📖 Story4: From Burnout to Bootstrap — $28K MRR With No Outside Funding
💼💸 €26K/mo Founder Story: How Sorin Alupoaie Rebounded From a Failed VC-Backed SaaS to Build a Profitable App Portfolio
💥 Hook
❌ First startup failed after taking angel money too early. ✅ Second time, he bootstrapped patiently on the side. 💰 Now Sorin runs Swifteq, earning €26K MRR (~$28K) from Zendesk apps — solo.
❝ I learned the hard way — funding before validation creates a false sense of security. ❞
✍️ From Funded Failure ➝ Bootstrapped Comeback ➝ €26K MRR 💣 Angel Money Killed His First Startup 2016: Built Cx Moments → raised angel money before validation
Needed salary → took outside investment too early
Result: dilution, pressure, missed product-market fit
Company failed
🔁 Second Attempt: Bootstrapping Swifteq on the Side Started Swifteq while working full time
Saved up 1 year of runway before quitting
Took no outside money
Became profitable within 6 months of going full time
Built lean → focused on revenue from day 1
📊 Snapshot Summary
→ 💵 MRR: €26K (~$28K)
→ 📈 Revenue Growth: 2× in last 12 months
→ 💼 Business: Zendesk app portfolio
→ 🔁 Model: SaaS + one-time licenses
→ 🧑💻 Team: Solo founder + partners
→ 🛠️ Stack: React, Node.js, MongoDB, Python
→ 🧾 Funding: 100% bootstrapped
→ 🗓️ Started: Side hustle → full time
⏱️ Timeline
📅 2016: Funded, failed startup (Cx Moments)
📅 2021–22: Working full time, building Swifteq nights/weekends
📅 Mid 2022: Quit job with 12-month runway
📅 2023: Reached profitability in 6 months
📅 2024: €26K MRR, running full time
🧰 Tools That Made It Work
💻 Stack: React, Node.js, MongoDB, Python
🧩 Apps: Built on Zendesk ecosystem
📬 Marketing: Blog, free tools, email
📢 Ads: Reddit (moderate success)
📦 Free Tools: For email capture + upsell
📍 Marketplace: Zendesk App Store
📚 Content Engine: Subject matter expert-written blog
📦 Sorin’s Playbook
💥 Avoid premature funding
🏗️ Build while earning salary → reduce risk
💬 Launch early + charge immediately
💸 Avoid underpricing — value perception matters
📣 Start content + marketing early
🛠️ One-time feature passes to reduce churn
🤝 Use free tools to drive email + upsell
🔍 Core Product Q&A
❓ What is Swifteq? A suite of automation + efficiency apps built on top of Zendesk for Customer Support teams.
❓ What’s the model? SaaS: Monthly + annual plans. Also offers one-time 30-day passes for churn-prone features.
❓ Why do users buy? → Save time on customer support ops → Plug gaps in Zendesk workflows → Instant install from Zendesk marketplace
❓ Stack details? → Frontend: React → Backend: Node.js, MongoDB → Automation/Data: Python
💬 Quote Pullouts
❝ Don’t undervalue your product — pricing affects who you attract. ❞ ❝ I launched my first app in 2 weeks. No fluff. Just launched. ❞ ❝ The biggest roadblock? It’s always me — my mindset, my habits. ❞
💡 Founder’s Formula
Funded → Failed Bootstrapped → Profitable Side Hustle → €26K MRR Zendesk → Full ecosystem moat Focus on value → Customers return + upgrade
🧲 Tweet Hook / Social Preview
He failed his first startup after taking angel money too early.
The second time, he bootstrapped slowly on the side.
Now he’s making €26K MRR from a suite of simple Zendesk apps — solo.
No funding. No team. Just focus.
This is how you bounce back.
