The Side Project

I built a Chrome extension to solve my own problem - managing research bookmarks.

• Total time: 2 weekends
• Tech stack: Vanilla JavaScript
• Cost: $0

I wasn't trying to build a business. I just wanted to solve my own problem.

Unexpected Growth

Shared it on Reddit. 1000 installs in the first week. The comments were overwhelming:

• People asking for features
• Offering to pay
• Requesting custom versions

I realized I'd accidentally found product-market fit.

The Transition

The growth timeline:

• Month 3: Added a pro plan ($5/month)
• Month 6: 200 paid users, $1K MRR
• Month 12: Quit my job, 800 paid users, $4K MRR
• Month 18: $8K MRR with 1600 customers

Each milestone felt impossible until it happened.

Keys to Success

What made the difference:

• Solved a real problem that I had myself
• Started small and simple - No complex features
• Listened to users obsessively - Every email got a response
• Kept my day job until it was safe to quit
• Saved 12 months runway before making the leap

Life Now

I work from anywhere, set my own hours, and love what I do.

It wasn't overnight, but it was worth every late night and weekend spent coding.

"The best time to start was yesterday. The second best time is now."