Ask HN: What's a side project you built to make money that hasn't?

Last year around November(2016) I finally had the time to build my first mobile app. My goals are: to learn React Native and build a mobile app and publish it to Google Play. At my previous work I'm pretty much knowledgeable in integrating CRMs (ie.Salesforce, SugarCRM and Highrise.) into Gmail via chrome extension so building API backend wont be a problem. I noticed at that time that only Highrise CRM has no official Anroid/Ios app offering so I decided to implement it myself. Initially I implemented highrise tasks feature and figure out later what the users need via feedback. I completed the app within a month uploaded it to Google Play[0] and built a simple website[1] for it. Being a Highrise user who opt in for their new products announcement, one moring around December (2016) I got an email from Highrise announcing their official mobile apps for android and iOS. So that was it. I had no chance of competing with the official apps. I got around 5 install on Google Play which already had uninstalled my app.

Expenses:

$10 for the domain

$25 for Google Play Developer Fee

around $20 for few months api backend hosting (Digital Ocean $5/month) then I migrated the code and hosted to free Heroku plan to save cost.

[0] https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.taskongo

[1] http://www.taskongo.com/

[2] https://help.highrisehq.com/mobile/

Pick a niche market: hairdressers, dentists,...

Setup a customised website/landing page directly targeted at these people from your home town and try to get their attention and feedback. Be polite but determined: send an email, call over the phone and meetup.

Selling a generic product nobody knows is hard, so try to become #1 in your vicinity for a certain niche, and make sure all your marketing material is focused on that niche. Once you're the reference in that niche expand vertically or horizontally. Repeat ad infinitum. Combine your outbound marketing with proper inbound marketing, and after a while you'll gain traction and leads will start dripping in slowly but consistent.

Don't offer free trails, but tell them they can get your product at a reduced rate forever. Free customers are hard to convert to paying customers, so charge them something (even if it's peanuts). You can always upsell later.

Gradually increase your prices for your new customers as you expand your market. Keep old customers at their old price; it will take them feel special and reduce churn. At the perfect price point people will complain it's too expensive, but buy anyway.

After you've done this (I'd assume it will take anywhere from 6 months to a year) you will probably already have a long term vision in how to proceed.

It's fine. What makes it seem unprofessional is the low sound quality.

I don't want to come across in the wrong way, and I'll admit I have a hard time concentrating when a beautiful woman is talking. I'd probably be in the "let's not pretend I can concentrate on her words" category.

The attention you're getting is sort of "high intensity, low quality" attention. You can abuse it to generate the desired sort of attention. Think of them hitting on you as an indicator of their interest, and just talk through it. If they're to brazen, correct them. Basically remember you're in charge of the conversation.

Don't be mean about it, at worst ask them if they need help concentrating on the issue at hand. This attitude of "you're distracted, I'm not romantically interested, but enthusiastic about building a connection with you" is probably delicate to establish. There will be a lot of men initially confused: many have never seen an intelligent and capable woman carry herself before. Pat yourself on the back over doing true feminism.

Also - try to remember it's hard for everyone. You can never be certain it's because you're female.

WRT credibility - welcome to "alternative medicine". Try to keep the alt-med vibes away, because people have their allergies around it, and consider everything touching it insanely stupid. The placebo is powerful enough that it could make you feel better. Perhaps present research.

Throughout writing this I'm wondering "how eye catching is very eye catching? How would she look?". I guess that validates my first paragraph. If you're dealing with someone like me; understand that virility is a pride and a weakness. We can't help it, we hate ourselves for it, but it does make us strong and virile men, and there's a sense of pride to that.

Honestly the best reason for separating women from business is because I just can't handle the distraction. I imagine a lot of men are more like me than they'd care to admit.

@RangerScience could I ask you to reach out to me. Would like to discuss something via email.