Natalia's business idea for Sustainably Chic stemmed from her passion for sustainable fashion, which she developed after becoming fatigued with the industry’s wastefulness and unethical practices.

At the time, sustainable fashion was not a popular topic and she felt like no one talked about it.

Motivated by a desire to create an impactful platform and realizing the lack of resources in sustainable fashion, she started her online community to showcase ethical brands, which quickly gained a significant following.

Natalia purchased a domain name and selected Squarespace as her blogging platform, incurring a monthly cost of around $30.

She emphasized the importance of securing her brand by trademarking "Sustainably Chic" and acquiring a business license through legalzoom.com, which together cost about $1,200.

Recognizing the need for high-quality visuals, Natalia invested in a DSLR camera, several lenses, and a tripod, spending under $2,000 on photography equipment.

She leveraged her proficiency in Adobe for content creation. Her focus shifted to branding and achieving a consistent posting schedule, aiming to make sustainable fashion appealing and accessible.

The initial customer acquisition channel was Instagram. Natalia's posts on Instagram attracted tens of thousands of interactions in the first year.

In addition, she focused on organic reach by constantly posting listicle content on her website to improve ranking through SEO. As a result of this effort, Google drove hundreds of people to her lists daily.

Some top keywords her articles rank for include:

• Capsule wardrobe
  
• Worst fast fashion brands
• Production tights which materials

"Expert HR software review platform for informed choices."

Phil Strazzulla, founder of SelectSoftware, came up with the idea for his business after building a personal brand in the HR space through a weekly whiteboard video series. He realized that HR professionals were struggling to choose the right software for their needs, and saw the opportunity to create an online review site, similar to NerdWallet or WireCutter, for HR software. With organic search traffic growing at 30% per month and revenues hitting $1k per month, SelectSoftware has gained traction in the market.

In terms of technology, Phil chose Squarespace for website hosting due to its simplicity, despite its limited flexibility. For business operations, they utilized MixMax for email scheduling, MailChimp for newsletters, and Google Tag Manager for analytics.

Phil's primary channel for acquiring customers is through his weekly short-form videos that he posts, covering topics he finds compelling.

These videos not only captivate his audience but have also opened doors to speaking engagements. These engagements, in turn, have led to opportunities in guest blogging and podcast interviews.

Essentially, his strategy revolves around effectively leveraging one content format, which then naturally expands into multiple platforms due to the high demand for quality content across various publishers.

After handling loads of stress as an SVP of sales, Justin decided to step down from his job and start a consulting business. He started creating digital content from there on, and have been moving forward ever since, releasing courses, building a massive following, and double down on his solopreneurship efforts.

Justin Welsh developed his first flagship course, The LinkedIn Operating System, by focusing on three main hypotheses: pricing, course length, and production value. He set the price at $150, aiming for it to be an impulse buy, and kept the course under two hours to ensure higher completion rates, significantly surpassing the average course completion rate with his at above 45%. Welsh opted for a straightforward, low-production method, recording his content in a single take using Google Slides and Zoom, which allowed him to focus on delivering value rather than aesthetics. This approach reflected a bias toward action and simplicity, making the content accessible and engaging without unnecessary embellishments.

Justin posts 600 times a year on Linkedin, over 500 days in a row on Twitter, and recently shifted to a multi-page website to attract search engine traffic. He takes help of a friend to improve the site's SEO.

Save an extra chunk of your annual income with tax-savvy strategies.

The idea for Savvy Nomad started when my co-founder, Jameson, was traveling in Morocco and met a group of Californian surfers who had been living abroad for years but were struggling with the complexities of the U.S. tax system. Jameson, with his background in accounting and experience in tax-free Nevada, saw an opportunity to help expats and digital nomads legally reduce their tax burden.

While I didn’t come up with the original idea, my journey to Savvy Nomad was shaped by my experience founding Taxarity, a startup focused on making taxation transparent and client-friendly through digitalization. My vision was to build a global marketplace where people could compare and seamlessly move between tax regimes with automated paperwork.

Because of my previous experience, I immediately saw the clarity of its value proposition—a service that directly helps nomads establish a legal tax residency in no-income-tax states without unnecessary complexity.

Instead of overcomplicating things, I focused on scaling, refining the offer, and optimizing pricing to create a profitable, sustainable business.

