How Pauline Built a $100K AI App While Working a Full-Time Job
The story starts with a decision most people wouldn’t make.
Pauline had a safe, well-paying job at IBM — a career many would cling to.
But she wanted something else. Something bigger.
By day, she was an IBM employee.
By night and on weekends? An indie hacker, chasing ideas.
And like most indie hackers, she started with failure.
The first projects went nowhere.
Side hustle after side hustle. Nothing stuck. Nothing paid.
But Pauline kept going. Because she knew failure wasn’t the end — it was the cost of admission.
Then, one idea clicked.
A simple AI app to redesign spaces.
Upload a photo of your kitchen or living room, choose a style — Scandinavian, modern, minimalist — and boom.
Your room, reimagined in seconds.
It sounds straightforward now, but back then, it was a gamble in one of the most saturated markets: AI apps.
And yet, Pauline carved out her space.
How She Did It
The secret wasn’t some overnight hack or hidden algorithm.
It was a system.
- Find a Real Problem
Pauline didn’t start with a grand vision or flashy tech.
She started with questions:
- “What’s a problem people face?”
- “How often do they face it?”
- “Would they pay to solve it?”
For her app, she tapped into a pain point her friends complained about: visualizing home renovations.
- Build Fast, Build Ugly
Her first version was basic. Barely polished.
The images? Low quality.
The features? Limited.
But it worked.
She shipped her MVP (Minimum Viable Product) in a month.
Her goal wasn’t perfection — it was feedback.
Because perfection is a trap. You think you know what people want.
But until you put something in front of real customers, you don’t.
- Validate the Idea
Pauline didn’t rely on guesswork. She showed the app to real estate agents — her target audience — and waited for their reactions.
The feedback was clear:
- “This is amazing.”
- “How much does it cost?”
- “Can I buy it now?”
When people are ready to hand over money, you know you’re onto something.
- Market Where Your Customers Live
Finding customers wasn’t about fancy ads or complicated strategies.
It was about going to the right places.
For AI Crea, her audience — real estate agents — lived on Facebook and at in-person events.
So that’s where she showed up.
For her other projects targeting developers? Twitter and newsletters worked best.
Why Most People Fail Here
Pauline’s approach wasn’t groundbreaking, but it was deliberate.
Most people fail because they skip the hard parts:
- They don’t validate their ideas.
- They build for months, hoping people will show up.
- They avoid talking to customers because rejection hurts.
Pauline embraced rejection. She needed it to refine her product.
From Side Hustle to Full-Time Founder
For years, Pauline juggled her app with her IBM job. Nights, weekends, stolen moments between meetings.
But in June, she quit.
Now, her app brings in $8,000 a month — $100K per year.
Her pricing strategy? A mix of one-time payments and subscriptions.
She even tackled churn (the killer of SaaS businesses) by:
- Adding yearly plans.
- Offering free trials.
- Improving the product until it felt premium.
What You Can Learn From Pauline
- Start Ugly
You’re not building a masterpiece. You’re testing a theory. Ship fast. Improve later. - Validate Early
Talk to real people. Get them to pay. If they won’t, you’re not solving a big enough problem. - Go Where Your Customers Are
Find your audience. Hang out where they hang out. Talk to them. - Be Consistent
You won’t hit gold with your first try. Or your second. But every failure teaches you something.
The Future of AI Apps
Pauline believes the biggest opportunity isn’t in standalone AI products.
It’s in integrating AI into existing tools.
Think: an AI assistant for your inbox that drafts emails.
Small, useful, and embedded into daily workflows.
Final Advice From Pauline
“Don’t wait for the perfect product. Just start. Ship something small.
And surround yourself with other builders — they’ll keep you motivated, share lessons, and help you grow.”
If you’re sitting on an idea but haven’t taken action, ask yourself:
What are you waiting for?
The best time to start was yesterday.
The second-best time? Right now.
