How I Built It: $23K/month micro-saas

Summary

In this video, Andy Cloak, the solo founder of Data Fetcher, shares his journey of building a $23,000/month micro-SaaS business. From starting with a simple side project solving his own problem to launching a product on the AirTable marketplace, Andy reveals his six-step framework for finding profitable business ideas. He also discusses the tools and strategies that helped him grow, including content marketing, user feedback, and leveraging growing platforms. With insights into tech stacks, business growth, and lessons learned, Andy’s story is a perfect example of indie hacking success in the modern SaaS space.

Takeaways

• 😀 Focus on solving a real problem with simple tools – Andy built Data Fetcher to address a personal pain point in managing data from various platforms.
• 😀 Success doesn't require creating the next unicorn – Andy's micro SaaS model makes $23,000/month with a focused, lean approach.
• 😀 Building on growing platforms like Airtable can offer powerful distribution opportunities for indie hackers with minimal marketing effort.
• 😀 Start small, then iterate – Andy's journey shows that consistent feedback and improvement lead to long-term success.
• 😀 Content marketing plays a critical role in growth – writing blog posts and creating YouTube videos around popular integrations helped Andy grow his user base.
• 😀 Focusing on customer needs and continuously improving based on feedback is essential for scaling a SaaS business.
• 😀 Choosing a platform to build on requires careful research: Andy’s approach involved checking API availability, market size, and platform roadmaps before committing.
• 😀 Building a business on a growing platform like Airtable offers a mix of reliability and market saturation, but the risk of the platform evolving is always present.
• 😀 Leverage proven add-ons and UX patterns from other platforms to speed up development and reduce user friction.
• 😀 Tech stack matters – using tools like TypeScript, PostgreSQL, GraphQL, and Heroku provided the right infrastructure for Data Fetcher to scale.
• 😀 Avoid distractions and stay focused – Andy’s biggest lesson was not chasing shiny objects and instead, concentrating on what was working.
• 😀 User testing is key – Andy emphasizes talking to customers early and often to solve real problems and refine your product based on real-world feedback.

Q & A

How did Andy Cloak build his $23,000 per month business?

Andy Cloak built his business, Data Fetcher, by focusing on creating a simple, useful tool for himself, which eventually solved a common problem. He built the tool as an AirTable extension, leveraging automation to help users pull data from various platforms, and grew the business through content marketing and word-of-mouth.

What is the core product of Data Fetcher?

Data Fetcher is an AirTable extension that allows users to connect to various platforms via APIs, enabling them to automate the process of pulling data into their AirTable databases. It caters to various use cases, such as marketing analytics and operations workflows.

Why did Andy decide to build Data Fetcher on top of AirTable?

Andy decided to build Data Fetcher on AirTable because of its rapid growth and newly launched marketplace. After seeing a similar tool doing well for Google Sheets, he recognized an opportunity to create a similar tool for AirTable, which was in need of a flexible integration solution.

What is the main benefit of building on a growing platform like AirTable?

The main benefit is distribution. Being on a platform’s marketplace early allows access to a stream of qualified leads who already trust the platform. Additionally, it offers a unique space for indie hackers without the intense competition seen in larger platforms.

What are the risks of building on a platform like AirTable?

The primary risk is platform dependency. If AirTable were to introduce a similar feature or discontinue support for integrations, Data Fetcher could become redundant. However, Andy believes this is unlikely since AirTable's roadmap doesn’t suggest they will build a native tool that competes directly with Data Fetcher.

Can you explain Andy's six-step framework for finding business ideas on growing platforms?

1) Find a growing platform. 2) Identify a pain point on the platform. 3) Borrow a proven add-on or UX pattern from established platforms. 4) Ensure the platform has integration capabilities (API, SDK, etc.). 5) Do the math to assess the opportunity size (market size, willingness to pay, etc.). 6) Analyze if the platform will build a competing feature and assess the platform’s roadmap for clues.

What platforms does Andy suggest are good to build on right now?

Andy suggests building on platforms like Notion, which is still growing with new APIs, and Figma, which has opportunities for automations and integrations with web design tools. However, he advises against building directly for platforms like ChatGPT or Claude due to high competition.

How did Andy grow Data Fetcher from zero to $23,000 in monthly revenue?

Andy’s growth strategy was largely based on identifying popular use cases and creating content around those integrations. He focused on blog posts and YouTube videos about the most used platforms, which helped attract more customers. As the product evolved, he also introduced no-code integrations to make the tool accessible to non-technical users.

What does Andy use as his daily tech stack to manage Data Fetcher?

Andy uses a tech stack including TypeScript, React, PostgreSQL, GraphQL, and Node for the backend. The web app and marketing site are built using Next.js, Tailwind CSS, and hosted on Heroku. He also uses various third-party tools like HelpScout for support, Plausible for analytics, and MailerLite for newsletters.

What are Andy's business costs and margins for Data Fetcher?

The largest cost for Data Fetcher is hosting, which costs $2,500 per month. Other software tools total around $1,000, and office expenses are $150. With these costs, Andy maintains a profit margin of about 85%.

What key lesson has Andy learned in his entrepreneurial journey?

Andy’s biggest lesson has been the importance of focus and avoiding distractions from shiny new opportunities. He emphasized the value of user testing early on and how speaking directly to customers helped him improve the product, increase usage, and boost revenue.