Now, Savvy Nomad generates $30K/month, helping hundreds of expats legally optimize their taxes while embracing location independence.

Failing at Taxarity was one of the best lessons I could have had—because it led me to build something that truly works.

The first step was researching existing solutions, and quickly realized that while there were options for full-time RVers and retirees, there was nothing built specifically for digital nomads and expats. That was our green light—we saw a clear gap in the market.

SavvyNomad started with around $15,000 in initial costs, and honestly, $13,000 of that went straight into legal fees and research. Since we’re dealing with tax residency and compliance, we had to make sure everything was airtight.

From day one, the business model was subscription-based, and it’s still the same today. It just makes sense—tax residency isn’t a one-time thing, so offering an ongoing service was the best way to provide real value while keeping revenue predictable.

We bootstrapped everything using our savings, which gave us full control over decisions without outside pressure. For building the product, we used Bubble for the application and Framer.com for the website, which helped us move fast without needing a full development team.

It took us three months to launch the first version, not because of technical challenges, but because of the crazy amount of legal details we had to sort out. We started with South Dakota, since it was already popular for tax residency, and later expanded to Florida, which offered even more benefits for nomads.

Honestly, it was harder than we expected—not because of the tech, but because of all the little nuances about residency and domicile laws in different states. But looking back, all that work paid off.

Our main growth channels have been SEO and Google Search Ads. These two bring in the majority of our customers, and over time, we’ve refined them to be highly efficient and scalable. We’ve also experimented with other strategies like influencer marketing, video content, and affiliate partnerships, but so far, these only make up a small percentage of new customers compared to search traffic.

One of our most successful strategies has been tapping into an unmet demand. Initially, our core focus was helping nomads establish domicile for tax savings, but we discovered that many Americans abroad needed a reliable U.S. residential address. We created a new landing page, ran targeted Google Search Ads, and it immediately took off. Now, it’s one of our main growth drivers, and we’re spending around $8,000 per month on Google Ads. This worked because we found a high-intent search market where no one else was running ads, allowing us to dominate the space with little competition.

Another major driver of growth has been content. I’ve personally written over 110 articles covering state residency, tax strategies, and U.S. expat taxation. I focused on deeply researching each topic and used LLMs to speed up the process while ensuring the content remained clear, practical, and easy to read. Most tax-related content is full of legal jargon, making it difficult for the average person to understand. Our articles stand out because they are written in a straightforward way, are well-structured with visuals to explain concepts, and go deep into specifics that people actually need.

The biggest lessons from growing the business have been the importance of building scalable acquisition channels early, listening to demand and adjusting accordingly, and understanding that high-quality content can drive long-term growth if done right. Initially, we didn’t plan to offer U.S. residential addresses, but when we saw the demand, we launched fast, and it became a major success. Writing detailed, well-researched content took time, but it has now become a consistent driver of traffic and leads.

Now, with SEO and paid search as our foundation, we’re continuing to scale and grow.

Corporate communication and marketing consultancy for large businesses.

Inspired by a childhood discovery of a second-hand computer and a profound encounter with a community hero in South Africa, Elizabeth Joss-Bethlehem launched WordWorx. Initially earning just R500 per project, she now generates €100k annually by crafting impactful corporate communication and marketing content.

Building the WordWorx product, Elizabeth Joss-Bethlehem focused on strategic content creation combined with an authentic narrative approach. The initial setup required minimal investment—primarily a domain with Weebly and later web hosting and design tools totaling around €100/month. Utilizing AI tools like Otter AI for productivity and transcription, she transcribed meetings and notes efficiently, which was critical to keeping up with client demands. Additionally, tools like Canva and Zoom supported her design and communication needs, enhancing client interactions and stakeholder interviews. The development of her offerings was a hard-won evolution from basic content and SEO services to comprehensive corporate communication solutions. Adapting to new market needs, especially around sustainability and DEI, she pivoted her service focus, which involved embracing challenges of working across different cultures while in Europe. Her journey from initial setup to a robust, €100k annual revenue business showcases a mix of leveraging technology, constant learning, and strategic adaptation.

