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Ask HN: Who started something in 2013/14 which is already profitable?

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31–40 of 118 posts

Re: Ask HN: Who started something in 2013/14 which is already profitable?

#31
I very recently launched an ecommerce site[1] selling shoe shine kits of all things. We just launched a few weeks ago but are already making money. It was a nice feeling to be able to pay myself yesterday, even if it was only $500!

[1] http://shinekits.com

Re: Ask HN: Who started something in 2013/14 which is already profitable?

#35
post #22

I launched Invoiced [1] as a private beta in June of 2013 while in college. In November I took it out of private beta and have since been fortunate enough to be able to focus on it full time. Invoiced provides simple invoicing for the small business/freelance crowd. It is bootstrapped, profitable, and currently producing 4-figures of MRR. I learn something new every day and get to work with awesome people (customers)…

Cool, good job. I had two issues: 1. The fixed header is an issue when scrolling. Also, the pricing table has the bullet points still showing. (edit: on Chrome current version) 2. Looking at the pricing page, it took me a minute to distinguish between the names of your packages. Maybe have something less "mathy". Otherwise, great job.

Thank you. I fixed the pricing table. I plan to do a refresh of the landing page in the near future and might remove the fixed header at that time. Also, great tip on the packages. I let my passion for math slip through into the pricing.

Re: Ask HN: Who started something in 2013/14 which is already profitable?

#36
post #11

I launched my first app in March 2013 and it's basically paying off my school tuition. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/spinme-alarm-clock-guarantee...

This is clever! Bought -- and good luck with school!

Thank you! :)

Re: Ask HN: Who started something in 2013/14 which is already profitable?

#37

I very recently launched an ecommerce site[1] selling shoe shine kits of all things. We just launched a few weeks ago but are already making money. It was a nice feeling to be able to pay myself yesterday, even if it was only $500! [1] http://shinekits.com

Off-topic, but you should contact massdrop.com these are the kinds of products that may really interest massdrop's customers!

Re: Ask HN: Who started something in 2013/14 which is already profitable?

#38

I very recently launched an ecommerce site[1] selling shoe shine kits of all things. We just launched a few weeks ago but are already making money. It was a nice feeling to be able to pay myself yesterday, even if it was only $500! [1] http://shinekits.com

Nice! I see you're on Shopify - I started a fraud prevention app that's great for Shopify stores. Would you be willing to try the free trial? I'd love to hear what a fellow HNer thinks of it.

Link is https://www.merchantprotector.net

Re: Ask HN: Who started something in 2013/14 which is already profitable?

#39
post #5

I made FiveStar [0], which was covered on TechCrunch [1] and it made ~$600 last month. Doesn't cost any money to run, so it just sits there. Not a fabulous success story, and traffic is decreasing, but $10 a day as passive income isn't awful. [0] http://fivestar.io [1] http://techcrunch.com/2014/06/03/fivestar-finds-the-best-pro...

So how do you make money off your site?

Yup, affiliate links. I get ~6% from every purchase via FiveStar, increasing with volume per month.

Re: Ask HN: Who started something in 2013/14 which is already profitable?

#40

I launched Invoiced [1] as a private beta in June of 2013 while in college. In November I took it out of private beta and have since been fortunate enough to be able to focus on it full time. Invoiced provides simple invoicing for the small business/freelance crowd. It is bootstrapped, profitable, and currently producing 4-figures of MRR. I learn something new every day and get to work with awesome people (customers)…

Cool, this is something I had thought about trying to make, but decided on another project instead. It's just big enough of a project to be a primary endeavor, but small enough for a single person (or two) to handle. It also doesn't seem like it would require tons of maintenance once you get everything worked out. There's not many competitors, it's something in high demand, and it's easy to charge for. Good job!
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