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My SaaS just reached $2.5k MRR! 🎉 Here's the exact path I took from 0 to 5,000 users:
r/SaaS
8/15/2025
Content Summary
The author shares their journey of growing their SaaS product, BigIdeasDB, from zero to 5,000 users and $2.5k MRR over 8 months. They validated their idea through surveys on Reddit and engaged with communities like r/indiehackers and r/SaaS. They used consistent content sharing on X (Twitter) and Reddit, leveraging the Build in Public movement. They introduced a dual pricing model (lifetime and monthly) to boost early revenue and user commitment. The post highlights the importance of user feedback, community engagement, and transparent storytelling in driving growth.
Opinion Analysis
Mainstream opinion supports the author's approach of using community engagement and idea validation to build a successful SaaS. Many users praised the detailed roadmap and the use of Build in Public strategies. However, there are conflicting opinions: one user accused the author of being a scammer who copied another post, and others expressed concerns about idea theft and lack of product transparency. Some users also debated the effectiveness of lifetime deals versus monthly subscriptions, while others focused on the importance of user retention and onboarding strategies.
SAAS TOOLS
| SaaS | URL | Category | Features/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| BigIdeasDB | http://bigideasdb.com | Idea Management | Added App Store reviews, G2 analysis, and Upwork job data based on user requests |
| X (Twitter) | https://twitter.com | Social Media | Used for daily engagement with 3 posts + 30 replies |
| https://www.reddit.com/r/SaaS | Community Forum | Shared updates in r/indiehackers, r/SaaS, and r/SideProject | |
| Hootsuite | https://www.hootsuite.com | Social Media Management | Used for scheduled X threads |
| Orbit | https://orbit.love | Community Engagement | Used to track community engagement |
| Pulse for Reddit | - | Reddit Monitoring | Used to track keyword pings and respond to comments |
USER NEEDS
Pain Points:
- Users were tired of building products nobody wanted
- Difficulty in validating ideas before building a product
- Lack of clear product description and tech stack information
- Concerns about idea copying and competition
Problems to Solve:
- How to validate an idea before investing time and resources
- How to build a loyal user base and maintain engagement
- How to differentiate from competitors and avoid copycats
- How to effectively market and grow a SaaS product
Potential Solutions:
- Use surveys and community feedback for idea validation
- Leverage social media and forums for consistent engagement
- Offer both lifetime and monthly pricing models to cater to different user preferences
- Focus on user feedback and continuous product improvement
GROWTH FACTORS
Effective Strategies:
- Idea validation through surveys and community engagement
- Consistent content sharing on social media and forums (X and Reddit)
- Dual pricing model (lifetime deals + monthly subscriptions)
- Focused on user feedback and iterative product development
Marketing & Acquisition:
- Leveraged Build in Public communities on X and Reddit
- Shared daily updates on the product development journey
- Engaged with niche communities like r/indiehackers and r/SaaS
- Used Twitter as a major growth channel (gained 3.2k followers)
Monetization & Product:
- Introduced both lifetime deals and monthly subscriptions to accelerate MRR
- 50% of revenue came from lifetime deals
- Added features based on user requests (App Store reviews, G2 analysis, Upwork job data)
- Focused on product-market fit by iterating based on user feedback
User Engagement:
- Maintained daily engagement on X with 3 posts and 30 replies
- Shared valuable lessons and real problems found during product development
- Built a loyal community through consistent communication and transparency