Networking and Personal Relationships

Elizabeth attributes much of WordWorx's growth to the strong personal relationships she builds with clients. Meeting clients in person, whenever feasible, is a cornerstone of her strategy. This personal connection allows her to understand her clients better and tailor her services specifically to their needs, which in turn leads to long-term business relationships and referrals. The focus on relationship-building over mere sales has proven effective in retaining clients, as it makes Elizabeth a trusted consultant rather than just a service provider.

Why it worked: Clients appreciate the personal touch and the genuine interest Elizabeth shows in their stories and challenges. This approach not only builds trust but also creates loyalty, which is essential for repeat business. For some clients, this may not be as effective, but knowing when to adapt is key.

Digital Presence and Content

Elizabeth maintains a strong digital presence through various platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, and especially her business website. She frequently updates the news section with stories appealing to her audience and keeps a portfolio of work that highlights her accomplishments and capabilities. By showcasing her work visually, she gives potential clients concrete evidence of her expertise and success stories.

Why it worked: A well-maintained online presence establishes credibility and keeps WordWorx visible in the eyes of potential clients. Quality content and proof of work build trust and demonstrate capability, which are crucial for attracting new business. Regular updates ensure that her brand remains relevant and top-of-mind for her audience.

Referral and Repeat Business

One of the effective strategies employed by Elizabeth is developing additional products for existing clients, which often results in referrals and repeat business. By creating tailored solutions, she not only expands her offerings but also establishes herself as an innovative, go-to resource for her clients. This approach has led other clients to want similar innovative offerings when they see the value provided to their peers.

Why it worked: Providing tailored solutions demonstrates a deep understanding of the client's business needs and shows willingness to innovate and adapt. It adds value beyond the initial offering, which encourages clients to return for additional services and recommend WordWorx to others.

"Webflow websites for SaaS and mission-driven businesses."

At 30, after a life-changing breakup, Rhami embraced the freedom of travel and self-employment, pivoting from an unfulfilling corporate UX design role to founding Arch Web Design, which grew to build over 200 high-converting SaaS websites and aims for seven-figure revenue by 2025.

Arch Web Design was built with a focus on developing high-quality, conversion-focused websites, specifically using Webflow as the primary development platform. Initially, the founder took on a broad range of projects, but after four years, honed in on crafting Webflow websites for SaaS companies, leveraging his strengths and passion for this niche area. The initial team was expanded by making two strategic hires—a UX designer and a Webflow developer—sourced from personal networks and platforms like Upwork, enabling the transition from freelancer to agency. The process of building the first version of their product was an evolution of discipline and specialization, focusing on what they excelled in and enjoyed, which was crucial for delivering top-notch results. Although not specified, the learning curve and focus shift indicate that the early stages involved overcoming the typical freelancer challenges of sustaining diverse project types and achieving consistent quality.

SEO

Arch Web Design has significantly utilized SEO as a primary channel to bring in clients. By targeting specific keywords relevant to their niche, they create valuable content that ranks well in search engine results. They used tools like SEMRush to identify less competitive keywords with decent search volume, allowing them to craft content that not only attracts visitors but also provides real value.

Why it worked: The SEO strategy has been effective because clients searching for web design services are often high-intent leads. When potential clients find Arch Web Design through organic search, they are more likely to be interested in their services, making it easier to convert them into paying customers. Additionally, the long-term nature of SEO helps in providing a steady flow of leads, acting as a snowball that grows over time.

Upwork (initially)

In the early days, Upwork played a crucial role in getting Arch Web Design its initial batch of clients. The platform allowed them to showcase their skills and connect with businesses in need of web design services.

Why it worked: Upwork was effective at first because it is a marketplace filled with businesses actively looking for freelancers. It provided Arch Web Design with an immediate audience, helping them establish credibility and gather initial reviews and testimonials to use outside the platform. Despite its early success, eventually, Upwork was stopped to avoid being perceived as a commodity.

Paid Advertising

Arch Web Design experimented with paid ads to generate leads, focusing on creating a compelling Video Sales Letter (VSL) that features a solid and authentic offer. Their approach emphasizes genuine messaging rather than aggressive promotional tactics.

Why it worked: Paid advertising can quickly drive targeted traffic if done effectively. Their success with paid ads stems from understanding their audience and delivering a message that resonates, making their offers stand out in a crowded market. The authenticity of the ads likely contributed to higher conversion rates and more qualified leads.

