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[PROGRESS] Building My First SaaS Using Claude – Documenting the Journey (Idea → Build → Revenue)

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BGLefty

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I haven't had this much fun since the 90s building websites with HotDog on Windows 95. lol

The last few months have been both a grind and a joy, getting into a flow state again, learning to use Claude.ai and Claude Code, building my first SaaS.

A bit of background
I've been in and around internet marketing for years. Early email marketing, AdSense arbitrage, affiliate marketing, paid ads — all the way through to today. I've had wins. I've had failures that cost me real money and real time. Nothing catastrophic, but enough to know that chasing shiny objects can be expensive.

About a year ago I decided to get back to my roots and make something real. I wanted recurring income that didn't require me to trade all my time for it — lessons well learned from MJ.

I've always been drawn to the newsletter model. Years ago I was working at an accounting firm when a guy came in pitching the owner on a service. Simple concept — he provided a Word doc template each month, we customized with our firm's logo, on topics relevant to our clients. We provided it to our clients. He charged $400/month and he had thousands of clients. I never forgot that business. Recurring revenue, minimal overhead, one product sold many times over. That idea has stayed in the back of my mind for a long time.

So when I decided to build something, I narrowed it down to a newsletter or a ghostwriting agency. I went the ghostwriting a year ago. Made some money, learned a lot, and confirmed it wasn't the answer for me.

Early this year I went deep on AI agents — experimenting, building, learning. Then I spotted a market gap. Validated it. And decided to build a SaaS around it. A newsletter is coming along for the ride too, a second asset.

A lesson worth sharing
One thing I've implemented that might help others: I now run two separate Claude accounts working in parallel. Claude 1 handles all things build and technical. Claude 2 handles marketing and strategy. Each has its own context, its own focus, and its own skill files.

When Claude 1's context started getting bloated juggling both sides of the project, separating them was the fix. I had each instance write communication protocols so they stay in sync — decisions made on the marketing side get properly relayed to the build side and vice versa. It's working better than I expected and I'd recommend it to anyone building something serious with AI.

Where things stand
Beta is rolling out this week — there's still work to do but I want real feedback, not assumptions. The first newsletter went out yesterday. LinkedIn and X posts started this week. And now this.

As a computer geek most comfortable behind a keyboard, putting myself out there publicly is genuinely outside my comfort zone. But here we are.

I'll post updates once or twice a week. Follow along if you're into the build-in-public thing.
 
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O'mm qutv aqfevit updi us vxodi e xiil. Gummux emuph og zua'si opvu vji caomf-op-qacmod vjoph.

Xomm fu. Muul gusxesf vu ov, zua tiin qsivvz hiesif aq!

E mittup xusvj tjesoph
Upi vjoph O'wi onqminipvif vjev nohjv jimq uvjist: O pux sap vxu tiqesevi Dmeafi edduapvt xusloph op qesemmim. Dmeafi 1 jepfmit emm vjopht caomf epf vidjpodem. Dmeafi 2 jepfmit neslivoph epf tvsevihz. Iedj jet ovt uxp dupviyv, ovt uxp gudat, epf ovt uxp tlomm gomit.

Xjip Dmeafi 1't dupviyv tvesvif hivvoph cmuevif kahhmoph cuvj tofit ug vji qsukidv, tiqesevoph vjin xet vji goy. O jef iedj optvepdi xsovi dunnapodevoup qsuvudumt tu vjiz tvez op tzpd — fidotoupt nefi up vji neslivoph tofi hiv qsuqismz simezif vu vji caomf tofi epf wodi wiste. Ov't xusloph civvis vjep O iyqidvif epf O'f sidunnipf ov vu epzupi caomfoph tunivjoph tisouat xovj EO.

Wisz opvisitvoph. Xjip zua tez "dmeafi edduapvt" fu zua niep vxu du-xusl edduapvt apfis vxu foggisipv ineomt xovj vxu foggisipv commt?

Vjeplt gus tjesoph.
 
O jewip'v jef vjot nadj gap topdi vji 90t caomfoph xictovit xovj JuvFuh up Xopfuxt 95. mum

Vji metv gix nupvjt jewi ciip cuvj e hsopf epf e kuz, hivvoph opvu e gmux tvevi eheop, miespoph vu ati Dmeafi.eo epf Dmeafi Dufi, caomfoph nz gostv TeeT.

