Dmitry Sadovnikov
@sadovnikov.bsky.social
Solopreneur from Melbourne
14/14 What's the biggest lesson here - that failure is just expensive education, or that sometimes you need to step away to gain perspective?
August 31, 2025 at 12:41 PM
14/14 What's the biggest lesson here - that failure is just expensive education, or that sometimes you need to step away to gain perspective?
13/14 Marc's formula: Start with the smallest version possible. Ship fast. Build where you're comfortable sharing (Twitter, TikTok, wherever). Don't quit before you win. 🔚
August 31, 2025 at 12:41 PM
13/14 Marc's formula: Start with the smallest version possible. Ship fast. Build where you're comfortable sharing (Twitter, TikTok, wherever). Don't quit before you win. 🔚
12/14 This is key for anyone building: Product-market fit feels different. You stop convincing people to buy - they start asking how to pay you.
August 31, 2025 at 12:41 PM
12/14 This is key for anyone building: Product-market fit feels different. You stop convincing people to buy - they start asking how to pay you.
11/14 Expected $100. Made $500 in 2 hours while skating. First month: $40K. Peak: $135K/month. People were begging to give him money.
August 31, 2025 at 12:41 PM
11/14 Expected $100. Made $500 in 2 hours while skating. First month: $40K. Peak: $135K/month. People were begging to give him money.
9/14 New rules: Never spend months on a product. Ship fast, test immediately. Build in public to create an audience for the next attempt. ⬇️
August 31, 2025 at 12:41 PM
9/14 New rules: Never spend months on a product. Ship fast, test immediately. Build in public to create an audience for the next attempt. ⬇️
8/14 6 months later, he got fired. Instead of panic, he felt relief. He was ready to try again, but differently this time.
August 31, 2025 at 12:41 PM
8/14 6 months later, he got fired. Instead of panic, he felt relief. He was ready to try again, but differently this time.
7/14 But here's the twist: The job gave him something entrepreneurship hadn't - a sense of worthiness. Creating value for someone who actually needed it.
August 31, 2025 at 12:41 PM
7/14 But here's the twist: The job gave him something entrepreneurship hadn't - a sense of worthiness. Creating value for someone who actually needed it.
6/14 At 28, married and broke, Marc did something he never thought he would: got a $9K/month engineering job. After years making $1K/month, it felt surreal.
August 31, 2025 at 12:41 PM
6/14 At 28, married and broke, Marc did something he never thought he would: got a $9K/month engineering job. After years making $1K/month, it felt surreal.
5/14 Then COVID hit. Revenue went from $4K/month to zero overnight. Everything he'd built for 2 years - wiped out in 24 hours. ⬇️
August 31, 2025 at 12:41 PM
5/14 Then COVID hit. Revenue went from $4K/month to zero overnight. Everything he'd built for 2 years - wiped out in 24 hours. ⬇️
4/14 His first sale: Cold emailed escape room businesses. One 42-minute call = first customer who said "send me the invoice." No fancy product, just validation first.
August 31, 2025 at 12:41 PM
4/14 His first sale: Cold emailed escape room businesses. One 42-minute call = first customer who said "send me the invoice." No fancy product, just validation first.
3/14 The turning point wasn't another "brilliant idea" - it was when he stopped trying to build the next Facebook and started solving real problems people would pay for immediately.
August 31, 2025 at 12:41 PM
3/14 The turning point wasn't another "brilliant idea" - it was when he stopped trying to build the next Facebook and started solving real problems people would pay for immediately.
2/14 But here's what shocked me: He failed 30 startups over 5 years before his breakthrough. Living with cockroaches, zero savings, punching walls from frustration.
August 31, 2025 at 12:41 PM
2/14 But here's what shocked me: He failed 30 startups over 5 years before his breakthrough. Living with cockroaches, zero savings, punching walls from frustration.
6/6 The real question: Does this systematic approach to "inspired" products represent the maturation of the startup ecosystem, or does it risk commoditizing innovation itself? #BuildInPublic #Entrepreneurship #SaaS
August 30, 2025 at 11:22 AM
6/6 The real question: Does this systematic approach to "inspired" products represent the maturation of the startup ecosystem, or does it risk commoditizing innovation itself? #BuildInPublic #Entrepreneurship #SaaS
5/6 This connects to a broader shift in entrepreneurship - from "move fast and break things" to systematic execution of proven concepts. In an AI era that democratizes coding, competitive advantage comes from market research and execution speed rather than technical barriers.
