How Adrian Turned His Web Scraping Skills into a $7k/Month Passive Income
How Adrian Turned His Web Scraping Skills into a $7k/Month Passive Income
Nov 22, 2024
Adrian Horning
Adrian Horning
⏳ 6.5 min
⏳ 6.5 min
Revenue/month
Revenue/month
$7,000
$7,000
$7,000
No. of founders
No. of founders
1
1
1
Startup costs
Startup costs
N/A
N/A
N/A
Company type
Company type
Company type
E-commerce
E-commerce
E-commerce
Contents
The Backstory
The Backstory
In 2018, Adrian Horning was 28 and nowhere near coding. With a psychology degree, he’d dabbled in sports journalism, detoured into HR, and worked an engineering role, but life in tech wasn't on the radar. Yet here we are in 2024, and Adrian’s built a thriving, self-sustaining business off one thing: web scraping. His course nets around $7,000 monthly in passive income, he’s just launched a SaaS product, and he finally has the luxury of weekends off.
So how did he make the switch, build a brand, and find financial freedom from scraping data? Let’s dig into Adrian’s journey from his first scrape to full-on internet success.
In 2018, Adrian Horning was 28 and nowhere near coding. With a psychology degree, he’d dabbled in sports journalism, detoured into HR, and worked an engineering role, but life in tech wasn't on the radar. Yet here we are in 2024, and Adrian’s built a thriving, self-sustaining business off one thing: web scraping. His course nets around $7,000 monthly in passive income, he’s just launched a SaaS product, and he finally has the luxury of weekends off.
So how did he make the switch, build a brand, and find financial freedom from scraping data? Let’s dig into Adrian’s journey from his first scrape to full-on internet success.
From HR to Indie Hacker
From HR to Indie Hacker
Adrian’s foray into tech began with a job application for a coding boot camp—he wanted an HR role at App Academy. But fate had a different plan. He quickly realized he should be applying as a student, not as a staffer. The boot camp spoke to people “just like him” who’d found success with no coding background.
This moment planted the seed: maybe he could do this coding thing. A few months later, Adrian graduated and became a software engineer. Still, a traditional engineering role didn’t hold his interest for long. He wanted more flexibility and more ownership.
And then came the first taste of “internet money.”
Adrian and a friend hacked together a bot to track Lululemon yoga pants restocks, something his friend’s wife (and other Lululemon fans) were passionate about. They put it up on Reddit, where it quickly gained traction—until the subreddit admins shut it down. But they’d gotten enough eyeballs to sell the project for $20,000.
That $20k changed everything. “That was my first internet money, and it was crazy,” Adrian said. From that point on, he knew web scraping was his way in.
Adrian’s foray into tech began with a job application for a coding boot camp—he wanted an HR role at App Academy. But fate had a different plan. He quickly realized he should be applying as a student, not as a staffer. The boot camp spoke to people “just like him” who’d found success with no coding background.
This moment planted the seed: maybe he could do this coding thing. A few months later, Adrian graduated and became a software engineer. Still, a traditional engineering role didn’t hold his interest for long. He wanted more flexibility and more ownership.
And then came the first taste of “internet money.”
Adrian and a friend hacked together a bot to track Lululemon yoga pants restocks, something his friend’s wife (and other Lululemon fans) were passionate about. They put it up on Reddit, where it quickly gained traction—until the subreddit admins shut it down. But they’d gotten enough eyeballs to sell the project for $20,000.
That $20k changed everything. “That was my first internet money, and it was crazy,” Adrian said. From that point on, he knew web scraping was his way in.
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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.
➤ 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.
Building the Brand: Why “Web Scraping Guy” Stuck
Building the Brand: Why “Web Scraping Guy” Stuck
Once Adrian committed to web scraping, he went all-in on branding. Inspired by a My First Million podcast episode that talked about niche “Guy” accounts (Car Dealership Guy, Strip Mall Guy), Adrian realized that people wouldn’t remember his name but would remember “Web Scraping Guy.”
Suddenly, he was everywhere on social media as Web Scraping Guy, giving out free tips and showing what he could do with scraping. With his brand, he attracted clients who trusted him as the “scraping expert,” including people like Moses Kagan, an influential Twitter personality and real estate investor.
Once Adrian committed to web scraping, he went all-in on branding. Inspired by a My First Million podcast episode that talked about niche “Guy” accounts (Car Dealership Guy, Strip Mall Guy), Adrian realized that people wouldn’t remember his name but would remember “Web Scraping Guy.”
Suddenly, he was everywhere on social media as Web Scraping Guy, giving out free tips and showing what he could do with scraping. With his brand, he attracted clients who trusted him as the “scraping expert,” including people like Moses Kagan, an influential Twitter personality and real estate investor.
