August 21st, 2024

I've built my first successful side project, and I hate it

The author generated over $15,000 from a side project but faced burnout due to maintenance and customer demands, including unrealistic requests and disputes, highlighting challenges in transitioning a passion project to a business.

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I've built my first successful side project, and I hate it

built a successful side project that generated over $15,000, but I found myself increasingly frustrated with the maintenance and customer demands. Initially, I created a Python course and developed scripts for TradingView to automate the drawing of harmonic patterns, which I found tedious to do manually. After launching my scripts, I experienced a slow start but eventually gained traction through free offerings and promotional efforts, including a YouTube channel. However, as my user base grew, so did the volume of customer inquiries, feature requests, and disputes, leading to burnout. Many users sought free access or had unrealistic expectations about the scripts' capabilities, often asking for financial advice or specific features that were not aligned with the product's purpose. Despite my efforts to be accommodating, I faced challenges with disputes and occasional fraud attempts. Ultimately, the experience highlighted the complexities of managing a side project, especially when it transitions from a passion project to a business requiring ongoing support and customer interaction.

- The author created a successful side project that earned over $15,000 but faced burnout from maintenance and customer demands.

- Initial traction was gained through free offerings and promotional efforts, including a YouTube channel.

- Customer inquiries often included unrealistic requests and demands for free access or financial advice.

- The author encountered disputes and fraud attempts, complicating the management of the project.

- The experience underscored the challenges of transitioning a passion project into a business.

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By @gbourne - 8 months