It’s 2 a.m. You’re hunched over your laptop, debugging the same feature for the third night in a row. The coffee’s cold, and doubt creeps in: “Will anyone even care about this?”

Sound familiar?

A year ago, Marco, a developer like you, was in the same position. He spent months perfecting an AI tool to help small businesses draft marketing copy—only to launch it and hear crickets. But then he did something radical: he stripped the product down to one core feature, launched it in a week, and asked users for feedback. Today, his app clears six figures monthly.

Marco’s story isn’t unique. Apps like ELSA Speak (helping 300,000 users master English pronunciation) and MindMate (80,000 monthly users seeking mental wellness) started as scrappy solutions to real problems, not polished tech marvels. Here’s what they did right—and how you can too.

1. Launch Now, Tweak Later

Developers love optimization. It’s in our nature. But startups? They thrive on momentum, not perfection. Take ELSA Speak—they didn’t wait to build a full language-learning suite. They launched with one simple feature: instant AI feedback on pronunciation. That single feature solved a real pain point, and it worked.

Your move: Ask yourself, what’s the smallest version of your idea that delivers real value? Cut everything else. You can’t optimize what you haven’t tested.

2. Your Users Don’t Care About Your Code

MindMate’s founders didn’t win users with fancy algorithms. They won by solving a real problem: making mental wellness tools accessible to anyone. The app isn’t flashy—just journals, mindfulness exercises, and AI-driven insights. But it works because they listened to what users actually needed.

Here’s an idea: Send a 1-question survey to 10 potential users: “What’s your biggest struggle with [problem]?” Build the solution around their answer, not what you think they need.

3. Track Two Numbers Like Your Business Depends On It (Because It Does)

There are two key metrics you need to track:

• LTV (Lifetime Value): How much a customer pays you over their lifetime.

• CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost): What it costs to acquire that customer.

AI Dungeon, a storytelling app pulling in $750k/month, nailed both. Their users stay (high LTV) because the AI generates endless adventures, and because fans share it wildly, their CAC stays low.

Grill yourself: Are you spending $100 on ads to earn $50? Time to rethink your retention or acquisition strategy.

4. Let AI Do the Heavy Lifting (Not the Thinking)

AI isn’t magic—it’s a tool. Take ELSA Speak: they used AI to analyze speech patterns, not to replace human coaching. It saved them time and made their app smarter.

Start small: Pick one repetitive task in your workflow (like sorting feedback or automating customer support) and automate it this week.

5. Done > Perfect. Always.

Slack started as a failed gaming company. Their pivot? Using their internal chat tool. They shipped it, even though it wasn’t “perfect.” You know the rest of the story.

Your turn: What decision are you overthinking? Follow the 70% Rule—act when you’re 70% confident, then let real-world feedback guide the rest.

Your Next Move

The apps you admire didn’t start with million-dollar codebases. They started with a problem, a scrappy solution, and the guts to launch before they felt ready.

So tonight, close the IDE for an hour. Write down the one thing you could ship in 7 days if you stopped overengineering. Then, do it.

And if you’re stuck in the weeds, let’s talk about where you’re at—no sales pitch, just a real conversation. Sometimes all it takes is a fresh perspective to turn code into cash.