7
Spent a year building an AI travel app that went nowhere. Pivoted after a 12-hour crisis. First paying customers in 2 weeks
r/SaaS
7/21/2025
Content Summary
After a year building an unsuccessful AI travel app that tried to solve too many problems, the team pivoted to create Yoink AI - a macOS tool eliminating friction in AI workflows. By solving their own daily frustration of constant copy-pasting between apps, they gained paying customers within two weeks. The app allows users to invoke AI assistance anywhere with a shortcut, capturing context and pasting responses directly into their workflow.
Opinion Analysis
Mainstream opinion validates solving personal frustrations as effective product strategy. Commenters express strong interest in Windows version, indicating market expansion potential. Debate centers on product focus: broad flexibility vs specialized use cases. Author defends flexibility despite implementation challenges. No significant controversy, with universal agreement on friction in current AI workflows.
SAAS TOOLS
| SaaS | URL | Category | Features/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | N/A | AI Assistant | Text generation, context-based responses |
| Claude | N/A | AI Assistant | Similar to ChatGPT functionality |
| Perplexity | N/A | AI Research | Information retrieval and synthesis |
| Yoink AI | https://useyoink.ai | AI Productivity | macOS app eliminating AI copy-paste friction via Cmd+Shift+Y shortcut |
USER NEEDS
Pain Points:
- High friction in AI workflows requiring constant tab switching
- Excessive copy-paste actions wasting time
- Difficulty integrating AI outputs directly into workflows
- Overly complex products trying to solve too many problems
Problems to Solve:
- Streamlining AI interaction in daily tasks
- Reducing repetitive manual steps with AI tools
- Creating seamless context-aware AI assistance
Potential Solutions:
- Native desktop integration eliminating tab switching
- Context-aware AI that understands active workspace content
- Single-command invocation for AI assistance
GROWTH FACTORS
Effective Strategies:
- Pivoting to solve personally experienced pain points
- Targeting power users of existing tools
- Focusing on core functionality before expansion
Marketing & Acquisition:
- Soft launch on Twitter/X showcasing specific use cases
- Demonstrating workflow improvements for heavy AI users
- Leveraging personal frustration stories for authenticity
Monetization & Product:
- Desktop-first approach for workflow integration
- Flexible use case design over narrow specialization
- Prioritizing seamless experience over feature bloat
User Engagement:
- Encouraging user-discovered applications
- Community validation through workflow demonstrations
- Transparent sharing of pivot journey