My Path From 9-to-5 to Indie Hacker

I have been fascinated by computers and software from early childhood, beginning in the AIM days. For those unfamiliar, AIM was essentially a chat app that allowed users to add a short bio or "about" section. At the age of 13, I was engrossed in this app, my only complaint being that I desired a more customizable "about" section where I could express myself more freely and add as much content as I wanted. My adventure began when I searched for and discovered ways to create single-page personal sites for myself, and eventually for others as well, primarily through copying and pasting code. It was a humble beginning, a playful engagement with the building blocks of the web that ignited a passion within me.

Throughout my youth, whenever someone asked what I wanted to be, I would consistently respond, "I want to own my own business." Yet, the path to achieving this dream remained a mystery; I was unsure of the 'what' and 'how,' but I was certain that I wanted to run my own business and that I had a profound love for software above anything else I encountered. College came and went, bringing with it a software engineering program that promised to open the world to me. However, life's unpredictable nature led me down a different path. I found myself self-taught in coding, a period marked by self-discovery and an understanding of creation through the lens of a programmer, with the ultimate goal of having creation at my fingertips—to be able to create anything I desired.

Life, with its myriad responsibilities and unexpected turns, led me to take developer jobs for which I am eternally grateful. The 9-5 grind became my reality, a necessary detour that momentarily sidelined my entrepreneurial aspirations. Eight years later, the flame of creation still burned, reminding me of the passion that once drove me to dream of creating my own businesses and innovations.

In the crucible of my software development agency, I honed my skills, bringing to life the dreams of others while my own awaited their turn. The stories of Pieter Levels and Marc Lou deeply inspired me; their journeys, their successes, and the lives they crafted on their own terms prompted a pivotal decision: it was time to reclaim my dream.

I have decided to embark on a journey to launch one product a month for an entire year. Twelve products, each serving as a stepping stone toward realizing my dream. January's project was a modest beginning. As a fan of MMA and Boxing, I often found myself frustrated by the disjointed nature of fight schedules across various organizations. This personal frustration led to the creation of fightscalendar.com, a centralized platform where enthusiasts like myself can find upcoming fights, receive notifications for new events, and stay updated on cancellations or fighter changes.

I am already working on February's project and beyond that, I have no specific plans, but I am jotting down ideas as they come and will make a decision as March approaches. As I embark on this year-long goal, each project represents more than just a product; they are milestones on the path to fulfilling a lifelong dream. The road ahead is fraught with challenges, but the lessons of the past and the inspirations of the present fuel my journey. I am aware that it might take more than a year and perhaps 12 projects will not suffice, but for now, I am setting my goal at 12 projects in 12 months, and we'll see what happens after that.