🧭 Advanced Roadmap: How You Can Replicate It
💸 Investment Needed
💰 $0–$500 upfront
→ Zendesk developer access
→ Hosting
→ Blog/marketing content
→ Basic tooling stack
🧰 Tools You’ll Need
Tool → Role
React → Frontend UI
Node.js → App backend
MongoDB → DB for app storage
Python → Automation scripts
Zendesk → API Platform integration
MailerLite → Email drip + upsell
Webflow/Blog → Weekly SEO content
🧠 Skills & Experience Required
🔧 Strong backend + frontend skills
🧩 Familiarity with Zendesk ecosystem
📬 Email marketing basics
📈 Understand product-led growth + app marketplaces
🧠 Customer feedback loop building
🚀 Go-to-Market Plan
🛒 Launch on Zendesk App Marketplace
💡 Create 1–2 free utility apps → capture emails
✍️ Build blog + email list via expert content
🧲 Run contextual banners/CTAs inside free apps
📬 Email users about premium tools
📢 Test paid ads (Reddit, Google)
🤝 Form micro-partnerships in support tools space
🥊 Compete With Existing Players
🕳️ Gap: Zendesk lacks granular automation tools
✅ Build plug-ins that solve high-friction issues
✅ Offer better UX + cheaper price point
✅ Win with: → Simpler UX → Niche features → Real user feedback loop
🧬 Unique Edge You Can Create
🎯 Deep focus on customer experience teams
🧩 Custom small tools = faster time to value
💌 Embedded upsells inside helpful free tools
📚 Weekly expert content → ongoing trust + mindshare
🧲 How to Get Customers
🛍️ Zendesk App Store discovery
🆓 Free utility tools with email capture
📬 Email drips from blog + app signup
✍️ SEO blog via industry experts
🧠 Referral via Zendesk admins
📢 Test Reddit + LinkedIn ads
🔍 Founder’s Deep Dive: Lessons You Can’t Google
❓ Why did your first startup fail? → Raised money before validation → wrong incentives → killed flexibility
❓ What was the turning point? → Saving 12 months of salary = freedom to build slowly and intentionally
❓ What made growth possible? → Offering one-time feature passes reduced churn
→ Free apps created marketing + email leverage
❓ Most underrated growth channel? → High-quality, expert-written content — not generic outsourced blog spam
❓ What's the bottleneck now? → Himself: shifting mindset from developer to marketer
📈 Earning Potential & How to Scale
💵 Starter Target: €5K MRR via Zendesk
📈 12-Month Goal: €40–50K MRR
🎯 Stretch: €1M ARR by expanding into Intercom, Freshdesk, Salesforce
🧠 Mindset Shifts
“Raising money doesn’t guarantee success.” “The best security? A full year of runway.” “Build for the customer, not your ego.”
🌀 Growth Flywheel
→ Launch paid Zendesk app
→ Create free companion tool
→ Collect email
→ build trust
→ upsell
→ Use feedback to improve features
→ Introduce more tools in same ecosystem
→ Expand to other CX platforms
🧩 Stack + Strategy Grid
Area → Choice → Why
Platform → Zendesk → Niche ecosystem, high LTV
Frontend → React → Fast dev
Backend → Node.js + MongoDB → Scalable + flexible
Data automation → Python → Power user features
Content Expert → written → Real value, not fluff
Free Tools → Small utilities → Value-first lead magnets
❌ Monetization That Failed
❌ Generic agency blog = no engagement
❌ Too-low pricing → low value perception
❌ Overbuilding early → no validation
⚠️ Bottlenecks / Risks
⚠️ Over-reliance on Zendesk → platform risk
⚠️ Solo founder bias toward dev over marketing
⚠️ Paid ads can drop suddenly
⚠️ Hard to scale without delegation
📅 30-Day Rebuild Plan
📅 Week 1: → Pick 1 Zendesk gap → ship MVP → Set up listing + payment
📅 Week 2: → Build free utility app to capture emails → Write first 2 expert articles for blog
📅 Week 3: → Set up embedded banners to upsell → Drip email sequence for free users
📅 Week 4: → Test $100 Reddit ads → Partner with Zendesk consultants for referrals
