How to Create a Zero-Revenue Product in One Year
Lessons from My First Indie Hacker Journey
We once thought Weedone was cool, destined to be a product with a MRR over $10k. But today, it's time to bid it a formal farewell. Yes, it generated $0 revenue. It failed. And now, we're selling it (hoping you still see its value, feel free to contact me on X).
Why Weedone Existed
As heavy users of Todo apps, we noticed these often turned into task hoarders, with many tasks entered but never completed. This sparked a question: Does the original GTD (Getting Things Done) philosophy really enhance productivity?
Our ideal Todo, based on the mono-tasking theory, would include core features like Weekly OKR Planning & Summaries, To-Dos, and a Pomodoro Timer.
Initially, we thought this product could be launched quickly – just a simple CRUD app, but with many conventional features removed, like expiration times.
The goal was to quickly familiarize and develop a complete marketing system through this product, to lay the groundwork for future products. Of course, we also hoped it would reach at least $5k in MRR, enabling us to quit the 9-5 jobs!
Some Data
First Line of Code: May 29, 2022 | Last Code Submission: July 14, 2023
Revenue: $0 😭
Product Hunt Launches:
First Launch: December 4, 2022.
Launched the official website, not open for public use, only a waitlist was released. Eventually, 178 users joined, including 89 Mac users.
We delivered the Mac app version about a month later (exact date forgotten).
Second Launch: June 29, 2023
As of November 2, 2023, we had 60 registered users and virtually zero daily active users (yes, even I stopped using it).
How to Build a Failed Product 🤣
1. Using the Coolest Tech
Weedone’s Tech Stack:
Frontend: Flutter (UI), Rust (Data, Network)
Backend: Golang, MongoDB & Redis
Services:
GitHub: Code & CI/CD
GoogleComputeEngine: Golang & DB servers
GoogleDNS
Firestore: Images
Typedream: Landing page(Now, it is just a makeshift version I put together, and it no longer retains its original form, including the absence of the Blog section.)
AppStore: App Distribution
We could have used any "cool" tech, even C for everything, if the goal was learning. But for A profitable product, it's vital to balance speed and user experience. Weedone's tech stack slowed down the development, a fact clear in hindsight.
If I could choose again, the core tech stack might be a combination of Electron and Firebase, without Flutter, Rust, Golang, MongoDB, Redis, and Google Compute Engine.
2. Unclear Requirements
We started coding immediately after having the idea, developing the product and UI/UX on the fly. I later realized this approach actually slowed development.
After reorganizing the PRD and UI/UX with Figma, development sped up, even though many planned features were left undone.
Let's take a look at my preliminary PRD & UI/UX designs.
3. Head-Down Product Development
Believing in our cool product, we thought users would flock to it upon launch. While this might have worked for early internet products, it's not generally applicable for most indie hackers.
Engage with potential users early, make them your first customers. Remember, “The first 100 users are acquired one by one through conversations.”
4. Marketing on Instinct
Our marketing strategies included:
Two Product Hunt launches
Directory submissions
Email marketing: The emails we sent out mainly included announcements such as 'We've launched!', updates on new features, and invitations to try them out.
Content marketing: 10 blogs published (with about 10 more drafts unpublished) and posts on the official Twitter, without other interactions
Our focus was on content marketing, but we didn't integrate SEO, limiting our reach
5. Working in Spare Time
There's nothing wrong with working in spare time, but it's crucial to maintain the right mindset.
Set deadlines, especially for development phases, and define KPIs to strive for.
In Conclusion
Though Weedone failed, it set me on the path of an indie hacker. I've learned and grown a lot.
To avoid creating a $0-revenue product, take these lessons:
Start marketing the day you begin coding.
Ship fast; technology is secondary.