How I Generated $38k in SaaS Revenue in 3 Weeks: An Indie Hacker’s Framework for Lean Product Development

Let’s Be Real: Building SaaS Products Isn’t Easy

As a bootstrapped founder, I’ve felt the pressure cooker of limited resources and endless competition. Today I’m pulling back the curtain on how I built a SaaS product that made $38,000 in its first three weeks—using a framework inspired by my unexpected hobby: metal refining.

The Art of Cutting Fluff: Finding Your Product’s Core

Like melting down scrap metal to find pure gold, successful SaaS development means cutting everything that doesn’t serve your core value. When I started my last project, I made the same mistake as many new founders—I packed it with “nice-to-haves”:

• Custom profile dashboards
• Complicated pricing tiers
• Social media integrations

These features weren’t just unnecessary—they were actively distracting from what users actually needed. I learned the hard way that less is more.

The real SaaS superpower? Removing features faster than you add them

The Tech Stack That Saved Me 100+ Hours

Choosing the right tools is like picking the perfect crucible—it determines how quickly you can refine your product:

My Time-Saving Toolkit

• Frontend: Next.js + Tailwind CSS (UI ready in 3 days)
• Backend: Firebase Functions + Node.js
• Database: Supabase PostgreSQL
• Deployment: GitHub Actions + Vercel

Here’s the simple deployment setup that kept me shipping fast:

// .github/workflows/deploy.yml
name: Deploy
on:
push:
branches: [main]
jobs:
deploy:
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
steps:
- uses: actions/checkout@v2
- uses: actions/setup-node@v2
- run: npm ci
- run: npm run build
- uses: amondnet/vercel-action@v20
with:
vercel-token: ${{ secrets.VERCEL_TOKEN }}
vercel-org-id: ${{ secrets.VERCEL_ORG_ID }}
vercel-project-id: ${{ secrets.VERCEL_PROJECT_ID }}

Building Features That Actually Sell

I stopped guessing what users wanted and started working in focused cycles:

My 5-Step Feature Filter

1. Find the smallest useful feature set
2. Build it in 3-day sprints (no distractions)
3. Get it in front of paying users within a week
4. Measure actual usage, not vanity metrics
5. Repeat with the next highest-impact item

Proving Demand Before Writing Code

Before building anything substantial, I validated with this $500 test:

My Cheap Validation Hack

• Built a landing page explaining one core benefit
• Ran targeted ads ($20/day)
• Measured trial signups
• Only built features where cost per signup stayed under $5

This simple test saved me from wasting months on features nobody wanted.

How The $38k Revenue Unfolded

The growth wasn’t magic—it was strategic iteration:

Week 1: The Naked MVP

• One price point ($97/month)
• Single core feature
• Basic tracking
• Result: $8,200 (honestly shocked me)

Week 2: Listening to Users

• Added pay-as-you-go pricing
• Simple Zapier integration
• Template library
• Result: $14,500

Week 3: Scaling Smart

• Team collaboration tools
• API access
• Premium support option
• Result: $15,300

The Secret Sauce: Automated Revenue

This code snippet became my silent salesperson:

// Stripe webhook for auto-upgrades
app.post('/webhook', async (req, res) => {
const event = req.body;

// When users hit limits, upgrade automatically
if (event.type === 'usage_threshold_exceeded') {
await stripe.subscriptions.update(
event.data.subscription_id,
{ items: [{ price: PREMIUM_PRICE_ID }] }
);

// Send upgrade confirmation
await sendUpgradeEmail(event.customer_email);
}
});

Protecting What Matters

As revenue grew, I guarded these assets fiercely:

• Full ownership of my codebase
• Direct relationships with users
• Control over customer data
• Own distribution channels

Turning Code Into Cash: My SaaS Journey

Building a profitable product isn’t about complexity—it’s about focus:

1. Cut features ruthlessly
2. Build in tight cycles
3. Use infrastructure that scales
4. Protect your core assets

Three weeks. $38,000. Zero outside funding. By treating my SaaS like precious metal—constantly refining and removing impurities—I created something people were happy to pay for. The best part? This framework works whether you’re building your first product or your fifth.

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