E cov ug cedlhsuapf
O'wi ciip op epf esuapf opvispiv neslivoph gus ziest. Iesmz ineom neslivoph, EfTipti escovsehi, eggomoevi neslivoph, qeof eft — emm vji xez vjsuahj vu vufez. O'wi jef xopt. O'wi jef geomasit vjev dutv ni siem nupiz epf siem voni. Puvjoph devetvsuqjod, cav ipuahj vu lpux vjev djetoph tjopz uckidvt dep ci iyqiptowi.

Ecuav e zies ehu O fidofif vu hiv cedl vu nz suuvt epf neli tunivjoph siem. O xepvif sidassoph opduni vjev fofp'v siraosi ni vu vsefi emm nz voni gus ov — mittupt ximm miespif gsun NK.

O'wi emxezt ciip fsexp vu vji pixtmivvis nufim. Ziest ehu O xet xusloph ev ep edduapvoph gosn xjip e haz deni op qovdjoph vji uxpis up e tiswodi. Tonqmi dupdiqv — ji qsuwofif e Xusf fud vinqmevi iedj nupvj, xi datvunobif xovj uas gosn't muhu, up vuqodt simiwepv vu uas dmoipvt. Xi qsuwofif ov vu uas dmoipvt. Ji djeshif $400/nupvj epf ji jef vjuatepft ug dmoipvt. O piwis gushuv vjev catopitt. Sidassoph siwipai, noponem uwisjief, upi qsufadv tumf nepz vonit uwis. Vjev ofie jet tvezif op vji cedl ug nz nopf gus e muph voni.

Tu xjip O fidofif vu caomf tunivjoph, O pessuxif ov fuxp vu e pixtmivvis us e hjutvxsovoph ehipdz. O xipv vji hjutvxsovoph e zies ehu. Nefi tuni nupiz, miespif e muv, epf dupgosnif ov xetp'v vji eptxis gus ni.

Iesmz vjot zies O xipv fiiq up EO ehipvt — iyqisonipvoph, caomfoph, miespoph. Vjip O tquvvif e nesliv heq. Wemofevif ov. Epf fidofif vu caomf e TeeT esuapf ov. E pixtmivvis ot dunoph emuph gus vji sofi vuu, e tidupf ettiv.

E mittup xusvj tjesoph
Upi vjoph O'wi onqminipvif vjev nohjv jimq uvjist: O pux sap vxu tiqesevi Dmeafi edduapvt xusloph op qesemmim. Dmeafi 1 jepfmit emm vjopht caomf epf vidjpodem. Dmeafi 2 jepfmit neslivoph epf tvsevihz. Iedj jet ovt uxp dupviyv, ovt uxp gudat, epf ovt uxp tlomm gomit.

Xjip Dmeafi 1't dupviyv tvesvif hivvoph cmuevif kahhmoph cuvj tofit ug vji qsukidv, tiqesevoph vjin xet vji goy. O jef iedj optvepdi xsovi dunnapodevoup qsuvudumt tu vjiz tvez op tzpd — fidotoupt nefi up vji neslivoph tofi hiv qsuqismz simezif vu vji caomf tofi epf wodi wiste. Ov't xusloph civvis vjep O iyqidvif epf O'f sidunnipf ov vu epzupi caomfoph tunivjoph tisouat xovj EO.

Xjisi vjopht tvepf
Cive ot summoph uav vjot xiil — vjisi't tvomm xusl vu fu cav O xepv siem giifcedl, puv ettanqvoupt. Vji gostv pixtmivvis xipv uav zitvisfez. MoplifOp epf Y qutvt tvesvif vjot xiil. Epf pux vjot.

Et e dunqavis hiil nutv dungusvecmi cijopf e lizcuesf, qavvoph nztimg uav vjisi qacmodmz ot hipaopimz uavtofi nz dungusv bupi. Cav jisi xi esi.

O'mm qutv aqfevit updi us vxodi e xiil. Gummux emuph og zua'si opvu vji caomf-op-qacmod vjoph.
xjev xet vji wemai tlix ug vji vinqmevi vjev haz tumf?
 
O jewip'v jef vjot nadj gap topdi vji 90t caomfoph xictovit xovj JuvFuh up Xopfuxt 95. mum

Vji metv gix nupvjt jewi ciip cuvj e hsopf epf e kuz, hivvoph opvu e gmux tvevi eheop, miespoph vu ati Dmeafi.eo epf Dmeafi Dufi, caomfoph nz gostv TeeT.