Cold Email Campaigns

The agency also used cold email campaigns to reach potential clients directly. They emphasize the importance of building a list of the right people, using tools like Clay and Apollo for this purpose.

Why it worked: Cold emailing works when you have a clear understanding of your target audience and message. By focusing on reaching out to mission-driven businesses and SaaS companies, Arch Web Design ensures their emails are relevant, increasing the likelihood of engagement and conversion. The directness of email allows for personalized communication, making it an effective tool for initiating relationships with potential clients.

When looking for an idea, I focused on choosing a product that could naturally go viral—something interesting, surprising, or that gets people talking.

The plan was to market it using organic short-form content like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and similar platforms.

My last project, WrumerSound, was an e-commerce brand selling car gadgets. It followed this same idea and was very successful, gaining nearly 200 million views across TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and Facebook Reels over the past year.

Since I’ve worked in e-commerce before, I know how challenging logistics can be. That’s why I’m now more interested in SaaS ideas than in starting another e-commerce business.

A photo of our small team

The first step was to analyze the competition and determine exactly what they offer, what I could replicate, and what I could improve.

I then spent three days creating a proof-of-concept product that could transcribe a call, feed the transcription into ChatGPT, and, of course, handle payment collection. The product is built using NextJS, with Stripe for payments, Speechmatics for transcription, and ChatGPT for generating responses.

During development, I focused on keeping the product minimal, so we could launch as quickly as possible to gather feedback before investing significant time in building complex features.

The next step was to create a landing page. I hired an agency for approximately €1,000 to design and develop a landing page using Webflow.

Once the product was live and ready to accept payments, we created social media accounts and started posting videos. For the most part, we studied our competition and replicated strategies that proved successful for them.

Earlier version of the Webpage:

My image

We focus on what works, primarily by producing more short-form videos across multiple channels. Currently, we consistently produce two videos per day, but we plan to increase this to ten videos per day in the coming months.

I want to emphasize the power of an "intrinsically viral" product paired with organic short-form content. Over time, paid ads have become increasingly expensive, making them extremely challenging to run profitably.

In contrast, organic short-form content can offers similar reach to paid ads while being free. It often converts better, as customers perceive it as more "authentic."

ParakeetAI TikTok Account

Regarding other marketing channels, I’ve posted extensively on Reddit. While it has driven some sales, the overall impact has been limited.

We’ve also experimented with Google Ads, which have shown promising results. This success suggests that SEO could be a valuable long-term strategy. However, since SEO takes time to gain traction and generate significant revenue, we haven’t prioritized it yet.

Additionally, we are exploring various AI tools in the "job-seeking" space to broaden our offerings and increase revenue.

Flight disruption compensation service for non-English speakers.

Olga, a Slovakian first-time entrepreneur, founded Flywize after realizing during her first flight that most travelers are unaware of their compensation rights, costing them €8 billion annually. Leveraging her background in Airport and Aviation Management, she helps secure €20,000 to €30,000 monthly for passengers affected by flight disruptions.

The first product was built as a digital service using low-code website builder tools. Initially, Olga created a prototype using Wix after participating in the BSEEN university program, which provided her foundational business knowledge and mentorship. The first version required about €500 in upfront costs: €200 for Wix, €100 to hire a freelancer from Fiverr (likely for technical or design help), and €200 for trademark registration and minimal marketing. After an initial self-made prototype, Olga hired a team of freelancers to professionally build the website, due to dissatisfaction with the first attempt. The development process from initial concept to full working version with coders took roughly seven months. A major challenge was the founder’s lack of experience in project management and technical product development, which slowed progress and led to a steep learning curve in assigning tasks and managing a remote freelance team.

Word-of-Mouth & Referrals Most early growth came from helping the first 100 users for free, who then recommended the service to friends and family. After this, new clients continued to come primarily through personal recommendations, without formal marketing efforts. Why it worked: Providing a highly valuable service with strong results created trust and loyalty among customers, who then organically referred others needing similar help.

Social Media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) From the beginning, Flywize used Facebook to inform their personal and extended networks about the service. In recent efforts, the company increased activities on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn by sharing videos and posts explaining passenger rights, aiming to reach new audiences. Why it worked: Social media allowed for low-cost, direct communication with potential customers and leveraged network effects, especially important for a solo founder with limited resources.

