From $0 to $10k MRR: My Indie Hacker Journey – Part 2

After building two websites with the Nuxt framework and deciding to switch to Next.js, I began searching for a good full-stack template for Next.js. Ideally, it would include third-party authentication, Stripe payment integration, and a database. Based on my previous Nuxt experience, setting up authentication manually was clunky and far less functional than these standardized templates.

I eventually found a great starter template in the Vercel template library: https://vercel.com/templates/next.js/subscription-starter. However, it hadn’t been updated recently, so some tweaks were necessary to get it running smoothly on Vercel. That said, the Next.js community is vast, with plenty of free and paid templates available—definitely worth exploring if you’re in a similar boat.

Jumping into the AI Podcast Boom

In September, the AI-generated podcast space suddenly took off, with several new products emerging in this area. Seeing it as a new and less saturated field, I decided to dive in and try my hand at creating a product. That’s how my first Next.js site, https://notebooklmpodcast.com/, was born.

To quickly validate product-market fit (PMF), I launched with extremely basic features behind a paywall—no free trials. I offered two subscription plans: $10/month and $20/month, with the latter offering more advanced features.

I then started running Google Ads. I’ll share my experience with Google Ads in future posts, as it’s a complex topic. Initially, I targeted only the U.S. market. I still vividly remember landing my first paying customer—a $20 subscriber—after just 22 ad clicks. That moment gave me a massive boost of confidence and the motivation to keep going.

From early October to now, I’ve been iterating on product features, improving user experience, and delving deep into Google Ads and SEO to convert both paid and organic traffic effectively.

Here are some of the key optimizations I’ve made along the way:

Migrating from Vercel to Cloudflare: Vercel’s free plan had limitations, and their paid plans were a bit pricey. I switched hosting to Cloudflare, and for large file storage, I moved from Supabase (which can also get expensive) to Cloudflare R2. However, I’m still using Supabase for my database and authentication needs.

Enhancing Podcast Diversity: Since this is a podcast-focused product, I put effort into improving voice variety and podcast content options. Based on customer feedback, I’ve added features like podcast cover generation, PDF and URL data extraction, and even chatbot functionality.

User Feedback Loops: I conduct email interviews with users who register but don’t purchase, offering them one month of free access in exchange for detailed feedback. These interviews are invaluable—developers often can’t spot certain issues, whether they’re bugs or features in need of refinement. Many of my updates have been reactive, driven by user input. I also created a Discord community where users can discuss and share ideas.

Expanding Subscription Options: I started with just two subscription plans but have since expanded to eight: four monthly and four annual plans. Initially, payments were limited to USD, but to better accommodate a global audience, I now support 21 currencies. After validating PMF, I introduced a free trial with unlimited usage, which doesn’t even require users to log in. I believe this approach helps boost user retention and increases time spent on the site, which in turn benefits SEO.

Improving Usability: I rewrote the "How to Use" and FAQ sections at the request of my users, as these are crucial for tools like mine. I also optimized the mobile UI since many customers use my product on their phones.

A Work in Progress

This product is far from perfect—it’s still evolving. I’m continuously adding new features and improving the user experience. If you’re curious, feel free to give it a try!

That’s my story so far. I’m still a newbie in the indie hacking space, and there’s so much more to learn. I’d love to connect and exchange ideas with fellow indie hackers—let’s learn and grow together!