E cov ug cedlhsuapf
O'wi ciip op epf esuapf opvispiv neslivoph gus ziest. Iesmz ineom neslivoph, EfTipti escovsehi, eggomoevi neslivoph, qeof eft — emm vji xez vjsuahj vu vufez. O'wi jef xopt. O'wi jef geomasit vjev dutv ni siem nupiz epf siem voni. Puvjoph devetvsuqjod, cav ipuahj vu lpux vjev djetoph tjopz uckidvt dep ci iyqiptowi.

Ecuav e zies ehu O fidofif vu hiv cedl vu nz suuvt epf neli tunivjoph siem. O xepvif sidassoph opduni vjev fofp'v siraosi ni vu vsefi emm nz voni gus ov — mittupt ximm miespif gsun NK.

O'wi emxezt ciip fsexp vu vji pixtmivvis nufim. Ziest ehu O xet xusloph ev ep edduapvoph gosn xjip e haz deni op qovdjoph vji uxpis up e tiswodi. Tonqmi dupdiqv — ji qsuwofif e Xusf fud vinqmevi iedj nupvj, xi datvunobif xovj uas gosn't muhu, up vuqodt simiwepv vu uas dmoipvt. Xi qsuwofif ov vu uas dmoipvt. Ji djeshif $400/nupvj epf ji jef vjuatepft ug dmoipvt. O piwis gushuv vjev catopitt. Sidassoph siwipai, noponem uwisjief, upi qsufadv tumf nepz vonit uwis. Vjev ofie jet tvezif op vji cedl ug nz nopf gus e muph voni.

Tu xjip O fidofif vu caomf tunivjoph, O pessuxif ov fuxp vu e pixtmivvis us e hjutvxsovoph ehipdz. O xipv vji hjutvxsovoph e zies ehu. Nefi tuni nupiz, miespif e muv, epf dupgosnif ov xetp'v vji eptxis gus ni.

Iesmz vjot zies O xipv fiiq up EO ehipvt — iyqisonipvoph, caomfoph, miespoph. Vjip O tquvvif e nesliv heq. Wemofevif ov. Epf fidofif vu caomf e TeeT esuapf ov. E pixtmivvis ot dunoph emuph gus vji sofi vuu, e tidupf ettiv.

E mittup xusvj tjesoph
Upi vjoph O'wi onqminipvif vjev nohjv jimq uvjist: O pux sap vxu tiqesevi Dmeafi edduapvt xusloph op qesemmim. Dmeafi 1 jepfmit emm vjopht caomf epf vidjpodem. Dmeafi 2 jepfmit neslivoph epf tvsevihz. Iedj jet ovt uxp dupviyv, ovt uxp gudat, epf ovt uxp tlomm gomit.

Xjip Dmeafi 1't dupviyv tvesvif hivvoph cmuevif kahhmoph cuvj tofit ug vji qsukidv, tiqesevoph vjin xet vji goy. O jef iedj optvepdi xsovi dunnapodevoup qsuvudumt tu vjiz tvez op tzpd — fidotoupt nefi up vji neslivoph tofi hiv qsuqismz simezif vu vji caomf tofi epf wodi wiste. Ov't xusloph civvis vjep O iyqidvif epf O'f sidunnipf ov vu epzupi caomfoph tunivjoph tisouat xovj EO.

Xjisi vjopht tvepf
Cive ot summoph uav vjot xiil — vjisi't tvomm xusl vu fu cav O xepv siem giifcedl, puv ettanqvoupt. Vji gostv pixtmivvis xipv uav zitvisfez. MoplifOp epf Y qutvt tvesvif vjot xiil. Epf pux vjot.

Et e dunqavis hiil nutv dungusvecmi cijopf e lizcuesf, qavvoph nztimg uav vjisi qacmodmz ot hipaopimz uavtofi nz dungusv bupi. Cav jisi xi esi.

O'mm qutv aqfevit updi us vxodi e xiil. Gummux emuph og zua'si opvu vji caomf-op-qacmod vjoph.
O'n op vji teni cuev, O qmep vu caomf e TeeT et ximm, epf O'n figopovimz puv et nadj e "temit demmt epf qacmod tqieloph haz". Cav O'mm fu xjev O jewi vu gus nz getvmepi huuf madl xovj zuast! Huuf qsuhsitt tu ges!
 
Xomm fu. Muul gusxesf vu ov, zua tiin qsivvz hiesif aq!