Friends & Personal Network Early outreach involved personally telling friends about the service and having them spread the word, acting as the primary distribution channel in lieu of a formal launch. Why it worked: The founder’s trusted network provided credibility in a market where users are often skeptical or unaware of their rights.

Brian, the founder of PokeNE, parlayed his childhood hustle of flipping collectibles and his passion for Pokémon into a thriving 7-figure TCG business. The pandemic-driven surge in nostalgia led him to identify the market gap for affordable Japanese Pokémon cards, propelling PokeNE to over $3M in revenue by 2023. Brian's strategy combined content-driven marketing and community building, allowing his business to flourish amidst fluctuating demand.

The first product was sourced by identifying a gap: affordable Japanese Pokémon cards for US customers. The founder began by buying Japanese Charizard promo cards in bulk directly from Japanese eBay sellers—100 cards for $1,200, roughly $12 each including shipping, when US market prices were $25 per card. Testing started on eBay, where the cards sold out rapidly, proving demand and margins (after factoring in eBay's 10% fees).

To create an independent online storefront, he built a basic website using Wix, featuring a single landing page with one product, a stock photo, buy button, and brief description. The initial setup took minimal investment—$30/month for Wix, $10 for the domain, and $6/month for a professional email. Logo design was handled using Canva, a free tool. The process from sourcing inventory to a working ecommerce site took a matter of weeks, with no custom development. A primary challenge was ensuring legitimate suppliers and avoiding scams, leading to extensive Instagram outreach and direct vetting of Japanese sellers.

Shortform Video Content (TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts) He produced 8–10 pieces of video content daily, often going semi-viral on TikTok, where his straightforward, personal style grew his account to 25,000 followers within weeks. Videos included simple shots of his inventory and blunt, transparent messaging about offers and pricing. Why it worked: Regular, authentic content built fast trust in a niche with rampant fraud, and shortform video enabled rapid audience growth.

Community Building & Transparency He differentiated his store by regularly showing his face, vlogging behind-the-scenes operations, and sharing transparent business details (including profit margins and sourcing strategies). This included starting a YouTube series called “How to Build a Pokémon Card Business.” Why it worked: Putting a face to the brand and sharing openly about operations fostered customer loyalty and trust, key in a market rife with scams.

Events & Live Streams By attending conventions and livestreaming on YouTube, he engaged directly with the TCG community, meeting subscribers and other creators. These real-world and digital interactions raised the profile of the business among serious collectors. Why it worked: Direct interactions reinforced community ties and positioned the business as reputable and approachable.

Paid Meta Ads (Facebook, Instagram) He spent $3,000–$5,000 per month on Meta ads (dependent on season), with the most successful ad campaigns achieving a ROAS of over 1300. Why it worked: Paid ads amplified reach for an already high-trust brand and capitalized on established demand for trading cards, driving significant site traffic and conversions.

Jake Rowzee, co-founder of Arsenal Health and Fitness, was inspired by his personal health struggles and a revelatory Joe Rogan podcast episode on hormone testing. Today, his company generates around $130k/month, providing a comprehensive health optimization service.

The founders' first steps were legal and operational: they worked with a law firm to set up their healthcare entity, spending about $15,000 on legal services, LLC formation, and contracts. To minimize expenses, they partnered with an established neuromuscular therapy clinic, moving into its 600 sqft office and using already-owned recovery tools such as compression boots, percussion devices, and a cryotherapy chamber. Staffing was handled through hospital connections, bringing in a medical director, PA, and nurse, mainly paid per client served (PRN). In parallel, they faced sourcing and regulatory hurdles for medical supplies and pharmacy relationships, initially relying on help from a consultant PA. The first iteration was tested on family and friends. After about three months, they were operational, but faced a setback when told to move out, which led them to create virtual processes with labs and pharmacies and then to secure a new location in a CrossFit gym facility. The formal brand, a Squarespace website, and Stripe for payments came only at this later, independent stage, taking another few weeks. Major surprises included sudden loss of their first space, needing to pivot to virtual and then finding a new location. Most equipment for the new facility was funded via 0% interest credit cards and a HELOC, with ~$100,000 invested in gear. All technology was off-the-shelf—Squarespace for web, Stripe for payments, and standard medical/lab platforms.

