Attention Idea: “18 year old, built in 7 days, $100k revenue”, stop the nonsense

Pat Walls

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Updated: August 14th, 2025

The Post

Title/Hook: “18 year old, built in 7 days, $100k revenue”, stop the nonsense
Format: Call Out Bullshit
Impressions: 100000
How many followers they had at the time: 0

Check out the post -> link

Why it works

This post worked because it’s a contrarian take that directly challenges a hype narrative in the SaaS and indie founder space — and it’s written in a way that hits people emotionally while still providing practical advice.

Here’s the deep breakdown:

1. Headline That Grabs Through Controversy

"18 year old, built in 7 days, \$100k revenue", stop the nonsense

Directly calls out a common, overhyped claim in the SaaS world.
Uses quotation marks to reference familiar viral posts, making readers think, “I’ve seen these exact headlines.”
“Stop the nonsense” creates an emotional hook — readers either agree (and click to nod along) or disagree (and click to argue).

2. Opens With Shared Frustration

The first few lines:

“Everyone’s flexing their MRR… and for a while, I believed it. I thought I was just behind.”

Immediately relatable to founders who feel behind when comparing themselves to social media success stories.
Admits vulnerability, which builds trust — this isn’t just an angry rant, it’s a personal realization.

3. Reality Check Framing

The post quickly shifts to:

These stories are exaggerated, cherry-picked, or fake.
The reality: most vanish in months because they have no distribution or marketing plan.

This is pattern interrupt copywriting — it breaks the fantasy before the reader can click away, forcing them to keep reading.

4. Backed by Personal Credibility

The author shares their background as a data scientist with years of experience building for big tech.
Includes a failure story (Twitter growth app flop), which gives authenticity and makes the advice more trustworthy.
The “I couldn’t answer their questions” moment shows vulnerability + a turning point.

5. Clear Big Picture Insight

The post zooms out to compare the current AI hype cycle to past hype cycles (crypto, NFTs, dropshipping).

Frames the problem as systemic — not just about AI, but about chasing fads in general.
This makes the post relevant beyond AI or SaaS — it resonates with anyone in entrepreneurship.

6. Actionable Takeaways

Instead of just ranting, the post delivers practical steps:

Identify real problems you understand deeply (founder–market fit).
Reflect on your unique skills and experiences.
Question whether you’re building something necessary or just building for building’s sake.

The bullet points and reflective questions at the end make it easy to digest and share.

7. Tone That Feels Mentor-Like, Not Condescending

Even though the headline is sharp and a bit provocative, the body is encouraging:

Validates the reader’s feelings.
Offers alternative paths to success.
Avoids shaming — instead, it inspires the reader to think differently.

8. Engagement Mechanics

The strong hook and contrarian stance spark debate in the comments.
The advice section makes the post shareable — people want to send it to friends who are chasing shiny objects.
The vulnerable personal angle makes it upvotable because it feels authentic.

meet the author

Pat Walls

I'm Pat Walls and I created Starter Story - a website dedicated to helping people start businesses. We interview entrepreneurs from around the world about how they started and grew their businesses.

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