can utilize during intense exercise, a key indicator of cardiovascular fitness.
• Indie Hacker: An independent entrepreneur who builds and launches online businesses, often as side projects.
• Biological Age: A measure of a person’s health and age based on various biomarkers, potentially differing from chronological age.

I. Financial Performance – Over $1 Million in Revenue

The speaker generated over $1 million in revenue in 2025 from 15 different income sources, a 20% decrease from the previous year, which was accepted in favor of a more balanced lifestyle. The portfolio is now highly diversified.

• Codefast & Ship Pass: These two products collectively generate approximately two-thirds of the total revenue, each earning around $20,000 per month. Codefast was launched last year, while Ship Pass has been active for over 2.5 years.
• DataFast: This web analytics SaaS is a source of particular pride, generating close to $16,000 MRR and $200,000 ARR. Applying a 4x multiple, this equates to an $800,000 asset valuation. The success of DataFast is attributed to consistent feature development (over 200 days spent building) and sharing progress on Twitter, leading to organic marketing through user-shared screenshots. Future development is driven by power user feedback.
• Startup Database & Marketplace: Launched in November 2025, this project rapidly grew to $20,000-$25,000 MRR within days. It began as a database of startup revenue and evolved into a marketplace for buying and selling startups, with verified revenue data from Stripe. Over a dozen startups have already been acquired through the platform. The next phase involves automating legal documentation and escrow services.
• Stock Market Investments: $140,000 was earned through stock market investments, primarily through dollar-cost averaging into the S&P 500 ($5,000/week initially, increasing to $15,000/week, totaling close to $1 million invested) and, more recently, CHN (a Chinese tech equivalent of the S&P 500) at $5,000/week.
• Other Software: A collection of smaller, automated software projects contributed around $20,000 in revenue.
• Failed Ventures: Three new startups – Bio age (a health app), a clipping campaign, and an unnamed project – did not achieve product-market fit.

II. Health & Wellness Focus

The speaker emphasizes the correlation between health and productivity.

• Biological Age: Achieved a biological age of -18 years (14 years younger than chronological age) through consistent tracking of metrics like daily steps, V02 max, resting heart rate, sleep patterns, and strength training.
• Fitness Routine: Started regular gym attendance, gaining 4 kilos of muscle. The commitment to pre-paid classes and scheduled sessions proved effective for maintaining consistency.
• V02 Max: Achieved a V02 max score of 57 ml/min/kg, placing in the top 500 of males of the same age. The test itself is described as extremely challenging.
• Lifestyle Choices: Maintained a zero-alcohol intake, averaged over 10,000 daily steps (totaling 4.2 million steps in 2025), and consumed a diet consisting of 90% clean food.

III. Personal Life & Community Engagement

• Travel: Traveled to seven new countries (New Zealand, South Africa, Greece, India, South Korea, France) with his wife, seeking a new long-term base after Bali.
• Meetups: Organized meetups for “indie hackers” in various locations (India, Korea, France) to foster community, networking, and potential co-founder connections. These meetups are described as friendly and valuable.
• Reading: Dedicated 15 minutes daily to reading, identifying three favorite books from the year.

IV. Future Goals & Reflections

The speaker aims to maintain the same work-life balance and discipline in 2026, with a focus on launching more startups, having only shipped four side projects in 2025.

Notable Quote:

“I wouldn't change a thing because this was my most peaceful year ever. And also, this is the most diversified my portfolio has gotten.” – Reflecting on the trade-off between revenue and overall well-being.

Synthesis/Conclusion:

The year 2025 was characterized by a significant income, a diversified portfolio, and a strong emphasis on health, wellness, and community. The speaker’s success is attributed to a combination of strategic product development, organic marketing, consistent investment, and a commitment to personal well-being. The focus for 2026 is to maintain this balance while increasing the number of new startup ventures launched. The speaker’s approach highlights the importance of building sustainable businesses that align with personal values and lifestyle goals.