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How I got the First 100 paying Customers & $7k in Revenue (with a "Vibe-Coded" SaaS)
r/indiehackers
7/12/2025
Content Summary
The author shares how they acquired their first 100 paying customers and generated $7k in revenue for their SaaS product, The Niche Base, which helps identify profitable niches by scraping data from Skool communities. Built using no-code/AI tools (ChatGPT/Gemini, Cursor/Bolt) and hosted on Render, the landing page was created with WordPress. Key growth strategy involved organic methods: identifying target communities using their own tool, listening to pain points (e.g., niche validation struggles), providing free value (data/demos), and waiting for users to ask about the tool. Future plans include an affiliate program and exploring paid ads. Comments discuss challenges of no-code development, client acquisition struggles, and scaling strategies.
Opinion Analysis
Mainstream Opinions:
- The author's organic growth strategy (providing value first) is widely praised as brilliant and authentic community building.
- Many find the $7k revenue achievement with no-code tools highly motivating.
Conflicting/Controversial Views:
- Concerns about reliability of "vibe-coded" (AI-assisted) tools: u/joeaki1983 points out that adding features often creates new bugs, and debugging without coding skills is challenging.
Different Perspectives:
- Some users (e.g., u/Plastic_Monitor8023) struggle with client acquisition despite having services, seeking practical advice.
- Questions arise about the transition from free help to paid conversion (u/cjwickedbiz asks if sales tactics were needed).
- Interest in free trials (u/eddison12345, u/Comfortable_Long3594) suggests pricing sensitivity.
- Alternative growth tools are suggested (u/imagiself recommends PeerPush).
Debates:
- The post sparks discussion on the viability of no-code development for scaling, balancing between its accessibility vs. technical limitations.
SAAS TOOLS
| SaaS | URL | Category | Features/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Niche Base | https://thenichebase.com | Market Research | Scrapes data from 12,000+ Skool communities, makes it searchable to find profitable niches |
| ChatGPT/Gemini | Not specified | AI Development | Used for building the tool with minimal coding |
| Cursor/Bolt | Not specified | AI Development | Used for building the tool with minimal coding |
| Render | Not specified | Hosting | Hosted the app |
| WordPress | Not specified | Website Builder | Used for landing page |
| Skool | Not specified | Community Platform | Platform for creators and coaches, source of data |
| PeerPush | https://peerpush.net | Peer-Powered Discovery | Suggested for getting more eyes on product |
USER NEEDS
Pain Points:
- Fear of building something nobody would pay for
- Difficulty identifying profitable niches
- Uncertainty about market demand
- Lack of coding skills to build tools
- Challenges in acquiring first users without being salesy
- Need for niche validation before building
- Difficulty finding clients for new services
Problems to Solve:
- Validating business ideas before investing time/money
- Finding where target audience hangs out
- Identifying profitable niches and trends
- Acquiring first customers organically
- Scaling from initial users to larger customer base
- Implementing paid ads effectively
- Adding features without introducing bugs in no-code tools
Potential Solutions:
- Using data scraping tools to analyze market trends
- Joining free communities where target audience is active
- Providing value first (e.g., free data, advice) before pitching
- Building affiliate programs for growth
- Learning basic coding to manage no-code tools better
- Offering free trials with limited features
- Partnering with complementary service providers
GROWTH FACTORS
Effective Strategies:
- Organic user acquisition through community engagement
- Value-first approach (provide help before pitching)
- Using own product to identify target communities
- Building affiliate programs
- Exploring paid ads for scaling
Marketing & Acquisition:
- Finding where target audience hangs out (e.g., Skool communities)
- Listening to pain points in communities
- Offering free demos and manual data pulls
- Waiting for users to ask about the tool after receiving value
- Networking without being spammy
Monetization & Product:
- $100 price point (implied from comment)
- Considering free trial option with limited data
- Focus on solving specific pain point (niche validation)
- Using no-code/AI tools to build MVP quickly
User Engagement:
- Engaging authentically in communities
- Providing personalized help
- Building trust through value delivery
- Encouraging natural word-of-mouth when users ask about the tool