Comment by rozenmd | Hacker News Reader

Comment by rozenmd | Hacker News Reader

I'm not quite there yet, but I'm up to $300/mo iteratively building an uptime checker: https://onlineornot.com/

I started with literally just a Lambda function that checks if static websites were still online, added an email alert if it's offline, wrapped authentication around it, integrated Stripe, and shipped it.

Eventually, I added Slack/Discord/SMS alerts, team invites, support for checking APIs for both uptime and correctness, support for checking JavaScript apps, and more.

My trick for launching into 200 competitors providing the "same" service and still getting customers?

- I work two hours a day, every weekday on OnlineOrNot, and no other side projects. I've had this streak going for about nine months now.

- I focus particularly on features that solve my customer's pain (and I ask my customers what that pain is)

- I'm ruthlessly iterative. If I can't get a feature done in two hours, I figure out how to cut scope down to a two hour block, and ship that. Then iterate on it.

I admire you diligence with cutting down features to hit the self imposed deadline.

I've been ferociously learning game dev and have allowed myself unlimited time to jump down rabbit holes. Now that I'm actually building a game I need to remind myself to just build it with what I know.

It's an interesting switch in mind set. Still learning obviously, only now I'm pulling together knowledge buried deep within rather than from tutorials.

I'll keep in mind scope and remember your inspiring diligence next time I'm tempted to peek in a rabbit hole.

What was your motivation for building it? As you said, there's a lot of competition, did you anticipate that it would be difficult to differentiate?

I didn't see any competitors in the space solving the problem the way I would solve it (good UX + a focus on developer-experience), I wanted an uptime monitor that didn't piss me off with my own freelance clients, and I figured if there was room for a 200th competitor, chances are there would be room for a 201st.

That's great, thanks!

Nice. I am also interested in the consulting -> discover problem -> saas route. I reckon your customers really are buying for their existing trust in you.

Highly likely.

I've also spent a year or two consistently writing about React and building an audience, and the service can monitor React apps too.

Love your focus and commitment, especially the 2 hours a day every weekday for nine months streak.

I'm going to try building a similar discipline with my side projects. Not much would get done in 1 day obviously, but the amount of things that can get done over a longer timeframe like 6-12 months is huge!

Thank you and wish you the best!

Cheers!

Especially worth noting how things can snowball after several months of consistent shipping.

You're not just starting from scratch every two hours, you've already got work to build on top of, to keep you growing.

Do you use any tools like Linear, Notion, and/or Github Projects to keep track and organize new features?

I've tried a few tools, the only one I kept using habitually was Trello.

> My trick for launching into 200 competitors providing the "same" service and still getting customers

I feel like this wasn't really answered. I think its just a big space and you market well and have a solid landing page.

I look at it from the perspective of having a successful React blog, having started writing consistently in 2020.

I have different experiences to others on the market, thus I resonate with some more than others.

Very cool. Looks very professional like there is a large team behind it.

How do you market it?

Mainly content marketing.

The website is beautiful. What is your tech stack ?

Going to sign up now.

Thanks!

It's Next.js, so React + Node.js, written in TypeScript.

How did you acquire your customers?

Scrappily - any way I can, whether that's content marketing (my preferred means), commenting on forums, twitter, facebook, broadcasting my domain URL via my phone's hotspot, merch/stickers, etc.

I'd recommend the book Traction by Gabriel Weinberg for ideas.

Is that Gabriel Weinberg that founded DDG?!

Yep

Ok, this is really cool! (I also love the ruthlessly iterative mindset)

So you ship every weekday? Nice.

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