How to Blow Up on Social Media (According to Adrian)
How to Blow Up on Social Media (According to Adrian)
Adrian’s friend, Carson Szeder, had nailed the social media game, gaining 50,000 followers on Instagram in a matter of months. His secret? Make reels about quick, funny projects with a consistent style. This inspired Adrian’s approach.
But building a following wasn’t just about posting cool projects. It was about being himself—openly sharing his wins, losses, and experiments in scraping. The transparency made people trust him and feel connected to his journey. One of his projects that gained traction involved scraping Angi, a home services platform, which netted him $17,000. He shared that openly, capturing followers interested in learning more about web scraping.
Then came the Ultimate Web Scraping Course.
Adrian’s friend, Carson Szeder, had nailed the social media game, gaining 50,000 followers on Instagram in a matter of months. His secret? Make reels about quick, funny projects with a consistent style. This inspired Adrian’s approach.
But building a following wasn’t just about posting cool projects. It was about being himself—openly sharing his wins, losses, and experiments in scraping. The transparency made people trust him and feel connected to his journey. One of his projects that gained traction involved scraping Angi, a home services platform, which netted him $17,000. He shared that openly, capturing followers interested in learning more about web scraping.
Then came the Ultimate Web Scraping Course.
Making $20k in 3 Days
Making $20k in 3 Days
By the time he launched his course, Adrian’s brand had been building for two to three years. People knew who Web Scraping Guy was, and they trusted him. So when he launched The Ultimate Web Scraping Course, it took off.
He’d nearly sold the course to a SaaS company for $20k, but they used Python, and Adrian’s a JavaScript guy. So he kept it, built it out over a couple of weeks, and put it on Gumroad. In the first three days, he made $20,000.
(Adrians course on Gumroad)
Now, the course nets him around $7,000 per month. He keeps the momentum going with smart promotions—mainly giveaways on Twitter. For instance, he’ll scrape a list of useful data, give it away for free on Twitter, and plug the course at the end.
By the time he launched his course, Adrian’s brand had been building for two to three years. People knew who Web Scraping Guy was, and they trusted him. So when he launched The Ultimate Web Scraping Course, it took off.
He’d nearly sold the course to a SaaS company for $20k, but they used Python, and Adrian’s a JavaScript guy. So he kept it, built it out over a couple of weeks, and put it on Gumroad. In the first three days, he made $20,000.
(Adrians course on Gumroad)
Now, the course nets him around $7,000 per month. He keeps the momentum going with smart promotions—mainly giveaways on Twitter. For instance, he’ll scrape a list of useful data, give it away for free on Twitter, and plug the course at the end.
Moving from Courses to SaaS
Moving from Courses to SaaS
Adrian’s goal wasn’t just to scrape data for clients or even just to teach others—it was to create a product that could scale. He then built Scrape Creators, an API designed to make scraping social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter easier for developers and agencies.
How did he get the idea? A social media follower sent him a Microacquire listing of a similar company that was bringing in $20,000 to $30,000 a month through SEO alone. Adrian noticed the company went offline soon after, and he seized the gap in the market. Scrape Creators was born.
And while there’s always a risk of legal challenges in web scraping, he stays in the clear by avoiding scrapes behind social media logins and citing the recent legal victory of Bright Data, a scraping company that had lawsuits against them dropped.
Now, Adrian is focused on marketing Scrape Creators to the right customer: developers and agencies building influencer tools. He’s still learning the ropes of marketing products (as opposed to himself), but he’s confident that once he nails down his ideal customer profile, he’ll see real growth.
Adrian’s goal wasn’t just to scrape data for clients or even just to teach others—it was to create a product that could scale. He then built Scrape Creators, an API designed to make scraping social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter easier for developers and agencies.
How did he get the idea? A social media follower sent him a Microacquire listing of a similar company that was bringing in $20,000 to $30,000 a month through SEO alone. Adrian noticed the company went offline soon after, and he seized the gap in the market. Scrape Creators was born.
And while there’s always a risk of legal challenges in web scraping, he stays in the clear by avoiding scrapes behind social media logins and citing the recent legal victory of Bright Data, a scraping company that had lawsuits against them dropped.
Now, Adrian is focused on marketing Scrape Creators to the right customer: developers and agencies building influencer tools. He’s still learning the ropes of marketing products (as opposed to himself), but he’s confident that once he nails down his ideal customer profile, he’ll see real growth.
Life-Changing Passive Income and Gaining Time Back
Life-Changing Passive Income and Gaining Time Back
For Adrian, the course income hasn’t just been “extra money”—it’s been life-changing. The financial cushion has allowed him to quit taking on extra freelance gigs, spend weekends with friends, and take part in hobbies he’d abandoned (like volleyball). “I know I’ll be able to pay my rent now after worrying about it every couple of months for the last two years,” he shared.
His advice to others is simple but powerful: don’t underestimate the value of a course if you have expertise. There’s a lot of stigma around selling courses, but for Adrian, it’s been a legitimate way to build wealth and stability.
