I built an AI startup in one weekend with no-code
My name is Tom, and I have a passion for building and launching new ideas using a no-code stack. I'm the founder of Cluee.app, a platform for no-code developers and in my free time, I help aspiring freelancers become no-code pros. I am also a certified Bubble developer, but I also enjoy using and trying out new no-code tools that are constantly emerging in the market.
Last weekend, I turned a newsletter FOMO fix into a startup reality using no-code stack. Here's the story, including the tools I used:
🛠️ It all started one Friday. After hosting a webinar on using no-code & AI tools for quick launches, I had a lightbulb moment: Why not build my own side project over the weekend? It was the perfect chance to put theory into practice and prove that it's really possible.
Oh, and I was eager to test out a new no-code backend I found recently 😉
💡 The idea sparked from a personal pain point and one of the newsletters I receive. Like many, I'm subscribed to tons of newsletters but struggle to keep up. FOMO is real! So, why not create a solution to summarize these newsletters?
🎨 Branding and Identity: The first step was to give my project an identity. I decided on the name 'SummaLetter' (with a little help of ChatGPT) and used Brandmark.io to craft a logo that embodied simplicity and effectiveness. This was a crucial step in setting the tone and visual representation of the project.
🖥️ Backend Development with FastGen: So, FastGen. I've been eyeing this tool for a while, and guess what? They announced a hackathon right around the time I was brainstorming for SummaLetter. So right now this wasn't just about trying out a new tool; it was also about stepping into a challenge 😎
FastGen's interface was straightforward and functional, making it a practical choice for my needs. They are a new player on the no-code landscape, but definitely worth trying! A key task during this phase was also integrating OpenAI to enable intelligent summaries for SummaLetter – an essential feature for the app.
Note: Although I initially launched with FastGen as the backend, after few weeks I eventually switched back to the Bubble database, as having everything in one place is much simpler and more straightforward.
🌐 The Web App Development with Bubble: Moving on to the frontend, I turned to a familiar ally: Bubble. It's a platform I use daily, and it's become a staple in my development toolkit. Bubble's straightforward approach to complex tasks suits my workflow perfectly, especially when it comes to building user-friendly applications with a lots of integrations.
For SummaLetter, the objective was clear: create an app that’s easy to navigate and robust in performance. Bubble's strengths in built in user authentication and API connectivity were particularly useful here. I appreciate how Bubble simplifies these aspects, allowing me to focus on the overall user experience without getting lost in technical details.
What I enjoy about Bubble is its practicality. It offers a good balance of flexibility and functionality, which is essential for rapid development cycles like this one. It might not be flashy, but its reliability and efficiency make it a preferred choice for my projects.
✉️ Email Integration: Integrating an efficient email system was crucial. I chose MailerSend for its easines in API intergration and handling transactional emails. So it wasn't long before SummaLetter was sending out its first batch of summarized newsletters.
💳 Implementing the Monetization Strategy: When it came to the monetization aspect of SummaLetter, Lemon Squeezy made the process straightforward and efficient. As a merchant of record, Lemon Squeezy not only provides a platform to set up a subscription model but also tooks on the responsibilities associated with financial transactions, tax compliance, and more. So it's a perfect fit for indie hackers who'd like to sell worldwide!
⏱️ Was it really built in a weekend? Absolutely! Tracked by my other app - Cluee.app, I spent 11 hours in Bubble, plus some extra time learning FastGen and creating promotional materials.
🚀 That's the story of how SummaLetter came to life in just a weekend! 🚀 It is now live and running, and you can check it out at https://summaletter.com.
I'm eager to hear your feedback on this rapid development journey. Have you ever embarked on a project with such a tight turnaround? Share your stories and experiences!
Just checked out your PH and website - have you considered adding something about getting a free "@inbox.summaletter.com" address right at the top? Might help people understand a bit more and that they definitely 'get' something?
That is actually a great idea! Thanks for the feedback!
You are a legend Tom, thanks for sharing your story, learned a lot from you.
Great to hear that! Thanks!
Awesome! I actually love the simplicity. 🥳 I don't know about you, but I am so bored with endless sales pages...
Thank you!
Sleek one, Tom! And I love the simple solution to a common problem. Since this is an AI tool, why not submit to my directory:
switbai.com/submit-ai-tool.
Listing is free for now.
Success!
Hey Tom, the landing page and product look great!
I am wondering whether you have did some market research on potential competitors or existing tools on the market for newsletters, such as Substack. What is the main differentiation compared to these products?
