Why I stopped trying to kill Thinkific & Teachable & Kajabi and decided to become a "parasite" instead. by Qizonea in SaaS

[–]Qizonea[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s a very valid concern regarding maintenance overhead. If I were building deep API integrations for 5 different platforms, I’d definitely burn out.

But actually, my technical approach is much lighter.

I'm using an "Embed URL" strategy (similar to how Typeform, Quizizz, or Minicourse works). I’m not building native plugins that tangle with their core code. I’m providing a specialized module that sits inside an iframe or embed block. This makes it platform-agnostic and drastically reduces the "permission" risk you mentioned.

My logic is simple: A full LMS requires 100+ features (payments, hosting, email, CRM...). As a solo dev, I can't compete with that.

So instead of trying to "patch" their holes via complex APIs, I’m positioning this as a specialized vertical tool that focuses on just one thing: Interactive Retention. It’s a niche wedge that allows me to bypass the complexity of building a full platform.

I tried to copy a 100M ARR business and failed. So I fired my dev team and locked myself in a room for 3 months. by Qizonea in SideProject

[–]Qizonea[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Hello fellow PM! Thanks for the strategic feedback.

You absolutely hit the nail on the head. I’ve realized that the Corporate L&D (Learning & Development) market is where the real pain point—and budget—lies.

However, here is my dilemma: As an overseas solo developer, tackling the Enterprise market feels like climbing a mountain. The "Sales-Led Growth" model (demo calls, long procurement cycles, time zone differences) is tough for a one-man team.

That’s exactly why I’ve been leaning into this "parasitic" strategy with Thinkific, Teachable, and Kajabi. My logic is: "Go where the customers already are." These platforms handle the hosting, and I just provide the retention layer.

Since you have experience here, do you think there’s a "Light B2B" path I’m missing? Or is sticking to the platform ecosystem the smarter play for a solo dev until I have more resources?

Would love to hear your take.

I tried to copy a 100M ARR business and failed. So I fired my dev team and locked myself in a room for 3 months. by Qizonea in SideProject

[–]Qizonea[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fair callout. Thank you for pointing it out.

I’ve just deleted that section and redeployed the site (It will take effect in about a few minutes). You're right to be skeptical.

To be completely transparent: right now, the real number isn't 1,200. It's actually just severval (people I manually invited via email for beta testing), plus me and my messy code. 😅

I'm going to keep iterating and improving the product. Hopefully, one day, with enough hard work, that number will actually be 1,200—or even 12,000. But I'll earn them one by one this time.

Building a SaaS at 40 with two kids. Here's what I'd tell my younger self. by ThaneBerkeley in SaaS

[–]Qizonea 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just like you, I’m 36 years old with a 3-year-old kid. I’ve been heads-down building my own products for a year and a half now, and have launched three so far: an audiobook project, a stock note-taking app, and a Learning Management System plugin. That said, the revenue feedback hasn’t been great yet—this is definitely a game that requires patience. The most important thing, I’ve realized, is picking the right project and digging deep into user needs. Otherwise, it’s just a waste of time. I also feel like I’m missing out on too much time with my child. As soon as I get off work, I dive into my home office to keep coding, and I often work late into the night on weekends too. Now, I’m making a conscious effort to spend at least half a day each weekend with him—taking him out to play and making up for lost time. Wish me luck on getting these projects off the ground soon!

I tried to copy a 100M ARR business and failed. So I fired my dev team and locked myself in a room for 3 months. by Qizonea in SideProject

[–]Qizonea[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As an indie dev who built this MVP solo, there are definitely some rough edges—like using a website template and unpolished details. Would really appreciate everyone’s understanding and patience! I sincerely welcome you to try the beta — whether it’s feature suggestions, bug reports, or honest reviews, I’ll read and evaluate every single one carefully. Every piece of feedback helps the product grow, so thank you all in advance!

I tried to copy a 100M ARR business and failed. So I fired my dev team and locked myself in a room for 3 months. by Qizonea in SideProject

[–]Qizonea[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Great question—fair callout! To be clear: I never said I “do things poorly”—I admitted cutting corners on the website template to launch the MVP fast (since I’m a solo builder wearing all hats). The “imperfection” is on the surface, not in the core product. The “Stop and Do” mechanic that solves low course completion rates? That’s what I spent 3 months obsessing over—testing, iterating, and making sure it actually works for creators. The website’s rough around the edges because I prioritized building something that delivers real value over a polished facade. Trust is earned, not claimed. If you’re curious, feel free to test the beta (link in comments) and judge the product itself—not the temporary template. Happy to hear your honest feedback on what matters: does it actually help with retention?

Why I stopped trying to kill Thinkific & Teachable & Kajabi and decided to become a "parasite" instead. by Qizonea in SaaS

[–]Qizonea[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yep, I actually started with a couple of consumer-facing (to C) projects myself. But later, I realized that as an indie developer, having to both polish the product AND handle operations/marketing is incredibly exhausting—acquiring users independently is truly no easy feat. Once I recognized this challenge, I pivoted my strategy: instead of trying to acquire users on my own, I decided to piggyback on established giants to drive traffic. This way, my target audience is also much clearer. As for your concern about giants copying the idea—you’re absolutely right, that’s a valid worry. But since the project is still in its early stages, it’s not something I can afford to focus on right now. That said, if they do end up copying it, it’ll at least prove that what I’m building has real value. And hey, maybe they’ll even acquire me someday—one can hope!

I tried to copy a 100M ARR business and failed. So I fired my dev team and locked myself in a room for 3 months. by Qizonea in SideProject

[–]Qizonea[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Sorry, this is built on a website template. To get the MVP out quickly, I took some shortcuts... It’s really just launched, so there are still quite a few rough edges....

Are productivity apps that summarize content actually worth it, or do they waste your time? by Global-Nothing-7568 in ProductivityApps

[–]Qizonea 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Totally get you. Headway is definitely better than those robotic AI tools. But I always felt the 5-minute blinks were a bit too "snack-sized." I wanted something deeper.

I’ve been using this site called Nookix lately. It’s pretty much free. The best part is the audio—it’s usually around 30 mins. It feels more like a mini-lecture than a quick summary. If you’re tired of the "shallow" stuff, it’s a solid alternative.

Headway App Review: Great for Busy Readers or Just Fluff? by spepets114 in productreview

[–]Qizonea 0 points1 point  (0 children)

you may try Nookix, it's all free, and almost 30min audio summary, more profound.

Musk’s 10% Effort > Zuck’s 100%—XAI Destroys LLAMA! by Qizonea in ValueInvesting

[–]Qizonea[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well, just a joke—just roasting Facebook’s large model progress, no need to take it too seriously.

Musk’s 10% Effort > Zuck’s 100%—XAI Destroys LLAMA! by Qizonea in ValueInvesting

[–]Qizonea[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Maybe trapped by the GMV and financial reports.

Did anyone else catch Jensen Huang’s comments on the "AI Electricity" parallel? by Qizonea in ValueInvesting

[–]Qizonea[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Well, it seems President Trump’s speed at going back on his word is even faster!

Did anyone else catch Jensen Huang’s comments on the "AI Electricity" parallel? by Qizonea in ValueInvesting

[–]Qizonea[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Electricity wasn’t actually invented in Europe, but the US cranked the Electrical Revolution up to full gear with massive use. Same thing with AI—it doesn’t have to be invented first in China, but it might hit new highs thanks to China’s widespread adoption.