Personal network and grassroots outreach
The founder texted everyone in his contact list and spoke directly to people at the gym, leveraging personal connections and word-of-mouth to land the first clients without spending on marketing.
Why it worked: Trust built through pre-existing relationships increased early conversions, lowering initial customer acquisition costs and seeding referrals.

Facebook Organic Social (Personal Profile)
With guidance from a business coach, the founder "reactivated" his dormant Facebook page, posting daily engaging health-related questions, client stories, and testimonials. This approach boosted post engagement (e.g., one post received 95 comments), leading to broader reach via commenters' friend networks and weekly discovery calls that converted about 5 new high-ticket program clients per week, more than doubling revenue.
Why it worked: Consistent organic engagement transformed the founder's network into a reliable source of leads, efficiently bypassing the need for paid ads.

Local SEO and Google My Business Optimization
A specialized firm cleaned up Arsenal's Google My Business profile, merged duplicates, added updated photos, improved reviews, and built localized landing pages. Reviews grew from 100 to 256 in one quarter, resulting in a significant and consistent increase in walk-in clients.
Why it worked: Better local search visibility connected intent-driven new customers, addressing the challenge of low foot traffic at their hidden location.

"German conversation classes for building speaking confidence."

Fired from his last job, Rónán moved to Berlin intending never to work a corporate job again. Frustrated by his progress learning German, he launched Deutsch Gym—an online German conversation class—which now generates $5k per month.

The founder created the first version of Deutsch Gym by setting up a free Discord group to host German conversation meetups online. He used Discord as the main platform and posted the invite link in expat-focused Facebook groups to attract early users. All sessions were led personally by the founder, who had intermediate German skills, and the product was purely group-based online conversations with custom topics, not traditional grammar lessons. Payment was initially handled using a simple Gumroad page: users would pay $10/year for access and receive the Discord invite link. The entire process from concept to the functioning MVP took days, not weeks, and key tools were Discord, Facebook groups, Gumroad (for payments), and later a Carrd website as a landing page. Main challenges included leading sessions without native fluency, managing small early attendance, and iterating quickly to meet demand as interest grew.

Meetup.com Creating groups on Meetup in multiple cities around Germany drove significant initial user growth, especially when pandemic restrictions forced competing in-person groups offline. Why it worked: Being an early mover in virtual language meetups during COVID lockdowns meant minimal competition and high demand for online connection.

Facebook Groups Posting about the free Discord-based sessions in "Expats in Berlin" and similar Facebook groups brought in the first 50 users and seeded early word-of-mouth momentum. Why it worked: These groups had concentrated, highly relevant audiences seeking local social or language-learning opportunities.

SEO Over time, structured SEO efforts became the main channel, with the website attracting organic traffic from people searching for German conversation classes. Significant returns, however, only materialized after 1–2 years of consistent effort. Why it worked: SEO brought in users specifically seeking German speaking practice, delivering qualified leads with high conversion intent at a low recurring cost.

Referrals A referral program, including cold email outreach to language learning affiliates, led to a period where referrals drove 30% of revenue for about a year. Why it worked: Satisfied members promoted the service to their networks, providing a low-cost, high-trust way to acquire new paying customers.

Ricardo Cardona launched Levisoft in 2016 out of necessity while studying in Mexico with only $200 monthly support from his family. What started as a hustle to cover basic expenses has now become a profitable business, generating $300,000 net profit annually by offering diversified software development services.

Building the first version of Levisoft was a challenging yet exhilarating process. Initially, the focus was on crafting basic web development projects using simple tools like Wix and Shopify to quickly generate revenue. The prototyping phase involved creating functional and visually appealing websites, with the MVP consisting of straightforward solutions to meet client needs. As Levisoft expanded into web applications and low-code solutions, the development process became more sophisticated, requiring deep dives into user requirements and iterative feedback to refine offerings. The build phase relied on minimal startup costs, primarily utilizing personal equipment and affordable or free software. Despite the lean beginnings, not having a clear strategy or brand identity posed early challenges, leading to missed opportunities and client confusion.

Word-of-Mouth and Networking

Levisoft initially relied heavily on word-of-mouth to attract new clients. The referrals came from satisfied clients who recommended their services to others, leveraging the power of real-life testimonials. Founder Ricardo Cardona emphasized building connections within his college network, which proved crucial in those early days. These recommendations built trust, which is a powerful tool in gaining new clients without additional advertising costs.

