I made an app in 24 hours and $20,378 the next day

Key Concepts

• TrustMR: A platform for verifying startup revenue screenshots.
• Indie Maker: An individual who builds and markets their own software products.
• Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR): The predictable revenue a company expects to receive every month.
• Stripe API Key: A credential used to authenticate requests to the Stripe payment processing service.
• OG Image (Open Graph Image): The image displayed when a link is shared on social media.
• One-Feature Startup: A business focused on a single core product or service.

Project Genesis and Initial Development

The project, named TrustMR, was conceived in response to a tweet by Peter Level, a prominent indie maker, who highlighted the prevalence of fake revenue screenshots used for attention. The creator, who publicly shares his own revenue, recognized the importance of trust and decided to build a solution.

The core idea was to create a "board of verified startup revenues." The development process was remarkably swift, taking less than 24 hours. The creator utilized AI, specifically by dumping his thoughts into Cursor (an AI-powered code editor), to assist in building the application.

The website was designed for extreme simplicity, featuring a single button for users to verify their startup. This process involved users providing a read-only Stripe API key and their Twitter handle. Upon submission, the system would generate a dedicated verification page for each startup.

Verification Process and Functionality

The verification mechanism involved the creator manually checking the provided Stripe account and fetching transaction data. This data was then used to generate a revenue chart on the dedicated startup page. A search feature was also implemented, allowing users to look up other startups and confirm the legitimacy of their shared revenue figures.

Launch and Initial Traction

The project was launched with a tweet on October 30th, quoting Peter Level's initial tweet. This tweet gained significant traction, accumulating close to 3 million views and driving substantial traffic to the TrustMR website.

Initially, the platform was not monetized. The creator's primary goals were to share his Twitter handle, provide access to the codebase used for rapid development, and embed a map from his other software, Dataf Fast. The intention was to potentially attract users for Dataf Fast through this embed widget.

Monetization Strategy and Pricing Evolution

Monetization began with the introduction of sponsor slots on the left side of the website. These were initially offered as purchasable ad spots via Stripe payment links.

On launch day, the ad spots were priced at $299 per month. Within two to three hours, half of these spots were sold out. Recognizing the demand and the value proposition of limited advertising space, the creator decided to increase the price.

The price was raised to $699 per month, and sales continued. The final price for an ad spot reached $1,500 per month. The website was designed to display a limited number of advertisers (no more than 20 at any given time) who would rotate, similar to Times Square, to ensure all were visible within a short period.

Financial Performance and Impact

Within two to three days of the initial tweet, the project generated $20,000. At the time of the video, it was achieving $18,000 in monthly recurring revenue (MRR). This side project's revenue surpassed that of 90% of the creator's other side projects and even matched the revenue of his top three products, which he had invested significant time in growing.

Feature Development Based on User Feedback

Following the initial launch, the creator observed significant community engagement, with users sharing their verified startups and offering suggestions for new features. The creator adopted a feedback-driven development approach, publicly sharing the implementation of these suggestions.

Key features added based on user feedback included:

• Categories: Allowing users to search startups by type (e.g., SaaS, courses, marketplaces).
• Embeddable Badge: A small, dynamic image that verified startups could embed on their own websites, displaying their actual revenue.
• Dark Mode: A feature implemented due to user requests and the creator's own eye strain.
• Betting Game: A fun, gamified feature where users could bet on which of two verified startups had generated more revenue, earning points for correct guesses. This feature reportedly drove around 100,000 clicks to the website.

Notable Adopters and Growth

As the platform gained traction, larger and more established companies began to add their startups. A significant development was the verification of Sahil from Gumroad, a well-known platform for creators to monetize their work. The creator hoped that the public verification by such prominent figures would further build trust and establish TrustMR as the leading platform for verifying startup revenue screenshots.

Key Learnings and Entrepreneurial Principles

By November 11th, approximately 10 days after launch, the creator reflected on several key learnings:

1. Simplicity is Paramount: The website's success was attributed to its "dead simple" design, featuring a single headline and a button. The creator advocates for a "one-feature startup" approach, stripping away complexity to ensure user understanding and engagement.
2. The Power of the OG Image: OG images are treated as crucial "packaging" for shared links, akin to YouTube thumbnails. A well-designed OG image significantly enhances engagement and click-through rates.
3. Context is Crucial: The success of TrustMR was heavily influenced by the context set by Peter Level's tweet, which identified a problem. The creator's product then provided a solution, creating a compelling "two-act story." Without this initial context, the project might not have achieved the same level of success.
4. The Rule of Showing Up and Building: The creator emphasizes the fundamental entrepreneurial principle of consistent effort. He acknowledges the unpredictability of outcomes and advises against giving up. The strategy involves "increasing your odds by playing a lot of time, adding small bets here and there until hopefully someday one of them takes off."

The video concludes with encouragement for the viewer's own projects.