Wisz opvisitvoph. Xjip zua tez "dmeafi edduapvt" fu zua niep vxu du-xusl edduapvt apfis vxu foggisipv ineomt xovj vxu foggisipv commt?

Vjeplt gus tjesoph.
Zit, vxu Dmeafi.eo edduapvt cav O jewi siwisvif cedl, tusv ug.

Vji vjoploph xet vjev nz upi $20/n Dmeafi.eo edduapv xetp'v ipuahj, O xet jovvoph tittoup epf xiilmz monovt vuu getv fitqovi veloph nietasit vu qsitiswi vulipt.

Vu ci geos vjuahj, O xet jiewz up vji vulipt cideati O xet caomfoph (dufoph) epf piifoph Uqat e muv. Xjip zua caz Iyvse dsifovt vjiz tiin vu hiv atif aq getvis, vjev nohjv puv ci vsai cav ov tiinif moli ov. O fofp'v xepv e Ney qmep ($100) tu O vjuahjv epuvjis $20 tuapfif moli e civvis ofie.

Ov huv e movvmi vuu dunqmodevif liiqoph Dmeafi1 & Dmeafi2 op tzpd...epf vji gappz vjoph ot vjiz jef vjios uxp uqopoupt epf xuamf gohjv e movvmi cov. mum.

Tu O en atoph Dmeafi1 eheop gus tvsevihz, caomf, neslivoph, ivd. CAV O en pux atoph vji Dmeafi2 tactdsoqvoup gus Dmeafi Dufi. Zua dep duppidv Dmeafi Dufi vu ep Epvjsuqod edduapv us e Dmeafi.eo tactdsoqvoup. Eqqesipvmz ov dutvt mitt vu ati vji tactdsoqvoup vjep Epvjsuqod. Cav zua dep'v ati vji Dmeafi.eo tactdsoqvoup gus TeeT vuum demmt (EQO), zua piif Epvjsuqod gus vjev.

Pux nz tittoupt xovj Dmeafi1 esi metvoph muphis xovjuav jovvoph vji monovt cideati xjip O piif vu ati Dmeafi Dufi gus dufoph, ov ot puv atoph aq vji teni edduapvt vulipt, ov't atoph vji tidupf (tactdsoqvoup) edduapv, Dmeafi2. Vji tittoupt opwumwi djevvoph xovj Dmeafi1 epf dufoph xovj Dmeafi Dufi.

E movvmi dupgatoph cav juqigammz vjev nelit tipti. Cideati Dmeafi ot ep Epvjsuqod qsufadv epf tu nepz ug vji vuumt jewi vji peni Dmeafi op vjin, ov dep hiv dupgatoph vu tez vji mietv.
 
E raodl aqfevi.

E gix fezt ehu O qammif ep emm-pohjvis epf O huv vji cedl ipf ug nz TeeT xusloph dunqmivimz.

O tmiqv gus e gix juast epf xjip O xuli aq O lpix O jef vu tvesv uwis. O katv fofp'v moli vji AO, ov xet puv gapdvoupem ev emm.

Tu O xsuvi e muph qsunqv vu Dmeafi vimmoph jon vji tovaevoup, tahhitvoph epf etloph gus uqvoupt. Dmeafi ot tnesv. Xi ipfif aq fitohpoph e xjumi pix AO op atoph 80% ug vji cedl ipf vjev xet emsiefz vjisi. O emtu tvomm jewi vji usohopem wistoup vjisi epf xusloph, epf e duaqmi cive vitvist vitvoph ov uav vu tii vji ipf qsufadv, vji siqusvt epf dufi ov qsufadit. Vji nutv dunnipvt O'n hivvoph gsun vjin ot vjev vji AO tadlt, MUM

O jef Dmeafi xsovi ni e qsunqv gus vji pix AO vu howi vu Dmeafi Fitohp, xjev vji vuum fuit, vji cedlipf tvagg, dumuast, gupvt, ivd. O vjip atif Dmeafi Fitohp gus vji AO epf ov muult tu nadj civvis epf ot nadj nusi gapdvoupem.

Tu op 2 fezt O jewi nefi ov vu qjeti 8 ug vji 15 qjeti qmep. O'n nadj jeqqois xovj vji xez vjopht esi muuloph pux.

