Transcription
Recently, I made a video about coding profitable apps solo, and a bunch of you mentioned in the comments, "Okay, but how do you actually come up with a good app idea?" It's a great question because the truth is, most people overcomplicate this first step. I get it; you want to build something that provides value and also makes money, whether it's just a side hustle or something you want to go all in on. But the last thing you want is to waste your time building something no one will buy or use. So, in this video, I'll share some methods for finding startup ideas that are already validated by real data, so you're not just guessing or hoping that your idea will take off. And the best part is, all of the data is publicly available. I'll simply show you where to look.
Before we dive into the methods, I need to mention something that might be holding you back, and that's the obsession with originality. Some Founders think they need to invent a completely original app in order to succeed and earn money. And while that sounds like a great approach, it's actually one of the biggest reasons Founders get stuck, especially if you are just starting out and are looking to launch your first app. Here's what happens when you're obsessed over creating something original: you stay searching for the perfect idea; you start to overthink and second-guess everything instead of taking action; and in the end, you launch way later than you could have, or worse, nothing at all.
For example, when I built my browser extension, all it does is add a folder system into ChatGPT and Claude so users can organize their chats. There's nothing original about this; folder systems have been around forever, and they exist in operating systems, IDEs, and basically every modern app. But what mattered most was that my tool solved a real problem. You don't need to reinvent the wheel; you just need to find ways to make the ride smoother. And if you're worried that your app idea is too similar to what already exists, don't be. There are tons of successful products that solve the same problem, just in different ways. Google Drive and Dropbox both store files; Slack and Discord both handle group communication; Uber and Lyft both offer ride-sharing; yet they can all coexist, and they do because each service brings something slightly different to the customer. So, instead of asking, "Isn't someone else already doing this?", you should ask, "How can I do it better?" Maybe your app is simpler, cheaper, or faster, or maybe you have the skills to market your app better than your competitors. Instead of avoiding competition, focus on how your app can excel in different areas.
If you want to learn coding so that you can bring an app idea to life, then I highly recommend checking out Scrimba. It's a great way to take that first step towards building your first profitable app. Scrimba is an interactive coding platform that makes learning to code fun, engaging, and effective, with courses covering everything from front-end to full-stack development. Their lessons are taught through an interactive IDE in the browser; you can follow along with the instructor and interact with the code at any point during the lesson and see updates instantly. And now they have introduced instant feedback, an AI-powered assistant that gives you personalized support whilst coding and solving challenges. The thing I love most about this new feature is that the assistant doesn't just hand you the solution; it gives you thoughtful hints to help you arrive at the lightbulb moment yourself. You can try it for yourself by becoming a pro member today, and Scrimba has kindly offered a special 30% discount for the viewers of this video, and I'd recommend going for the annual plan so you get the most savings. Check out the first link in the description to claim your discount. Thank you again to Scrimba for sponsoring this video.
The next step is finding out which app ideas are actually making money. One of the best ways to do this is to follow other solo Founders who are building in public, and here are my favorite platforms to help you discover those Founders. X currently has a big "building in public" movement; a quick search for "building in public" or "Indie Hacker" can give you some inspiration. And YouTube channels like Starter Story create videos about solo entrepreneurs who have built profitable businesses from scratch. Their videos cover everything from how these Founders got their first customers, how they priced their products, what mistakes they made, and how they scaled. Now, obviously, be cautious of what you see on social media; people can exaggerate their numbers, and not every success story is as easy as it seems. But if you follow enough Builders, you'll find that some patterns start to emerge among the successful ones. For example, they experiment with multiple ideas, and they use tech stacks that they are comfortable with to allow them to iterate quickly.
Next, I want to share a website where you can discover the most current profitable startups and even see exactly how much money they are making. Websites like Indie Page and Ship Fast have a leaderboard system where it ranks the startups based on their verified Stripe revenue. That means these numbers are real and up-to-date. Now, whilst these leaderboards are mainly used for bragging rights and some extra traffic, they can be a powerful tool for spotting trends and validating your next startup idea. For example, if you see several startups making good money in a particular niche, that's a strong sign there is demand. Then, as you look into these startups, ask yourself, "Could I build a better version of any one of these apps?" By basing your next idea on startups that are already proven to be generating revenue, you are removing a large amount of risk. You are not just guessing or hoping your startup idea will make money; you are making a decision backed by real data. And to be clear, I'm not saying you should just clone these startups. Instead, find one to two areas where they fall short and improve upon them, and then make yourself a competitor. Maybe your version implements a missing core feature, is more affordable, or is easier to use. The key is to differentiate yourself while still tapping into a validated and profitable niche.
Next, I want to share a thought that has popped into my head whilst making this video. You see, every day thousands of people hire freelancers for tasks they either don't want to do, don't know how to do, or have to do repeatedly. And that got me thinking: if people are willing to pay for a service over and over again, then isn't that an opportunity to turn the service into an actual product? For example, you could use platforms like Fiverr and Upwork for discovering popular services, and from there you would figure out ways to automate and turn it into a standalone app. If we look at remove.bg as a real example, before it existed, freelancers were actually making money removing backgrounds from images using Photoshop, but now they have allowed millions of users to do the same thing with a completely automated tool and a subscription model. The idea is to use these websites to find services customers are already paying for and find ways to scale or automate them. This will help you so that you're not just guessing or assuming what people might need. I haven't personally tested this method yet, so I can't say for sure how well it will work, but if any of you try and get some results, I'd love to hear about it.