Attention Idea: Another cool business built in

Another cool business built in starterstory.com/academy in ~5 weeks.

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General

Pat Walls

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Updated: August 4th, 2025

The Post

Title/Hook: Another cool business built in starterstory.com/academy in ~5 weeks.
Format: Share A Customer Testimonial
Impressions: 100000
How many followers they had at the time: 90000

Check out the post -> link

Why it works

🧠 Part 1: Why This Post Works (Psychology + Structure)

1. Transformation Arc = Engagement Gold

“dude was scared to try anything → built MVP → co-founders begging to work with him”

This is a mini hero’s journey. We’re hardwired to love transformation stories — especially those that begin with vulnerability. The phrase “dude was scared to try anything” humanizes him and sets the stakes low — so every win feels bigger.

The transformation goes from:

Fear → Courage
No skills → Functional product
Nobody cared → People want in

The psychological trigger here is hope through relatability — viewers project themselves into the story and imagine: “If he can do it… why not me?”

2. Rapid Timeframe = Urgency + Believability

“~5 weeks”

This gives specificity and credibility. It also adds a temporal urgency trigger — “Damn, that’s fast… I could be 5 weeks away from something big too.”

Without that detail, the win might feel abstract or unrelatable. With it, the outcome feels tangible and within reach.

3. Zero-to-One Language

“zero coding or design experience”

This line is powerful because it removes excuses.

It activates the identity challenge in the reader’s mind:

“This person had less experience than me and still shipped something.”

It stirs subtle discomfort — which is good — because it makes you reflect on your own inertia. This motivates engagement via comments, bookmarks, or even quiet action.

4. Tool Mention (gptengineer.app) = Share Magnet

Mentioning a trending tool like gptengineer.app adds algorithmic lift — it increases the chances of showing up in relevant search feeds or “For You” tabs.

It also invites:

Tool enthusiasts to share/engage
Readers to ask “wait, what’s that tool?” (curiosity = replies)

5. Momentum List Format

The bullet list gets progressively more impressive:

Started with fear
Learned skills
Shipped something
Got interest
Got users
Got traffic

This stacking pattern builds momentum and drives dopamine as you move down the list.

You start reading thinking “eh, okay” and end thinking “holy shit.”

6. Powerful Closer: “Just. Taking. Action.”

That period-stacking structure adds weight and rhythm. It’s a subtle form of command language.

Combined with “deep work,” it’s motivational — but earnestly motivational, not fluffy. It turns what looks like a plug for Starter Story into a deeper personal callout.

7. Clear CTA (but not pushy)

seotoolz.io

It invites the curious reader to check it out, while letting the story do the selling. No hard pitch. Just “here’s the result — now go see for yourself.”

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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