Why it worked: Personal recommendations carry significant weight. People are more likely to trust advice from a friend than from an advertisement. This organic growth continued to sustain Levisoft without incurring significant marketing expenses.

SEO and Online Presence

SEO was one of the main strategies Levisoft invested time in to improve its online visibility. Using tools like SEMFLOW, Levisoft worked to ensure that its services were easily discoverable by potential clients searching online. Although the company experimented with Facebook ads, the results were not as promising, steering them back to focus more on organic reach through SEO efforts.

Why it worked: By optimizing their search engine presence, Levisoft ensured that when businesses searched for software development or consulting services, they were more likely to appear in search results. This helped drive organic traffic to their website without the need for heavy spending on paid advertisements.

Social Media Engagement

Levisoft utilized platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter to connect with potential clients and share success stories. These platforms allowed them to engage directly with their audience, fostering relationships and showcasing their expertise in software development and consulting.

Why it worked: LinkedIn and Twitter are powerful tools for business networking. By maintaining an active presence and sharing valuable content, Levisoft could reach potential clients directly and establish themselves as thought leaders in their field.

Partnerships and Certifications

Building strong partnerships and acquiring certifications played a significant role in Levisoft's growth. These partnerships not only enhanced their credibility but also opened new channels for client acquisition without incurring significant marketing expenses.

Why it worked: Certifications assure potential clients of the company's expertise, while partnerships can lead to new client referrals and shared resources, broadening Levisoft's reach within the industry.

Despite a 2.2 GPA, Jacob Jacquet's resume landed him interviews with top-tier companies like Google and Goldman Sachs. In 2015, he transformed this success into Rezi, an AI-powered resume builder now generating $215K in MRR.

The first iteration of Rezi began as a straightforward Microsoft Word document, accompanied by a user guide for best practices. This MVP was sold at around $9.69, effectively validating the concept with a non-technical approach that could transition into a SaaS model. Between 2015 and 2018, Jacob Jacquet focused on securing financing to hire an agency for developing the inaugural software version. By September 2019, Rezi was launched as a B2C SaaS product. The initial website saved all information locally, lacked authentication, and reflected the simplicity of early-stage software development. This journey was not without challenges, especially in obtaining the necessary resources and finding the right timing for a comprehensive software launch.

SEO

Rezi placed a significant emphasis on SEO to attract new users. They focused on ranking for keywords related to "AI Resume Builder" to drive organic growth and sustained user acquisition. By creating relevant and optimized content, they ensured that potential users searching for resume solutions could easily find them. This strategy effectively increased their visibility online and helped establish them as leaders in the AI resume space.

Why it worked: SEO allows businesses to attract potential customers actively searching for solutions. For Rezi, dominating specific keywords ensured that they reached job seekers looking for effective resume-building tools. The combination of relevant content and keyword optimization resulted in increased traffic and conversions.

Virality and Social Media

Rezi successfully utilized viral marketing strategies through social media platforms. A notable approach was giving away their most expensive subscription for free to force viral reactions. This tactic not only amplified their reach but also led to significant spikes in user sign-ups, as evidenced by their success in October 2023, where they amassed nearly 70,000 new sign-ups in a single day.

Why it worked: Viral marketing leverages social networks to encourage users to share content, creating exponential growth potential. By offering significant value for free, Rezi incentivized users to spread the word, tapping into social media's vast networks for rapid user acquisition.

Strategic Partnerships

Partnerships with platforms like AppSumo and StackCommerce played a crucial role in Rezi's growth. AppSumo facilitated user acquisition during challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic, while StackCommerce contributed to revenue-focused growth. These partnerships allowed Rezi to expand their user base and drive revenue through targeted deals and promotions.

Why it worked: Strategic partnerships with platforms that align with a company's target audience can open new channels for growth and user acquisition. For Rezi, these collaborations provided access to a wider audience and created additional revenue streams, complementing their organic growth strategies.

Content and Community Engagement

From the outset, Rezi focused on creating high-quality software while actively engaging with communities and sharing their journey on platforms like Reddit. By posting case studies and engaging with user feedback, they garnered attention and attracted early adopters who resonated with their narrative.

