From A Weekend Project To Making $15,000/month
From A Weekend Project To Making $15,000/month
Oct 3, 2024
Bhanu Teja P
Bhanu Teja P
Read time : 6 min
Read time : 6 min
Revenue/month
Revenue/month
$15,000
$15,000
$15,000
No. of founders
No. of founders
2
2
2
Startup costs
Startup costs
$500
$500
$500
Company Type
Company Type
Company Type
SaaS
SaaS
SaaS
Contents
From Twitter Hype to Organic Growth
From Twitter Hype to Organic Growth
When Bhanu Teja P. launched SiteGPT, a no-code AI chatbot tool that helps businesses integrate an AI-powered chatbot into their websites, he didn’t expect the early success he saw. In the first month alone, SiteGPT reached an impressive $10,000 in monthly recurring revenue (MRR). This was Bhanu’s second real venture, but unlike his first failed attempt, SiteGPT was different. So, what made it work?
When Bhanu Teja P. launched SiteGPT, a no-code AI chatbot tool that helps businesses integrate an AI-powered chatbot into their websites, he didn’t expect the early success he saw. In the first month alone, SiteGPT reached an impressive $10,000 in monthly recurring revenue (MRR). This was Bhanu’s second real venture, but unlike his first failed attempt, SiteGPT was different. So, what made it work?
Riding the AI Wave
Riding the AI Wave
Like many indie makers, Bhanu's early success was fueled by the massive AI hype in 2023. The world was catching AI fever, and tools like SiteGPT, which allowed any website to integrate a chatbot without technical knowledge, were in high demand.
The first few weeks were incredible. Bhanu recalls, “It was insane. But the next few months were different.” Initially, people flocked to SiteGPT out of curiosity. But quickly, it became clear that many users didn’t actually need an AI chatbot—at least not long-term. Churn was inevitable, and Bhanu saw half of the users from his first month disappear, despite the initial buzz. But Bhanu didn’t panic. Instead, he focused on solving the real problem: how could he attract and retain customers who truly needed his product?
Like many indie makers, Bhanu's early success was fueled by the massive AI hype in 2023. The world was catching AI fever, and tools like SiteGPT, which allowed any website to integrate a chatbot without technical knowledge, were in high demand.
The first few weeks were incredible. Bhanu recalls, “It was insane. But the next few months were different.” Initially, people flocked to SiteGPT out of curiosity. But quickly, it became clear that many users didn’t actually need an AI chatbot—at least not long-term. Churn was inevitable, and Bhanu saw half of the users from his first month disappear, despite the initial buzz. But Bhanu didn’t panic. Instead, he focused on solving the real problem: how could he attract and retain customers who truly needed his product?
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➤ Every week, we dig up stories of how regular people started and grew their businesses—
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➤ Every week, we dig up stories of how regular people started and grew their businesses—
➤ Plus the marketing hacks that won them customers.
➤ Then, we share those insights with you.
Word-of-Mouth Magic
Word-of-Mouth Magic
As the Twitter traffic began to die down, Bhanu realized something crucial: the businesses who found real value in SiteGPT weren’t just using it for their own sites—they were recommending it to others. This was the beginning of SiteGPT’s most powerful growth strategy: word-of-mouth referrals.
“Some of my customers started referring SiteGPT to their friends,” Bhanu says. “I was getting bigger businesses signing up through these referrals.” It turned out that Bhanu’s tool had a network effect. When one business used SiteGPT and had success with it, they naturally spread the word to other companies in their industry.
But it wasn’t just referrals from users that fueled growth. Bhanu also saw traffic coming from Google—something that he hadn’t expected. As people started talking about SiteGPT on blogs, AI directories, and forums, Bhanu’s website gained backlinks and started to rank better on search engines.
"I didn’t do anything special. People were just searching for ‘customer support GPT,’ and my website popped up," says Bhanu. Google, recognizing the increasing mentions and backlinks from other credible websites, began sending SiteGPT more and more organic traffic.
As the Twitter traffic began to die down, Bhanu realized something crucial: the businesses who found real value in SiteGPT weren’t just using it for their own sites—they were recommending it to others. This was the beginning of SiteGPT’s most powerful growth strategy: word-of-mouth referrals.
