Building a $9K/Month Single-Feature Plugin in 2 Weeks
TL;DR: Leandro built Synto Sheets, a Google Workspace addon that syncs Notion databases to Google Sheets, after validating demand by searching Reddit for keywords like 'sheets,' 'CSV,' and 'excel' in the r/notion community. He leveraged his existing experience with the Google Sheets API and the newly released Notion API to build an MVP in two weeks during COVID. The product gained initial traction through the Google Workspace Marketplace, Reddit engagement, and SEO content. Over four years, he grew it to 70K users and 450+ paying customers generating $9K MRR. A critical turning point came when he removed the free plan, which jumped revenue from $5K to $8K MRR in a few months despite user pushback. His distribution strategy combined marketplace SEO, keyword tracking with F5bot for Reddit engagement, content marketing, and launches on Product Hunt and Hacker News. The product maintains 90% margins with minimal ongoing maintenance, running largely on autopilot while he focuses on high-impact tasks.
Key Insights
- Validating demand through Reddit keyword searches before building saved months of wasted effort
- Publishing to an established marketplace (Google Workspace) provided built-in distribution from day one
- Removing the free plan increased MRR by 60% despite initial user backlash
- Using F5bot for Reddit keyword tracking enabled systematic engagement with potential customers
- Building the simplest possible MVP (raw data sync only) in 2 weeks allowed fast market validation
Actionable Takeaways
- Search relevant subreddits for keywords related to your solution to validate demand before building
- Look at popular Zapier integrations to find gaps where a dedicated tool could solve the problem better
- Use F5bot or similar tools to track keywords on Reddit and engage authentically when your product is relevant
- Start with paid-only or very limited free tier to validate willingness to pay early
- Leverage existing marketplaces (Google Workspace, Shopify, etc.) for built-in discovery and credibility
Principles Validated (5)
Hacker News can bootstrap your email list overnight
Leandro (Synto Sheets)
Use content marketing and SEO to build organic acquisition channels
Leandro (Synto Sheets)
Use keyword tracking tools to systematically monitor community discussions
Leandro (Synto Sheets)
Value-first content builds trust before selling - share genuine value publicly
Leandro (Synto Sheets)