starter Story

@starterstory

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Promoted product

Curator.iocurator.io

Curator is a free social media aggregator that helps you collect and display content. Set up your feed in under 5 minutes.

Why it worked

The post leverages a "soft sell" approach by showcasing the success of multiple "boring" but profitable SaaS products, appealing to founders looking for practical, proven business models rather than trendy or speculative ventures. The detailed breakdown of each app provides tangible proof of concept and a clear strategy.

Summary

The creator showcases five "boring" SaaS apps they built that collectively generate $200K/month in MRR. The post details each app, its function, target audience, and the revenue it generates, highlighting a consistent strategy for launching successful businesses.

Structure

1Introduction of the creator's success with "boring" apps
2Detailed breakdown of each of the five SaaS apps (Curator.io, Flook.co, Frill.co, Juuno.co, Smiile.co)
3Explanation of each app's functionality, target market, and revenue

Original caption

He owns 5 SaaS apps doing $200K MRR combined. And he uses the exact same 10-step playbook to launch every single one. Mike is a founder from Australia. Fully bootstrapped. No outside capital. His portfolio: Curator.io (social media aggregator), Frill.co (customer feedback), Juuno.co (digital signage for cafes and gyms), Flook.co (no-code onboarding tours), and Smiile.co (B2B group e-cards) launching soon. Here’s what makes him different. He refuses to chase shiny ideas. No AI-first businesses ever. Too much platform risk. Instead he picks ideas that have already been done, because if it’s working for someone else, you know people want it. Every app starts the same way: - 4 co-founders, equal 25% splits to kill founder fallout - Build a “good enough” MVP based on what competitors’ customers complain about - Sell a lifetime deal for $59–$100 to fund the first year (Thrill raised $30K from a private LTD) - Write content from day one landing pages, blog posts, “alternative to” pages - Launch on AppSumo to close out the LTD with ~$100K in the bank - Get LTD customers to leave honest G2 and Trustpilot reviews - Answer questions on Reddit where competitors’ customers hang out - Ride MRR before the LTD money runs out The goal isn’t a big exit. It’s bigger salaries. Stay lean. Pay the founders. Repeat. Takeaway: boring + repeatable beats shiny + risky. He’s run this playbook 3 times and it’s worked 3 times.

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starter Story HubSpot Media I BUILT 5 "BORING" APPS THAT MAKE $200K/MONTH My apps and what they do → Reminder June 17, 2026 at 17:55 PM My App: Curator.io Curator.io is part of a SaaS portfolio doing over $200K/month MRR • It's a social media aggregator app that lets users display social feeds seamlessly on websites and at live events • Users connect their social media channels, and the app automatically pulls and beautifully formats posts into a single stream • It's built for brands and event organizers who want to showcase user-generated content and increase website engagement Curator FEATURES TEMPLATES PRICING EVENTS DOCS BLOG CONTACT Login Sign up, It's Free The easiest way to add a social feed to your site for free Curator.io is a free social media aggregator that helps you collect and display content. Set up your feed in under 5 minutes. Sign up. It's Free No credit card required. total MRR Joan Hellivell Views Reminder June 17, 2026 at 17:55 PM My App: Flook Fluke.co is part of a bootstrapped portfolio making over $200K/month MRR • It's a no-code user onboarding platform that lets software companies build interactive product tours • Users design custom tooltips, popups, and walkthroughs visually, pushing them live instantly without needing a developer to write code • It's built for product managers and growth marketers who want to improve user activation rates quickly flook Next Generation Onboarding Tours Built for SaaS. No developers required. Get Started Welcome Once upon a time in a far away place, a Happy Cat decided to go on a quest. Reminder June 17, 2026 at 17:55 PM My App: Frill Frill raised $30K during its private launch and contributes to a combined $200K/month MRR • It's a customer feedback and product management tool that helps businesses track feature requests • Users collect ideas from their audience, organize them into an interactive product roadmap, and announce new feature rollouts • It's built for SaaS companies and product teams looking to cut down churn and build exactly what their users want frill Product Widget Pricing What's new Log In Start for free A better way to collect customer feedback Capture, organize, and announce product feedback in one place. Start for free → 14-day free trial. No credit card required. Acme Ideas Roadmap Announcements Surveys Search Ideas... Feedback Boards Public Roadmaps Announcements Surveys Feature requests Ideas to help improve Acme.co + Submit idea Reminder June 17, 2026 at 17:55 PM My App: Juuno Juuno.co makes over $200K/month in combined MRR across our portfolio • It's a cloud-based digital signage platform built for physical locations and brick-and-mortar storefronts • Users connect any screen to display dynamic, updated content, menus, announcements, and schedules effortlessly • I've built this for cafes, gyms, schools, and local shops that need a reliable way to manage their physical displays remotely JUUNO Features Players Perfect For Book A Demo $5/Screen Sign In Try For Free Beautifully simple digital signage Share engaging content to any screen, from anywhere in the world. The coffee at Juicebar cafe Say Hello Reminder June 17, 2026 at 17:55 PM My App: Smiile Smiile.co makes over $200K/month in combined MRR across our portfolio • It's an innovative group ecard and workplace appreciation platform built specifically for the B2B space • Users create collaborative, high-quality digital cards for team milestones, farewells, or celebrations, letting entire teams sign and customize them • I've built this for remote and hybrid corporate teams looking for a modern, simple way to maintain workplace culture and celebrate together Anniversary cards for your Workmates. Your email address Get early access Active beta testers will receive free lifetime plan. Check out an example here →