Learning to code and building a $28k/mo portfolio of SaaS products

by James Fleischmann (featuring Samuel Rondot)

case-studyfounder-storygrowthnon-technicalportfolio

TL;DR: Rondot's journey from optician to portfolio builder demonstrates that technical skills are learnable but business fundamentals are essential. His first product MathPlanner had no code—humans in India performed automation tasks behind a WordPress landing page, reaching $30K/mo. He emphasizes validating demand before building: check search volume, SEO metrics, and competitor analysis. The portfolio includes StoryShort.ai ($20K/mo), UseArtemis.co ($5K/mo), and Capacity.so ($3K/mo). A simple, consistent tech stack (Next.js, Node.js, MongoDB, Vercel) prioritizes speed-to-market. SEO compounds long-term while paid ads validate short-term.

Key Insights

Business fundamentals matter more than technical sophistication initially
You can validate and even launch with humans doing the work
Check demand signals (search volume, SEO metrics) before building
Consistent tech stack reduces decision fatigue across portfolio
SEO for long-term compounding, paid ads for short-term validation

Actionable Takeaways

Consider manual/human-powered MVP before building tech
Validate demand through search volume and competitor analysis
Pick one tech stack and use it across all projects
Balance SEO (long-term) with paid ads (short-term validation)
Build side projects before quitting your job

Principles Validated (4)

Distribution

Use content marketing and SEO to build organic acquisition channels

Samuel Rondot (StoryShort.ai)

Founder Mindset

Build portfolio of small projects in same niche to reduce risk and enable compounding

Pauline Clavelloux (Portfolio)

Tech & Tooling

Tech stack chosen for speed: Next.js, Supabase, Vercel, Stripe, OpenAI API, Tailwind CSS

Samuel Rondot (StoryShort.ai)

Validation

Validate demand manually before building expensive automation

Samuel Rondot (MathPlanner)

Read full article on indiehackers.comAdded Jan 20, 2026