From Personal Project to $1,000 MRR – My App’s Journey
Hi everyone! My name is Viktor Seraleev, and I'm an indie developer. This is my third time starting from scratch in the App Store. In my previous article, I shared how I turned a small idea into an app that proved valuable for small businesses – and later sold it for $410,000.
This time, my journey has been different due to the removal of my apps. In September 2023, I started actively posting on Twitter, sharing daily posts along with custom graphics made in Figma. That’s what sparked the idea to create an app for myself – a tool that would let me quickly generate beautiful screenshots directly from the Share Menu.
https://i.redd.it/hfp9wrjz3gge1.gif
I built the first version, tested it, and really liked the workflow. So, I decided to launch it on the App Store. However, my initial submission was rejected for not providing enough value. To fix this, I added new templates, improved the onboarding with feature explanations, introduced a story widget, and resubmitted it. On my second attempt, Screencut was approved.
On April 25, 2024, I shared the app on Twitter. My post gained over 33,000 views, and I got my first users. Turns out, the app wasn’t just useful for me – it helped other indie hackers as well. I started listening to feedback, making improvements, and adding new features (stitching, redact, blur text, confetti and etc). In less than a year, with zero ad spend, I reached $1,000 MRR purely through organic growth.
https://i.redd.it/g3i2ylbd6gge1.gif
This app has become an essential tool for me. It not only saves time on creating polished screenshots but also helps me gain more views and followers on Twitter. Over the past year, my posts have generated over 5 million impressions. More reach → more downloads → more revenue. I love this approach, and I try to be as transparent as possible about my journey. Even after losing everything, you can always come back and start from scratch. Yes, it's tough – but it's possible. Don't give up!
I’d love to hear your feedback and am happy to answer any questions!