“Some of my customers started referring SiteGPT to their friends,” Bhanu says. “I was getting bigger businesses signing up through these referrals.” It turned out that Bhanu’s tool had a network effect. When one business used SiteGPT and had success with it, they naturally spread the word to other companies in their industry.
But it wasn’t just referrals from users that fueled growth. Bhanu also saw traffic coming from Google—something that he hadn’t expected. As people started talking about SiteGPT on blogs, AI directories, and forums, Bhanu’s website gained backlinks and started to rank better on search engines.
"I didn’t do anything special. People were just searching for ‘customer support GPT,’ and my website popped up," says Bhanu. Google, recognizing the increasing mentions and backlinks from other credible websites, began sending SiteGPT more and more organic traffic.
The SEO Learning Curve
The SEO Learning Curve
Despite this success, Bhanu wasn’t actively working on SEO. However, the backlinks from other AI-related content were helping SiteGPT rank for relevant search terms. Google’s algorithms were giving his website a “boost” simply because it was being mentioned by others, even though Bhanu hadn’t optimized his site for search engines.
However, Bhanu admits that while these mentions were great for his site's domain authority, they didn’t translate into huge amounts of traffic. “Getting mentioned on AI directory sites didn’t bring in a ton of customers because there were so many other tools listed alongside mine,” Bhanu reflects. Still, the mentions helped establish SiteGPT’s credibility in the AI space and boosted its visibility.
To take things further, Bhanu started creating more content, like blog posts and help docs, in hopes of improving conversions. He understood that SEO wasn’t something you could hack overnight. It took patience, consistency, and continued content creation to really see long-term results.
Despite this success, Bhanu wasn’t actively working on SEO. However, the backlinks from other AI-related content were helping SiteGPT rank for relevant search terms. Google’s algorithms were giving his website a “boost” simply because it was being mentioned by others, even though Bhanu hadn’t optimized his site for search engines.
However, Bhanu admits that while these mentions were great for his site's domain authority, they didn’t translate into huge amounts of traffic. “Getting mentioned on AI directory sites didn’t bring in a ton of customers because there were so many other tools listed alongside mine,” Bhanu reflects. Still, the mentions helped establish SiteGPT’s credibility in the AI space and boosted its visibility.
To take things further, Bhanu started creating more content, like blog posts and help docs, in hopes of improving conversions. He understood that SEO wasn’t something you could hack overnight. It took patience, consistency, and continued content creation to really see long-term results.
The Struggle with Customer Churn
The Struggle with Customer Churn
Despite all the initial growth, Bhanu couldn’t avoid one of the harsh realities of running an indie business: churn. Many of the customers who signed up during the AI boom didn’t have a lasting need for SiteGPT. They were simply experimenting with the latest AI trend. Bhanu knew he had to focus on real, long-term customers—those who saw value in SiteGPT’s ability to automate customer support and integrate AI into their businesses.
“People who didn’t have a need for it wouldn’t even respond to my emails,” Bhanu says. Even when he offered one-on-one calls to get feedback, many users ignored him. But for the customers who did need the product, SiteGPT worked wonders. As a result, the business slowly began to attract more committed, long-term users.
Despite all the initial growth, Bhanu couldn’t avoid one of the harsh realities of running an indie business: churn. Many of the customers who signed up during the AI boom didn’t have a lasting need for SiteGPT. They were simply experimenting with the latest AI trend. Bhanu knew he had to focus on real, long-term customers—those who saw value in SiteGPT’s ability to automate customer support and integrate AI into their businesses.
“People who didn’t have a need for it wouldn’t even respond to my emails,” Bhanu says. Even when he offered one-on-one calls to get feedback, many users ignored him. But for the customers who did need the product, SiteGPT worked wonders. As a result, the business slowly began to attract more committed, long-term users.
Living the Indie Life: Low Costs and Big Profits
Living the Indie Life: Low Costs and Big Profits
One of the advantages Bhanu had was his low cost of living. “I live with my parents, so I didn’t have any expenses,” he shares. With a monthly salary of just $2,500 before launching SiteGPT, Bhanu could reinvest most of his profits back into the business. This gave him the flexibility to grow without the constant pressure of burning through cash.
