Initial Launch (Web App, Subscription)
Build in public — Twitter
Launched a web app with a free trial (limited free questions before paywall) and posted about it on Twitter as part of a build-in-public effort, replying to AI-related conversations.
→ Got some interest but zero meaningful revenue; no product-market fit.
Pivot Decision
Product repositioning
Identified that his ICP (power AI users) was already paying for multiple AI subscriptions and had subscription fatigue. Decided to switch to a one-time purchase model and eliminate all server/API costs by building a BYOK (bring-your-own-keys) Electron desktop app.
→ Eliminated ongoing server and AI API costs, reducing monthly overhead to ~$50 (Vercel hosting) + $200 (Cursor subscription).
Re launch as Desktop LTD (0–100 users)
Lifetime deal launch
Launched the Electron desktop app as a lifetime deal at $29. Priced intentionally low to validate demand and attract early adopters. Landing page H1 explicitly called out 'power AI users' to speak directly to the ICP.
→ Crossed 100 paying users; buyers were more serious, gave better feedback, and were more engaged than free-trial users.
Users 100 users
Post 100 Users
Lifetime deal price increase
After crossing 100 users, raised the lifetime deal price from $29 to $49. Used the milestone as a lever to create urgency for fence-sitters.
→ Continued user growth; used pricing ladder as a growth signal and revenue accelerant.
Growth Phase
Twitter community engagement
Replied to Twitter conversations about AI interactions and next-generation AI tools — not direct product pitches, but adjacent commentary that hinted at the problems Canvas Mode solved. Also ensured landing page copy was tightly targeted to power AI users.
→ Drove traffic; site reached 38,000 unique visitors total.
6 Month Mark
Lifetime deal overall
Continued selling LTD (60% of 1,200 users are lifetime buyers) alongside an annual one-time purchase option (40% of users, requiring renewal after 1 year for updates). BYOK model kept margins near 100%.
→ $80,000 gross revenue, ~$75,000 profit in 6 months with 1,200 paying users and 38,000 unique site visitors.
Users 1.2k users
Next Phase (Planned)
Subscription model transition
Planning to phase out or raise price on the LTD and transition toward a recurring subscription model now that they have a validated user base of 1,200 paying customers to support the shift.
→ Not yet executed; stated intent only.