I appreciate the story, but there seems to be a general theme of not doing enough research, diving into something, and then hitting a predictable roadblock. If the author had focused on his initial idea, he’d have something to show. Also, $.50 / user per year isn’t bad - aiming to be more profitable than WebMD from the start seems unwise.
Finally a story from somebody who "didn't make it". Confirmation bias of success paints the wrong picture: we need more stories like this from the opposite camp.