For Adrian, the course income hasn’t just been “extra money”—it’s been life-changing. The financial cushion has allowed him to quit taking on extra freelance gigs, spend weekends with friends, and take part in hobbies he’d abandoned (like volleyball). “I know I’ll be able to pay my rent now after worrying about it every couple of months for the last two years,” he shared.
His advice to others is simple but powerful: don’t underestimate the value of a course if you have expertise. There’s a lot of stigma around selling courses, but for Adrian, it’s been a legitimate way to build wealth and stability.
Adrian’s Key Tips for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Adrian’s Key Tips for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Build a Brand First: Make yourself known. Even if it’s a silly project, use it to get attention. People want to work with the expert, and if you’re “the guy” for your niche, you’ll get noticed.
Make Your Content Fun: Adrian’s biggest hit on Instagram was a project where he trained an AI to swipe right on dating apps if the AI thought the profile picture was attractive. Was it practical? No. Did it get people talking? Absolutely.
Give Away Value for Free: If you can scrape a useful list or data set, give some of it away and charge for the rest. This not only showcases your skills but also helps potential customers see the value in your work.
Don’t Be Afraid to Launch: If you’re knowledgeable about something, just go ahead and create the course or the product. It doesn’t have to be perfect. What matters is getting it out there, sharing your knowledge, and iterating based on feedback.
Find Your Ideal Customer Profile: For Adrian’s SaaS product, he’s still dialing in his ideal customer. But he knows once he does, his marketing will be more targeted, and growth will be easier. Start broad if you have to, but over time, get specific with who your product or service is for.
Leverage Social Media for Sales: Adrian uses Twitter giveaways to boost his course sales, and it’s been one of his best promotional strategies. A bit of free data or knowledge can turn a follower into a customer.
Build a Brand First: Make yourself known. Even if it’s a silly project, use it to get attention. People want to work with the expert, and if you’re “the guy” for your niche, you’ll get noticed.
Make Your Content Fun: Adrian’s biggest hit on Instagram was a project where he trained an AI to swipe right on dating apps if the AI thought the profile picture was attractive. Was it practical? No. Did it get people talking? Absolutely.
Give Away Value for Free: If you can scrape a useful list or data set, give some of it away and charge for the rest. This not only showcases your skills but also helps potential customers see the value in your work.
Don’t Be Afraid to Launch: If you’re knowledgeable about something, just go ahead and create the course or the product. It doesn’t have to be perfect. What matters is getting it out there, sharing your knowledge, and iterating based on feedback.
Find Your Ideal Customer Profile: For Adrian’s SaaS product, he’s still dialing in his ideal customer. But he knows once he does, his marketing will be more targeted, and growth will be easier. Start broad if you have to, but over time, get specific with who your product or service is for.
Leverage Social Media for Sales: Adrian uses Twitter giveaways to boost his course sales, and it’s been one of his best promotional strategies. A bit of free data or knowledge can turn a follower into a customer.
Final Thoughts
Final Thoughts
Adrian’s journey proves that you don’t need a traditional background to succeed in tech. You just need a marketable skill, a recognizable brand, and a willingness to share what you know.
For Adrian, success wasn’t about being the best engineer or the smartest coder. It was about being consistent, sharing his journey, and creating something people wanted. And now, he’s reaping the rewards—both financially and in freedom.
Adrian’s story is a testament to the power of self-branding, niche expertise, and a willingness to give value before asking for anything in return.
So if you’ve got a skill and a little hustle, you’re just one good idea away from your own “Web Scraping Guy” success story.
Follow more on Adrian's journey on X
P.S. I’ve got a weekly newsletter where I share stories about founders who have started successful online businesses, growth strategies, business ideas, and tips to start/grow your own business. I would love for you to join us here
Shoot me a DM if you want to share your story or visit this page to submit your information 💌
- h/t Indie Hackers, Scrape creators, The Ultimate Web Scraping Course⇢ Great resources
Adrian’s journey proves that you don’t need a traditional background to succeed in tech. You just need a marketable skill, a recognizable brand, and a willingness to share what you know.
For Adrian, success wasn’t about being the best engineer or the smartest coder. It was about being consistent, sharing his journey, and creating something people wanted. And now, he’s reaping the rewards—both financially and in freedom.
Adrian’s story is a testament to the power of self-branding, niche expertise, and a willingness to give value before asking for anything in return.
So if you’ve got a skill and a little hustle, you’re just one good idea away from your own “Web Scraping Guy” success story.
Follow more on Adrian's journey on X
P.S. I’ve got a weekly newsletter where I share stories about founders who have started successful online businesses, growth strategies, business ideas, and tips to start/grow your own business. I would love for you to join us here
Shoot me a DM if you want to share your story or visit this page to submit your information 💌
- h/t Indie Hackers, Scrape creators, The Ultimate Web Scraping Course⇢ Great resources
