Building a SaaS Without an Audience: Key Strategies
I built my first SaaS with zero coding experience and no audience. Sound crazy? Let me walk you through how I hit $25K/month along the way. In today's digital age, building a SaaS might seem daunting, especially without technical skills or an existing audience. But with the right approach, domain knowledge, and leveraging AI tools, it's more achievable than ever. I'll share how I went from idea to MVP in 48 hours, the 1,000 hours of effort it takes, and the 10 to 12 failed projects before success. We'll talk partnerships for distribution, rapid development using AI tools, and growth strategies.
I built my first SaaS with zero coding experience and no audience. Sounds crazy? Let me walk you through how I reached $25K/month in the process. In today's digital age, building a SaaS might seem daunting, especially without technical skills or an existing audience. But with the right approach, domain knowledge, and leveraging AI tools, it's more achievable than ever. I remember transforming an idea into an MVP in just 48 hours thanks to a well-chosen tech stack. It's often said you need about 1,000 hours of effort to succeed, and believe me, I had my share of failures with 10 to 12 projects going nowhere before hitting the jackpot. In this interview, I'll share how I leveraged partnerships for distribution, used AI tools for rapid development, and implemented effective growth strategies. If you're ready to dive into the behind-the-scenes of this journey, stay tuned.
From Idea to MVP in 48 Hours: My Tech Stack
Building a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) in 48 hours is like speed cooking: knowing what to toss in the pan and what to skip ensures you don't burn the dish. Choosing the right tech stack is crucial for rapid development. In my case, I leveraged AI tools to bypass coding barriers, focusing on functionality above all. The goal was to craft a minimum viable product without getting bogged down by unnecessary details.
Tools like Cursor, Verscell, Superbase, Resend, and Apify enabled me to build swiftly without drowning in code. But watch out, don't overcomplicate the MVP. Simplicity is key, otherwise, you risk losing focus. In 48 hours, I had a functional MVP. Quite a feat, but beware of limits: beyond 100K tokens, it gets tricky.
Hitting $20K MRR in 90 Days: Growth Strategies
Growing the Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) to $20,000 in 90 days isn't accidental. It's the result of deeply understanding and leveraging domain knowledge. I focused on solving a specific problem for a well-defined audience. As a result, MRR hit $10K in just 30 days, $17-18K by 60 days, and $21.8K at 90 days. This journey was steered by an effective partnership strategy.
Partnerships were key. Sometimes, equity shares with partners reached 50%, but it was worth it for distribution and growth. It's about balancing immediate gains and long-term investments. Picture juggling flaming torches: exciting yet precarious.
The Power of Domain Knowledge in SaaS
Having deep domain knowledge is like having a treasure map. It allows you to identify real pain points and develop features that truly matter. By avoiding common pitfalls of unnecessary features, you focus on what counts.
A key moment was understanding the market better than competitors. My advice? Spend at least 1,000 hours diving deep into your domain. It's intense, but worth it. The insights you gain will set you apart.
Distribution Channels: A Strategy with Legacy X
Distribution is as critical as the product itself. Partnering with Legacy X was pivotal for market penetration. I focused on channels aligned with user behavior. But beware, not all channels are worth the time. Being selective is essential.
The lesson here is simple: focus on what works and don't waste energy on dead-end paths. Balancing direct sales with partnership channels is an art.
Crafting a SaaS Success Playbook
You need to iterate quickly based on user feedback. Documenting processes to streamline future projects is key. Being ready to pivot based on market needs is a strength. The key takeaway: fail fast, learn faster. I got burned on 10-12 projects before succeeding, but each failure brought me closer to success.
In summary, a playbook for starting a SaaS includes steps like identifying domain knowledge, finding validated markets, and building an MVP. Remember: perseverance and continuous learning are your best allies.
If this journey excites you, check out other strategies with Max's Strategy: 28 Apps, $10K/Month and learn how to build a SaaS product without coding.
Building a SaaS without coding skills or an audience is tough but doable. Here's what I learned:
- First, leverage your domain knowledge. Without it, you're building blind.
- Then, partnerships are key for distribution. Find allies, because going solo is slower.
- Use AI tools for rapid development. I went from idea to MVP in 48 hours thanks to them.
- Don't get discouraged by failures: 10 to 12 failed projects before a successful one is normal.
Looking ahead, with AI getting smarter, SaaS development is only going to get faster and more accessible. But remember, it still demands a massive time investment (expect around 1,000 hours to succeed).
Ready to start your SaaS journey? Leverage these insights to avoid common pitfalls and build something impactful. For a deeper dive, check out the original video: How I built my first SaaS without an audience. It's practical, not just theory.
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Thibault Le Balier
Co-fondateur & CTO
Coming from the tech startup ecosystem, Thibault has developed expertise in AI solution architecture that he now puts at the service of large companies (Atos, BNP Paribas, beta.gouv). He works on two axes: mastering AI deployments (local LLMs, MCP security) and optimizing inference costs (offloading, compression, token management).
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