Catalins

How Catalin Earned More Than $25K with a Technical Writing Side Hustle

January 3rd, 2025

Founded By

Catalin Pit

Founders

Profitable

Yes

Year Started

2019

Customer

B2C

Founded By
Catalin Pit: Founders
1

Profitable
Yes: Year Started
2019

Customer
B2C

Who is Catalin Pit?

Catalin Pit, founder of Catalins, is a software developer and technical writer from Romania who combines his expertise in programming with a passion for writing, having started his journey during his Computer Science degree.

What problem does Catalins solve?

Catalins solves the problem of how to make your writing skills work for you, helping developers and tech founders turn writing into a tool for boosting visibility, income, and job opportunities.

Homepage

How did Catalin come up with the idea for Catalins?

Catalin discovered his passion for writing during his final year as a Computer Science student when he sought a way to stand out in the competitive job market. Realizing that combining his love for programming with writing could set him apart, he decided to publish his solutions to coding problems online. This served not only as a means to enhance his communication skills but also to share knowledge and invite feedback from peers.

Catalin began sharing his coding solutions and insights on platforms like FreeCodeCamp and SitePoint, which helped him build credibility and refine his skills. His commitment to writing regularly not only made his work increasingly visible but also attracted opportunities, including paid writing gigs and collaborations. Through this, he learned that writing is a valuable skill in tech, providing both financial benefits and enhanced job prospects.

Throughout the journey, Catalin experienced challenges such as maintaining quality in his work and dealing with self-doubt, especially as a non-native English speaker. However, he persisted by focusing on the value his writing provided, both to himself and his audience. This journey taught him the importance of consistent practice and the power of leveraging writing as a career asset.

How did Catalin Pit build the initial version of Catalins?

Catalins was developed primarily using web technologies such as TypeScript, React, and Node.js, as highlighted by the founder, Catalin Pit. The initial version of the website, catalins.tech, was launched to consolidate and showcase his programming knowledge while combining his passion for writing. Catalin initially focused on publishing solutions to programming challenges and interview questions, steadily iterating and refining his writing style over time. The process was initially challenging due to the complexities of balancing coding and writing, but it became rewarding as the site began to gain traction. The evolution of the platform was fueled by contributions to esteemed tech publications like FreeCodeCamp and SitePoint, which required adapting to various editorial standards but ultimately strengthened Catalin's writing skills.

What was the growth strategy for Catalins and how did they scale?

Content Collaboration

Catalins leveraged collaborations with reputable tech publications like FreeCodeCamp, SitePoint, HackerNoon, and Daily Dev to expand their reach and build credibility. By contributing quality content to these platforms, they accessed larger audiences who were already interested in their niche. This collaboration not only increased visibility but also provided feedback to refine their writing skills.

Why it worked: The established readership of these platforms ensured that Catalins' content reached a broader audience. This strategy effectively increased brand awareness and positioned the business as a credible authority in technical writing and software development.

Catalins built a strong following on social media, particularly Twitter, with over 127,000 followers. By sharing insights, articles, and snippets of their technical writing journey, they engaged with the tech community and promoted their courses and articles organically. This social media strategy also included responding to comments and sharing personal development experiences, which helped to humanize the brand.

embed:tweet

Why it worked: Social media platforms enabled direct communication with the audience, fostering a sense of community and trust. This engagement led to greater visibility and increased traffic to their website and courses, as followers were interested in learning more from a trusted source.

Personal Blog and SEO

Catalins focused on consistent content creation through their personal blog, catalins.tech. This site served as a repository for their technical articles, tutorials, and personal insights into the software development process. By integrating SEO best practices like targeting specific keywords, the blog became a significant source of organic traffic.

Why it worked: The use of targeted keywords and in-depth, valuable content appealed to search engines and readers alike. This strategy ensured that people searching for technical writing guidance and insights into the software development industry could easily find Catalins' resources, driving consistent and relevant traffic to the site.

Leveraging Paid Gigs and Referrals

Catalins capitalized on the credibility built from their blog and publications to secure paid writing gigs. As word spread about their expertise, companies began reaching out for writing services, and satisfied clients started referring more business their way. This word-of-mouth and testimonial-based growth was a key contributor to their expansion.

Why it worked: Paid gigs and referrals are a testament to trust and satisfaction from existing clients, which is invaluable for business growth. These opportunities not only generated revenue but also reinforced Catalins' market position as a go-to expert in technical writing and development.

What's the pricing strategy for Catalins?

Catalins offers a tiered course pricing model with options at $40 for the base course, $80 for the full course with additional content and updates, and $280 for the full course plus 1:1 mentorship sessions.

Catalins Technical Writing Course Pricing

What were the biggest lessons learned from building Catalins?

Consistency Pays Off: Catalin's journey shows that regularly publishing content can lead to increased visibility and opportunities. By consistently sharing his insights and solutions, he not only honed his writing skills but also built a reputation that attracted job offers and writing gigs.
Embrace Feedback: Working with established tech platforms like FreeCodeCamp and SitePoint helped Catalin improve his writing through professional feedback. Aspiring founders should seek environments where they can get constructive criticism to refine their skills.
Leverage Your Strengths: Catalin successfully combined his programming skills with his passion for writing. Founders should assess their unique strengths and interests to create synergistic opportunities that can set them apart in the marketplace.
Adapt and Expand: Catalin expanded his content from coding solutions to broader tech career topics. Flexibility in content creation allows for a wider reach and keeps the audience engaged with varied interests.
Prioritize Mental Health: Catalin stresses the importance of avoiding burnout, emphasizing work-life balance even in content creation. Entrepreneurs need to guard against burnout by setting boundaries and prioritizing mental well-being.

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