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Ask HN: Do you have a profitable side project? How long did it take to achieve?

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Re: Ask HN: Do you have a profitable side project? How long did it take to achieve?

#201

I have several apps on the iOS app store. I make between $4000AUD - $9000AUD per month. I quit my job 3 years ago to do it, so I guess it isn't really a side project any more. That said, it is a lonely way to make money and I am over it. My career was computers, and I'm pleased I've done the apps, I can achieve anything technical so it isn't a challenge any more and am looking at something more physical, hands on. Wh…

So how many apps would this be?

About a dozen

Re: Ask HN: Do you have a profitable side project? How long did it take to achieve?

#202

I have several apps on the iOS app store. I make between $4000AUD - $9000AUD per month. I quit my job 3 years ago to do it, so I guess it isn't really a side project any more. That said, it is a lonely way to make money and I am over it. My career was computers, and I'm pleased I've done the apps, I can achieve anything technical so it isn't a challenge any more and am looking at something more physical, hands on. Wh…

Well if you ever decide to write about what you've learned I'd certainly pay for that kind of knowledge!

I may blog about it sometime.

Re: Ask HN: Do you have a profitable side project? How long did it take to achieve?

#204

Here's a brief list! * Wakeup.io - Simple Phone Wake-up Calls @ https://wakeup.io and it is fully automated and runs itself with actually really good profits. It was built in 2-3 days. * GetProve, Simple Phone Verification @ https://getprove.com and it is fully automated and runs itself with again, really good profits. It was built in a week or so. * Teelaunch, Kickstarter/Indiegogo Fulfillment Service (exited/sold)…

How much time did you spend on marketing each one of these, and through which channels ? I have built a few tiny services/tools myself, deployed them but usually get close to 0 traction...

Re: Ask HN: Do you have a profitable side project? How long did it take to achieve?

#205

I wrote https://leanpub.com/trellodojo in about 4 months to start, and periodically spend several hours a month updating it. It earns ~100 to ~300 a month. I do have some ideas for software and other digital content that I can't seem to get traction on. Reading the rest of this is motivating though. Keep up the good work everybody!

I'm currently writing something to be published on leanpub. How do you take care of marketing/promotion? Do you just leave it to sell or do something more proactive?

To market, I make comments on HackerNews mentioning it as an aside ;) Seriously, marketing is the hardest part for me. I feel like I have something worthwhile that has helped 1500+ people learn Trello, but marketing and self-promotion is not something that comes natural to me. I will say, my first sale happened by accident via the platform. I accidentally hit publish, and was surprised when I got my first sale before I even knew I was selling anything ;)

Since then, I've put on Google Analytics so I can see my traffic sources. The top referral sources are:

- Direct and Organic Search. I wish I could figure out how to understand those a bit more...

- A card on the official Trello Resources Board. I got up the nerve to "just ask" and they put me there.

- Some comments/articles on Lifehacker. I commented and link to the site, and they've referenced a few of my template boards (which link to the site).

- Reddit/HackerNews. I don't want to be spammy, but if it's relevant I will link to the site like what I did here.

- My own blog and trellodojo.info. I've had a longtime personal nerd-blog and am trying out trellodojo.info as a dedicated "niche site". I plan to do some other products out of there.

So, yes, their promotion does help, but I do see spikes when I actively market.

Re: Ask HN: Do you have a profitable side project? How long did it take to achieve?

#206

I'm surprised very few people here (no one?) is selling physical stuff. I have a profitable side project selling stuff online. I found a manufacturer through Alibaba, set up a website and now most of the work is dealing with shipping items.

I can just speak for Germany, but selling physical stuff is not that easy here. There are lots of regulations, for example on taking back and recycling used batteries, if you shipped them with the product, and stuff like that. Lots of things to take care about and have in mind, so selling physical stuff is not that popular as a side project, I think.

Re: Ask HN: Do you have a profitable side project? How long did it take to achieve?

#207
post #164

After six years of doing it on the side, I'm now doing it full-time (for a year and a half) and have one employee/apprentice (for the last half year). I provide IT training and consulting. Started out with CFEngine, now offering Git training as well. Companies fly me in for 1-5 days to train their staff. I love getting to see different parts of the US.

This is a cool gig, at least for a while :) Especially if one is young and childless, as travel becomes easy.

Exactly. My employee is going to do the travel from now on as much as possible. He's younger. :)
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