A Random Start, But Here We Are

I’ve been thinking about this moment for a long time — starting my journey of sharing, documenting, and building in public. And today? I just thought — why not? Better now than never.

So here I am, standing on a little trail near my home, just me, the sound of the wind, the water, and my own excited heartbeat. A simple but fitting way to begin.

Who Am I?

I live in Shanghai, I’m a father of two, and I’ve been coding for 16 years. Unlike some indie hackers who can afford to quit their jobs and go all-in, I can’t — yet. But I have a plan.

In six months, I hope to leave my job. My goal? To grow my side business enough to cover my family’s basic expenses. It’s a challenge, but also an opportunity. And this article? It’s the beginning of that journey.

What I’m Building

Right now, I’m developing a cybersecurity product, something I’ve been working on for four years. It has already generated around 1 million RMB (~143k USD).

Sounds great, right? But here’s the catch:
I’m an engineer, not a marketer. So in reality, I didn’t pocket anywhere near that amount. I’m great at building, but selling? That’s something I need to figure out.

Why I’m Sharing My Journey

I see so many indie developers on Twitter, Medium, and YouTube sharing their stories. It’s inspiring. It made me realize — I should be sharing mine too.

I’m not a frontend expert, but AI coding tools have changed the game. They’ve taken my skills from 1 to 100, and I should have embraced them earlier.

I first used ChatGPT in 2022, but I never thought about using it to build products. Big mistake. But hey, I’m here now. Better late than never.

The Reality of Building with Limited Time

I can’t show my face because of my job, but that won’t stop me from sharing my journey.

This year, my goal? 13 SaaS products. Sounds ambitious? Maybe. But why not go big?

I broke down my schedule and realized — I only have 3.5 hours a day to work on my projects. With six workdays a week, I dedicate one full day to my kids and family — non-negotiable. That leaves me with 21 hours a week.

Not much. But those hours? They’re mine.

My job is stressful, filled with things I don’t enjoy. But these 21 hours? This is where I feel alive.

A Wake-Up Call: Health First

A few weeks ago, I found out I have a cyst on my liver. That should sound worrying, right?

But instead of dwelling on it, I decided to do something about it. Step one? No more late nights. From now on, I’m an early riser. Time to unlock the morning productivity mode.

If you’re a developer, take care of yourself. Health first, always.

2025: My Turning Point

This year, I’ll be documenting everything — the wins, the struggles, the failures. No fluff, no gatekeeping — just the raw journey of an indie hacker figuring things out.

If you’re in the same boat, this is your sign. Start today. It doesn’t matter if it’s messy. Just start.

And if you want to follow my journey — subscribe, follow, and let’s make 2025 count.

For the full story, watch my first YouTube video here:

See you in the next article.