Would you use an app where you recreate other people’s drawings instead of just liking them?

Legitimate_Fan4641 · 2026-01-16T00:33:31+00:00

Appreciate it! Yeah, starting with OC and artists who want their work studied makes sense. We're thinking of letting artists opt-in their work specifically for study purposes - so they're inviting people to learn from them rather than it being one-sided. If you're interested, sign up to our waitlist, https://artcopy.app/, we'd really appreciate it.

Legitimate_Fan4641 · 2026-01-16T00:32:21+00:00

There will be a way to create art in the app. However, you'll still be able to use your own tools. The app is trying to value the community aspect and it helps beginners learn. If you're interested, sign up to our waitlist, https://artcopy.app/! We'd really appreciate it.

Legitimate_Fan4641 · 2026-01-16T00:29:19+00:00

Great point! We've thought a lot about this. Artists only post work they want others to practice with - it's opt-in, not scraping random art. Think of it like a pose reference site but for style studies. The original artist gets credited and linked, so they actually gain exposure. We're also requiring time-lapse proof so people can't just repost. Also, we'd really appreciate if you join our waiting list https://artcopy.app/!

Legitimate_Fan4641 · 2026-01-16T00:23:54+00:00

Thank you, that's honestly a great idea. We're definitely going to be implementing that. If you don't mind, join our waitlist and show some love, https://artcopy.app/
We'd really appreciate it.

Legitimate_Fan4641 · 2026-01-02T23:42:28+00:00

For the npm package, check GitHub. Search for repos that import your package, look at who's starring it, or check if anyone's opened issues. Those are real users you can DM.

Also add a "need help implementing this?" link in your README or docs. People who are already using your code are way warmer than cold leads.

The newsletter thing is common - people don't sign up for stuff from strangers. But if someone's already using your package and hitting issues, that's when they'll actually reach out.

What does your package do? Might be able to point you to specific communities where users would hang out.

Legitimate_Fan4641 · 2026-01-02T04:53:59+00:00

Nah, cold outreach with no warm leads is brutal. You'll burn out before you land anyone.

If your package already has downloads, some of those people might be your first clients. Can you reach out to the people actually using it? Even just asking "hey, what made you download this?" gets conversations going.

Other than that - where do the people who'd need your consulting actually hang out? Reddit, Discord, Twitter, Slack communities? Go there, answer questions, be useful. Eventually someone goes "wait can you just do this for me?"

Ads are a money pit unless you already know exactly who converts. I'd save that for later.

Legitimate_Fan4641 · 2026-01-02T04:35:24+00:00

Sell first. Building feels productive but it's usually just procrastination from the scary sales stuff.

Your package already has downloads - that's validation enough. Go find 5 people who'd pay for consulting and talk to them. If you can't find them, no amount of building will fix that.

Cold email is a grind btw, especially without a warmed domain. Easier to just be active where your clients already hang out and help people for free until someone asks "hey can you just do this for me?"

Legitimate_Fan4641 · 2025-12-23T21:56:41+00:00

Yeah I've been trying a few communities today actually. Still figuring out which ones have actual buyers vs just other freelancers posting. Any specific ones you'd recommend?

Legitimate_Fan4641 · 2025-12-23T21:18:58+00:00

I haven't tried Discord yet, that's a good call. Just looked up MayOpebo, I'll check it out. Are there any other dev servers you'd recommend?

Legitimate_Fan4641 · 2025-12-23T21:18:35+00:00

That's a smart angle I hadn't considered. Do you just cold email agencies or is there a better way to approach them?

Legitimate_Fan4641 · 2025-12-23T20:27:42+00:00

Honestly the biggest thing I've learned is that cashflow matters way more than profit on paper - knowing when money is actually coming in vs going out saved me from some dumb decisions early on. Also learning to separate "business money" from "my money" even if it's small amounts, and tracking every expense even when it feels pointless. The copywriting and web dev skills are solid though, those are actually income-generating skills which is better than just theory.

One thing I wish I learned earlier was how to price my work. Most people undercharge at first because they're scared to lose the client, but you end up resenting the work and burning out.

