Ask HN: Why did people pay Pieter Levels for his crappy game?
Pieter found success building NomadList and RemoteOK because they truly add value to others, but most of his other projects are subpar. People tend to admire those who make more money than they do, which is why they follow him and congratulate him even when he shares a project that adds no value, like his recent game. There are smarter people building complex SaaS products for the B2B market, earning less than his job board, RemoteOK. His large audience helps him reach more customers and gain attention for the early versions of his new products. One thing I agree with him on is his approach to keeping things simple when building his products, especially in terms of tech stack and design.
The only advice I would give to other indie makers is to pay more attention to smaller makers and reshare their work. It will benefit both parties — who knows, maybe they'll gain a customer from your followers. We should spread this mentality so small makers who build great products get more attention.