Bhanu’s ability to live cheaply in India allowed him to focus entirely on building the business, without worrying about a high burn rate. Many aspiring indie makers in expensive cities face a similar challenge: balancing living costs with the need to grow their business. Bhanu’s strategy was simple: keep costs low, keep the focus high.
One of the advantages Bhanu had was his low cost of living. “I live with my parents, so I didn’t have any expenses,” he shares. With a monthly salary of just $2,500 before launching SiteGPT, Bhanu could reinvest most of his profits back into the business. This gave him the flexibility to grow without the constant pressure of burning through cash.
Bhanu’s ability to live cheaply in India allowed him to focus entirely on building the business, without worrying about a high burn rate. Many aspiring indie makers in expensive cities face a similar challenge: balancing living costs with the need to grow their business. Bhanu’s strategy was simple: keep costs low, keep the focus high.
What's Next for SiteGPT?
What's Next for SiteGPT?
Today, Bhanu is still figuring out the next step for SiteGPT. While Twitter and referrals continue to drive traffic, he’s working on new content strategies to improve conversion rates. He’s even considering making YouTube videos to show how SiteGPT can be used to build better customer support systems.
Despite the unpredictability of his journey, Bhanu remains grounded in what he’s learned: creating a product you care about, finding real customers, and relying on organic growth are all keys to building a successful indie business. But perhaps the most important lesson Bhanu learned is that growth doesn’t happen in a straight line. It’s a mix of experimentation, customer feedback, and perseverance.
Today, Bhanu is still figuring out the next step for SiteGPT. While Twitter and referrals continue to drive traffic, he’s working on new content strategies to improve conversion rates. He’s even considering making YouTube videos to show how SiteGPT can be used to build better customer support systems.
Despite the unpredictability of his journey, Bhanu remains grounded in what he’s learned: creating a product you care about, finding real customers, and relying on organic growth are all keys to building a successful indie business. But perhaps the most important lesson Bhanu learned is that growth doesn’t happen in a straight line. It’s a mix of experimentation, customer feedback, and perseverance.
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
If you’re thinking of launching your own AI product, or any indie business for that matter, there’s a lot to learn from Bhanu’s story:
Leverage the Hype, But Don't Rely on It: AI and other trends can give you an initial boost, but the real work starts when the hype dies down.
Referral Marketing Is King: Happy customers who share your product with others are often your most powerful growth engine.
SEO Takes Time: Focus on creating great content and building backlinks, but don’t expect instant results.
Churn Is Inevitable: Not everyone will stick around. Focus on finding the customers who truly need your product and are willing to pay for it.
Keep Costs Low: If you can, try to reduce your living expenses so you can reinvest more into your business.
Bhanu Teja P. didn’t have a magic formula. But through persistence, strategic focus, and an understanding of his market, he turned SiteGPT from a small side project into a successful business. His journey is proof that, sometimes, the simplest solutions are the most effective. Keep building, keep experimenting, and keep learning—success may just follow.
If you’re thinking of launching your own AI product, or any indie business for that matter, there’s a lot to learn from Bhanu’s story:
Leverage the Hype, But Don't Rely on It: AI and other trends can give you an initial boost, but the real work starts when the hype dies down.
Referral Marketing Is King: Happy customers who share your product with others are often your most powerful growth engine.
SEO Takes Time: Focus on creating great content and building backlinks, but don’t expect instant results.
Churn Is Inevitable: Not everyone will stick around. Focus on finding the customers who truly need your product and are willing to pay for it.
Keep Costs Low: If you can, try to reduce your living expenses so you can reinvest more into your business.
Bhanu Teja P. didn’t have a magic formula. But through persistence, strategic focus, and an understanding of his market, he turned SiteGPT from a small side project into a successful business. His journey is proof that, sometimes, the simplest solutions are the most effective. Keep building, keep experimenting, and keep learning—success may just follow.
Full Interview
Full Interview
Full interview posted on MixEnergy
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Full interview posted on MixEnergy
I share more of these case studies in my newsletter and i'd love fo you to join here 😊
Do me a favor and pass this on to a friend or share on X/reddit? It'll take just 20 seconds—this one took me about 14 hours to research and write 🫠
Shoot me a DM if you want to share your story or visit this page to submit your information 💌