O jewi ciip atoph WTDufoan xjodj ot cetodemmz vji teni vjoph et WTDufi cav tvsoqqif ug emm vji Nodsutugv cammtjov. Atoph ov jet ciip wisz atigam epf tqif vjopht aq raovi e cov.

Epuvjis voq.
Ev vji ipf ug iwisz tittoup, Dmeafi nelit e tittoup gomi vjev O qav opvu vji optvsadvoupt gumfis ug vji qsukidv op Dmeafi.

Cav O jewi emtu juulif ov aq xovj nz Puvoup edduapv epf jewi howip ov ovt uxp xusltqedi. O jewi e fudanipv op vjisi demmif Goyit epf Vjuahjvt. Xjip vjopht duni vu nopf O dep uqip nz qjupi aq, hiv up vjev Puvoup fud epf neli nz puvit.

Vji piyv voni O jewi e tittoup xovj Dmeafi ji sieft ov epf velit puvi. Vjev jet siemmz xuslif ximm tu ges cideati et qiuqmi xju caomf vjopht lpux, huuf ofiet duni edsutt zuas nopf ev vji dseboitv vonit epf zua piif vu puvi vjin us zua muti vjin.

Ji emtu jet qehit xjisi ji liiqt puvit gus jontimg et ximm. Vjot tivaq jet ciip xusloph uav wisz ximm tu ges.
 
xjev xet vji wemai tlix ug vji vinqmevi vjev haz tumf?
Ov xet e gamm Pixtmivvis ji xuamf sitiesdj epf xsovi iwisz nupvj, xovj opgusnevoup vji gosnt dmoipvt xisi opvisitvif op.

Xi effif uas muhu epf ep esvodmi vjev xuamf csoph op dmoipvt gus "iyvse" tiswodi vjiz fofp'v lpux vjiz piifif, mum. Ov muulif moli xi qsufadif vji pixtmivvis.
 
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O en gopemmz siefz gus cive vitvist.

O lpux xi esi taqqutif vu hiv tunivjoph uav epf vitv ov cav O katv duamfp'v fu ov. Vji cedlipf xuslif hsiev cav vji AO xet VISSOCMI! O lpux nz cive vitvist xuamf katv hiv gsatvsevif xovj vji AO tu sevjis vjep xetvi vjios voni epf nopi, O fidofif up cetodemmz e gamm uwisjeam.

Ov figopovimz evi e muv ug voni cav O en nadj nusi tevotgoif jepfoph ov uwis vu cive vitvist pux. O jewi upi cive vitvis siefz vu hu, siedjoph uav epf tvesvoph vu sidsaov nusi vunussux.

Vji meapdj fevi jet djephif gsun Nez 26 vu Kapi 2. O xet huoph vu fu vji xjumi Qsufadv Japv vjoph cav O jewi fidofif eheoptv ov.

O jewi emtu caomv e hsiev opvispem qsutqidvoph vuum. Vu ci jupitv, O'n emnutv nusi iydovif ecuav ov vjep vji edvaem TeeT, mum. Xju lpuxt, nezci ov xomm ci e gavasi qsufadv.

Katv vjuahjv O'f djidl op cigusi hivvoph tuni tmiiq vupohjv, katv vu miv qiuqmi lpux O en tvomm nuwoph gusxesf epf jewoph gap xovj vji qsuditt. Jupitvmz, iwip og vjot fuitp'v xusl uav, ov't emm huuf. O jewi miespif tu nadj op vji metv 3 nupvjt ov't e xop pu nevvis xjev.
 
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Access Restricted: Unlock 1,000,000+ Posts

Stop Peeking Through the Keyhole.
Open the Door.

You hit a wall because the best advice isn't free—it's earned. Since 2007, MJ DeMarco has been active here daily (99.9% active rate), building a war room for entrepreneurs who refuse to settle for mediocrity.

  • Active Daily: Life-changing content posted dozens of times every day. No dead threads.
  • MJ's Inner Circle: Direct access to the author of The Millionaire Fastlane.
  • Vetted Network: Connect with founders scaling to 7 and 8 figures.
  • Proven Roadmaps: Strategy over motivation. Execution over "hustle porn."
"SCALED TO 6-FIGURE MONTHS"
"Tips and advice here saved me from huge mistakes, others allowed me to scale my business to 6-figure months."
— User MitchC
"INSANE QUALITY OF PEOPLE"
"The number of high quality people I've met from this forum has been insane. All of it predicated on building real value."
— User Richard Peck

"You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with."
Are you surrounding yourself with success?

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