August 30, 2025 at 11:22 AM
5/6 This connects to a broader shift in entrepreneurship - from "move fast and break things" to systematic execution of proven concepts. In an AI era that democratizes coding, competitive advantage comes from market research and execution speed rather than technical barriers.
4/6 His tech stack (Next.js, Node.js, Vercel) and operational costs ($4K-5K monthly) demonstrate that modern SaaS can achieve significant revenue with relatively lean infrastructure. The key insight: boring, simple tools often outperform complex innovations.
August 30, 2025 at 11:22 AM
4/6 His tech stack (Next.js, Node.js, Vercel) and operational costs ($4K-5K monthly) demonstrate that modern SaaS can achieve significant revenue with relatively lean infrastructure. The key insight: boring, simple tools often outperform complex innovations.
3/6 What's particularly insightful is his traffic source analysis. Apps growing through both ads AND SEO signal strong product-market fit. SEO-only growth requires patience but offers compound returns. Ad-only growth suggests you can replicate quickly but may indicate weaker organic demand.
August 30, 2025 at 11:22 AM
3/6 What's particularly insightful is his traffic source analysis. Apps growing through both ads AND SEO signal strong product-market fit. SEO-only growth requires patience but offers compound returns. Ad-only growth suggests you can replicate quickly but may indicate weaker organic demand.
2/6 His framework is methodical: find apps with proven traction (MRR screenshots on Twitter), analyze traffic sources via Ahrefs, ensure technical feasibility, and verify personal interest. This isn't copying—it's strategic market entry based on validated demand.
August 30, 2025 at 11:22 AM
2/6 His framework is methodical: find apps with proven traction (MRR screenshots on Twitter), analyze traffic sources via Ahrefs, ensure technical feasibility, and verify personal interest. This isn't copying—it's strategic market entry based on validated demand.
12/12 If he could have any superpower, it would be distribution. Building an audience is key to launching new ventures. What's your biggest takeaway from Charlie's journey? Let me know! #BuildInPublic #Entrepreneurship #SideHustle (12/12) 🔚
August 26, 2025 at 11:23 AM
12/12 If he could have any superpower, it would be distribution. Building an audience is key to launching new ventures. What's your biggest takeaway from Charlie's journey? Let me know! #BuildInPublic #Entrepreneurship #SideHustle (12/12) 🔚
11/12 Today, Liinks runs itself, allowing Charlie to explore new projects, including generative AI. He's a solo founder, with his 'AI robots' handling 50% of his coding. (11/12) ⬇️
August 26, 2025 at 11:23 AM
11/12 Today, Liinks runs itself, allowing Charlie to explore new projects, including generative AI. He's a solo founder, with his 'AI robots' handling 50% of his coding. (11/12) ⬇️
10/12 He's launched over 20 projects, not all for profit, but each a learning experience. This iterative approach is how you find what sticks. (10/12) ⬇️
August 26, 2025 at 11:23 AM
10/12 He's launched over 20 projects, not all for profit, but each a learning experience. This iterative approach is how you find what sticks. (10/12) ⬇️
9/12 Charlie's advice for aspiring entrepreneurs: Don't quit your job until your side hustle is truly holding you back. Use your current job to build and validate your ideas without risking your savings. (9/12) ⬇️
August 26, 2025 at 11:23 AM
9/12 Charlie's advice for aspiring entrepreneurs: Don't quit your job until your side hustle is truly holding you back. Use your current job to build and validate your ideas without risking your savings. (9/12) ⬇️
8/12 He also launched a 'pro' tier for users managing multiple profiles, an idea that came directly from customer requests. This unexpected revenue stream now accounts for a quarter of his income! (8/12) ⬇️
August 26, 2025 at 11:23 AM
8/12 He also launched a 'pro' tier for users managing multiple profiles, an idea that came directly from customer requests. This unexpected revenue stream now accounts for a quarter of his income! (8/12) ⬇️