After launching 37 different products over the last few years, I’ve had one go viral and almost all the others struggle to get any traction at all.
Like many indie makers, I used to think the best strategy was to just keep launching, make more bets, and hope one finally catches fire.
But here’s what I’ve learned:
Virality is rare and nearly impossible to predict
Most of my launches that failed didn’t actually fail, they just grew much slower than I expected
My current project, Refgrow, took over 6 months to get the first paying customer, but now it’s growing slowly and steadily with almost no marketing budget
Sticking with one project and improving it, even when growth is painfully slow, seems to produce more consistent results than chasing the next hit
I’m curious, for those of you who have been building for a while:
Did you find success by focusing on one project and giving it time, or by making lots of new bets?
Has "slow growth" ever paid off for you?
If you had to start over, would you pick patience or a high volume of launches?
Would love to hear stories, lessons, or any advice from other indie founders in the same boat.