Why it worked: Engaging directly with potential users and communities helps build trust and credibility. By openly sharing their story and iterating based on feedback, Rezi fostered a loyal user base that was instrumental in their organic growth and early traction.

All-in-one software for wellness business management.

Mike's idea for ClinicSense emerged from his stint at a marketing agency, where he saw an opportunity to automate expensive recall postcards with software, leading to a platform now used by over 7,500 health and wellness practitioners.

The founders began by addressing the need to automate recall cards for wellness clinics, which required building an online calendar to track patient appointments. To create the MVP, they hired a developer via Craigslist and self-funded development with side gigs, such as building apps and websites. The initial tool combined online scheduling, appointment reminders, and recall notifications, enabling a workflow that was previously manual and expensive. Building the MVP took about seven months, during which they had to adapt the scope after realizing scheduling was prerequisite to automating recalls. A notable challenge was understanding the deep workflow integration required for clinics and iterating on the prototype accordingly; adding online booking was both a technological and usability hurdle.

Industry Conferences & Niche Targeting
The team attended multiple conferences in the preventative health space to share their early product and get direct feedback, which helped them identify massage therapists as their most enthusiastic market.
Why it worked: Face-to-face interaction built trust and helped refine the product by tightly matching a specific industry's needs.

Partnerships with Industry Associations
After establishing credibility, ClinicSense partnered with large massage therapy associations, which endorsed them and promoted their product to sizable member audiences.
Why it worked: Getting the public backing of respected associations provided social proof and unlocked access to a broad, relevant customer base quickly.

SEO & Educational Content
ClinicSense invested in SEO and regularly produced helpful blog articles and free resources for health practitioners, such as templates and guides.
Why it worked: Providing valuable, easily discoverable resources established authority in the space and drove steady organic acquisition from practitioners actively searching for solutions.

Customer Support & Reputation
Consistent high-quality support led to a #1 Ease-of-Use award on Capterra for four years and a 5-star support rating, which strengthened word-of-mouth referrals.
Why it worked: Exceptional support and positive reviews were especially influential in a segment that values trust and ease-of-use, supporting both acquisition and strong retention.

Andrew and his co-founder James started Artificial Workflow after noticing consultants, like James at EY, were drowning in manual data processing. Initially offering bespoke AI consulting, they pivoted to a SaaS model, now generating $10,000 in monthly recurring revenue, largely from $299/month enterprise clients.

The founders began building EchoBase AI by first identifying the core value: automating the analysis of consultant interview transcripts to produce actionable insights. Initial designs and user journeys were crafted in Figma, leveraging early feedback from ongoing LinkedIn sales calls with consulting firms. For development, they hired a low-cost developer from Fiverr to create the MVP; while functional, this version lacked essential asynchronous processing—meaning only one client could use the platform at a time, leading to significant user friction. The MVP had only email login and basic UI for uploading and analyzing data, but despite technical issues, they managed to onboard 4 to 5 enterprise clients. The entire initial build cycle—from design wireframes to a working MVP—took only a few months, but compromised code quality forced a future rebuild and highlighted the risk of cutting corners on early technical hires.

LinkedIn Cold Outreach
James, the co-founder, led targeted outreach to relevant consultants and firms on LinkedIn, securing weekly sales demos and directly converting enterprise clients, which now account for about 90% of their revenue.
Why it worked: James' industry credibility enabled personalized outreach, fast relationship-building, and quick access to decision-makers.

SEO
They focused on ranking for high-intent keywords with niche tools and informational blog content, attracting nearly 10,000 organic clicks per month. Examples include launching tool pages for "AI Paragraph Generator" and related keywords, alongside instructional and comparison blog posts.
Why it worked: Targeting exact match, solution-focused queries brought in highly qualified, search-driven leads at scale.

Email Marketing
Weekly update emails and targeted re-engagement offers (such as “first month free” to inactive leads) achieved about a 30% conversion rate among reactivated contacts. Email also helped maintain engagement and upsell training or additional seats.
Why it worked: Regular, direct communication kept users informed and provided timely calls-to-action for both new feature adoption and re-engagement.

Referral Program & Networking
They implemented a referral system offering a 40% commission to clients who referred new business, and also attended local industry events to expand reach.
Why it worked: Incentivizing referrals and networking leveraged existing clients and in-person contacts for efficient, trust-based growth.