MW #1 - The 100 Projects Challenge

More and more people are venturing into solopreneurship, driven by the ease of creating digital products and content, along with viral success stories on social media.

But for every success story, there are thousands of unseen failures.

Is it possible to embark on this journey alone without going broke? Without burning out? Without sacrificing everything?

I think so.

I've had success (on a small scale) with two projects before, and there are a few other notable examples. I want to confirm this with this project of projects to help you do the same.

Why 100?

Because it’s a realistic number

Based on my own experience (having had success with two out of about 25 products created, although not all launched, in the past 10 years), I estimate I'll need around 100 projects to find 5-10 that can turn into profitable and scalable businesses.

This has been echoed by Pieter Levels (± $3M in ARR) in his own experience as well:

Because it implies long-term commitment

From experience, having this goal implies a massive commitment to yourself. I know because I've been doing it in a disorganized and erratic way over the past 10 years. It’s precisely this long-term vision that makes the odds work in your favor. Each project, in addition to being an opportunity in itself, expands your knowledge about the market, the technologies you work with, and your capabilities as a creator.

It increases your exposure to luck.

Because it reduces pressure

Given the above, thinking you can achieve this by building fewer products in less time increases the likelihood of burnout. Let's be realistic: while you might hit the jackpot on the first or fifth try, it's unlikely.

Why I'm Doing This

There are several reasons, some more obvious than others, but it’s important to highlight them because they are the fuel that will drive this initiative:

1. Because I genuinely love it: The first and most important reason.

2. Because it’s a win-win: Gaining assets, experience, knowledge, and contacts.

3. Because I’ve done it before: I haven’t become a millionaire (yet), but I’ve done the hardest part—earning my first $75k.

4. Because I want to create products that improve people's lives, including mine.

What Exactly Am I Going to Do?

The core of the initiative is to build up to 100 projects, initially of two types:

1. Software

2. Content

The focus will be on solving problems, using the stack I’m proficient in, without closing off to verticals or relatively exotic technologies like web3 or AI.

My approach will be based on:

• Business-first technology: No fancy stuff that doesn’t solve a problem.

• MVPs with core functionality.

• Launch fast, launch well. Just because it's an MVP doesn’t mean it should be poorly made or malfunctioning.

• Focusing on solving my own problems, though I won’t rule out solving problems I don’t personally have.

The other fundamental, not collateral, part will be sharing the relevant parts of the process with others.

Yes, it’s build in public, but my idea is to take it a step further by making it:

• More educational: Less focused on flexing and awareness, and more on actionable, inspiring, and educational content.

• More impact-focused: Inevitably, there will be talk about numbers, but I want to focus more on impact and value rather than just $$$.

• More transparent: A parallel would be to make business education content as open source as possible. Not necessarily showing everything, but sharing all that can be useful to others.

Conclusion

Embarking on this journey to build 100 projects is not just about reaching a numerical goal, but about the continuous learning, growth, and innovation that comes with it. It's about finding solutions, creating value, and making a real impact.

I invite you to follow along, share in the experiences, and perhaps be inspired to start your own journey.