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Show HN: Side project passed $2.5k/mo revenue after 2 years (Phoenix and Vue)

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31–40 of 93 posts

Re: Show HN: Side project passed $2.5k/mo revenue after 2 years (Phoenix and Vue)

#32
Was cofounder still customers CTO when their company started to use your product? Is he/she still employed on customer side?

It feels like quite a conflict of interest and a risk, if the winds on that (sole, as I understand) customer's side will change...

Re: Show HN: Side project passed $2.5k/mo revenue after 2 years (Phoenix and Vue)

#33
post #32

Was cofounder still customers CTO when their company started to use your product? Is he/she still employed on customer side? It feels like quite a conflict of interest and a risk, if the winds on that (sole, as I understand) customer's side will change...

Hard to launch a biz without risk in some front

Re: Show HN: Side project passed $2.5k/mo revenue after 2 years (Phoenix and Vue)

#34
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hey! So the consulting gig is my day job. I’ve been working with no-code platforms for more than a decade, and this client was for one of the projects assigned to me. I’m grateful because consulting is a really good way to look for new ideas in the marketplace since you’re always interfacing with customers and talking about their issues, sometimes in great detail. PriceTable was born out of one such project.

I see, thanks. So I assume you work for an agency and they let you build this SaaS product on the side. Pretty nice of them as some companies have rather draconic stipulations with regards to intellectual property produced while being employed by them.

Yes, you are correct. I'm good friends with my boss, and he has known for a while that I work on PriceTable on evenings and weekends, and is completely okay with it, and has even offered to help. So in that sense I feel very fortunate!

Re: Show HN: Side project passed $2.5k/mo revenue after 2 years (Phoenix and Vue)

#35
post #20

Hi, If you ever want to talk about how you build and deploy your app along with your tech stack in detail let me know. I've love to have you on the https://runninginproduction.com podcast. There's 14 Phoenix episodes at https://runninginproduction.com/tags/phoenix but the more the merrier since every story is unique. If you wanted to come on the show click the "become a guest" button on the top right to get the ball…

Had not heard of this podcast yet, it’s just what I’ve been looking for. Thanks for it! Subscribed!

Re: Show HN: Side project passed $2.5k/mo revenue after 2 years (Phoenix and Vue)

#36
post #32

Was cofounder still customers CTO when their company started to use your product? Is he/she still employed on customer side? It feels like quite a conflict of interest and a risk, if the winds on that (sole, as I understand) customer's side will change...

Maybe risky if the client company finds out the CTO has been moonlighting, but there are risks worth taking. Many times, this is one of them.

Building a SaaS product without a first customer is, to me, riskier, so I say well done.

Re: Show HN: Side project passed $2.5k/mo revenue after 2 years (Phoenix and Vue)

#37
post #32

Was cofounder still customers CTO when their company started to use your product? Is he/she still employed on customer side? It feels like quite a conflict of interest and a risk, if the winds on that (sole, as I understand) customer's side will change...

He was, and still is.

You are correct about the risk. They aren't our only customer but are the largest one. If they left, we would continue to be profitable, but just barely. :)

Regarding conflict of interest, he has handled it well. Like me with my own boss, he was transparent with his boss from day one, and is very good about defending his employer's interests with anything related to PriceTable. We have actually given his company a pretty great deal in terms of pricing — and that's because he negotiated like hell with me, his cofounder, on their behalf!

Regardless, that's why I'm anxious to expand our client base, because it would greatly reduce the risk of having most of our eggs in this one client's basket.

Re: Show HN: Side project passed $2.5k/mo revenue after 2 years (Phoenix and Vue)

#38
post #20

Hi, If you ever want to talk about how you build and deploy your app along with your tech stack in detail let me know. I've love to have you on the https://runninginproduction.com podcast. There's 14 Phoenix episodes at https://runninginproduction.com/tags/phoenix but the more the merrier since every story is unique. If you wanted to come on the show click the "become a guest" button on the top right to get the ball…

Thanks Nick. Saw your email and will respond tomorrow. Had not heard about your podcast so I appreciate you sharing it!

Re: Show HN: Side project passed $2.5k/mo revenue after 2 years (Phoenix and Vue)

#40
post #11

As someone who isn't a software developer by trade, how did you decide on the software stack? I hadn't even heard of Phoenix (I am not a web dev by trade, so maybe that's why!), so I am a bit surprised to see something less mainstream as a 'goto'.

Haha! I understand what you mean. It's a long story, but the gist of it is that I had been more of a hobby-grade developer, on and off, and had a few side projects that I would occasionally boot up and play with. You could say that I was technical enough to be dangerous, but before PriceTable I did not have any "real-life" experience (or the depth and breadth of knowledge) that comes with building and maintaining a S…

Also a hobby dev who learned Rails. What was the switch to Elixir like in terms of learning curve and community support?
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