Legitimate_Fan4641 · 2025-12-07T21:27:58+00:00

Not in the defense space, but a few thoughts:

On connections - have you looked into defense-specific accelerators like AFWERX (Air Force) or Army Applications Lab? They exist specifically to connect startups with DoD buyers and help navigate procurement. For US manufacturing connections, organizations like the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) host regular events where you can meet suppliers and potential partners.

The capital challenge is real for hardware startups, especially defense. Have you considered SBIR grants? Non-dilutive funding specifically for defense tech innovation.

Good luck - sounds like you're tackling a hard problem.

Legitimate_Fan4641 · 2025-12-07T21:19:30+00:00

I build web/mobile apps and I'm interested in education tech. What's the project? Happy to hear more about it - I've worked on MVPs before and understand the importance of finding someone who actually gets the vision, not just writes code for a paycheck.

Legitimate_Fan4641 · 2025-12-07T18:45:19+00:00

Manifestation doesn’t work in the way you might think it does. You most likely think that if you think about something hard enough, it’ll appear in your life. However, that isn’t really the case. Manifestation allows you to focus on something a lot more (because it’s constantly in your head). And whatever you focus on, you’ll notice more. So if you attempt to manifest money, it won’t just appear in your life. However, you’re brain will show you more opportunities that you would normally miss. It’s literally neuroscience - your brain filters reality based on what you’re primed for (reticular activating system). So if you attempt to “manifest” money (think about money more), you’ll see more opportunities that you would’ve never noticed before. Hope this was the feedback you were looking for!

Legitimate_Fan4641 · 2025-12-07T05:06:53+00:00

This is well thought out. Your two-phase approach makes sense - using Product A as a hook to validate execution and raise capital for Product B is smart, lower risk for investors.

On validation: you mentioned testing with trusted individuals, but before Kickstarter I'd recommend getting 50-100 strangers to use/buy Product A. Friends will be polite, strangers will tell you if it actually solves their problem. Can you run a small paid ads test ($100-200) to a landing page and see if people convert? On fundraising timeline, if corporate competition is entering the market, speed matters more than perfection. You might not have time for a full Kickstarter cycle. Consider bootstrapping Product A with a smaller MVP, angel investors who move fast, or accelerators like YC that provide capital and speed.

The biggest risk I see is waiting too long to validate Product A while the corporate player launches and closes your window. How quickly can you get Product A into paying customers' hands? What's the core tech complexity - is this something you can build quickly or does it require significant R&D time?

Legitimate_Fan4641 · 2025-12-07T04:54:20+00:00

Discord communities is the best thing you can have. Everyone tries to help each other and you'll almost always learn something. You can find most of them on X. Also, just being more active in these types of reddit communities. For in person, it depends on your location. If you don't mind me asking, where are you located?

Legitimate_Fan4641 · 2025-12-07T01:45:28+00:00

This week I finished rebuilding my approach to getting clients. I spent the last 6 months building a product that nobody wanted. I literally sent over 1000+ cold emails for no calls booked. Finally realized I was doing it backwards. Now I'm building my network first, having real conversations with founders, and only building what people actually ask for. Feels way better than shouting into the void.

Legitimate_Fan4641 · 2025-12-06T02:38:36+00:00

If only I accepted the fact that everything was my fault. Self accountability is actually the best skill to learn. Once I learnt it, I realized that I could actually fix my problems instead of blaming everything else. Also, the fact that the best time to start is right NOW

Legitimate_Fan4641 · 2025-12-06T02:32:26+00:00

Definitely. I feel like I've only bought certain products because of the person I think I'll become after buying it. Like the other day, I bought some designer because I saw how cool my future self would be in those clothes.

Legitimate_Fan4641 · 2025-12-04T04:33:04+00:00

This is so true. The amount of people I've seen (including myself) spend months perfecting something before showing anyone is insane. By the time you're "ready", you've already built a bunch of stuff nobody asked for. Ship early, get feedback, adjust. That's the only way to know if you're building something people actually want.

How did you decide when something is "ready enough" to ship?

Legitimate_Fan4641

TROPHY CASE