I did a quick Google research with no significant results. Remember that the whole idea was a weekend project :) Substack is a different category - in fact Summaletter can summarize Substack newsletters if you wish!
Hey Tom! I love this a lot and will be making a web app around this structure. Are there any tools that could be great at making an AI, or should I try to integrate chat into the project I am developing?
I use Bubble to create apps and OpenAI to integrate AI models - so to integrate chat you can just use OpenAI API.
Wow, Tom! Building a startup in a weekend is no small feat. It’s impressive how you identified a common problem and quickly turned it into a solution. Your use of no-code tools is truly inspiring for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Thanks!
Your landing page effectively communicates the benefits of your solution, impressively doing so even without a demo video. I experimented with a similar idea for an email assistant that filters important emails, but soon realized that 'important' is a vague and ever-changing concept. I noticed you're using a keyword method, which is a simple and solid start. However, you might consider enhancing it, perhaps taking inspiration from YouTube's suggestion algorithm. Instead of just picking up on concepts, finding relevant ones could yield better results. For example, as the user begins to engage with one of the app's suggestions, the system could refresh and offer new, related articles.
That will be a lot more complicated. Maybe for version 2 ;) Thanks for your feedback!
Looking forward to seeing the version 2 :)
Awesome stuff man! I had this same idea, and am a Bubbler too, but didn't end up working on it. Love your implementation and giving users their own mailbox is more eloquent than I was thinking of.
I think the Free Tier is solid, but maybe look at an annual amount that sits between the Free and Pro tiers? I'm probably over 10 newsletters, but I'm not gonna pay €9/month. But €49/yr could be doable, if the user's tried and liked the experience.
Keep going 💪
If you are willing to pay this yearly fee I am going to make it for you!
This is incredible! I'm currently taking my first web development course, with only a basic understanding of 'R', and have been looking for no-code tools as a I am more of a product/UX brain than a coder. Will take a look at what you built, thanks for sharing!
Let me know if you need any help!
Honestly, I've had this idea for a while that I'd be really interested in hearing your thoughts on it terms of feasibility. My idea: a discovery platform for products and services for your health. This includes things like wearables, meal prep services, meditation apps, etc... and it would help people find solutions quicker, with more variety, and with a streamlined UX. I'm still not sure how to build it, but with AI tools it seems like it could be possible to scrape websites and summarize key information (eg. price, product description, hours of operation, etc...). Let me know if you have any thoughts!
So the crucial thing is not how to build it using nocode but how to build it in general. I mean tou should define the scope first, the flows, business cases etc. The idea seems complex so prepare it first.
Thanks for your feedback! I think I have some more thinking to do
Very nice! I work across what I call No Code / Low Code / Pro Code (for lack of a better term). What blocking issues do you see with Bubble , for example? Thanks in advance.
Actually: none. The only issue is the platform lockdown - once you build in Bubble the code stays in Bubble. You cannot export and host elsewhere.
Thanks. I have built a number of successful full stack releases in the past. I'm planning some new line-of-biz SaaS apps. Multi-tenant, multi-user, browser based, forms and lists. A CRUD generator and a data-base-first approach would be helpful. I could use full stack frameworks like Django, MERN/MEAN, Laravel, .Net ...
Will Bubble work?
With that I'd rather check Xano which is a super cool no-code backend. And you can attach any frontend to it.
Yeah, looked at it. The backend is important of course but so is a CRUD generator. When I say "CRUD gen and database-first", something like Access, Glide, Entity Framework, Flatlogic.
With Xano you've got all of these out of the box!
Noted, thanks. I will take a closer look. Another way to think about it is "SaaS boilerplate" or jumpstart. There are a number on the market. For example, volca dot io.
There is one for Bubble too, from Lee: https://leelaunches.com/
Thanks again. You are very helpful!
Thats impressive Tom!
Im a solo non-tech founder and I'm on the lookout for a cofounder/CTO/developer to help me build the product. The product is a journaling app with an AI component to it. Would you be interested in developing the app using no-code Bubble?
Let's talk! You can find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/twesolowski
Brilliant! I have sent you a DM on Twitter. Also followed.
waoow
Can you please share the idea?
The idea and the working product is here: https://summaletter.com/
Great Idea and looks good, congrats. My question is will the summaries be separated based one the categories of topics ?
Thats an idea to consider! Would you like to have the topics grouped automatically by AI or set manually?
I would prefer automatically grouped
Impressive achievement Tom! Thanks for sharing!
Happy to share!
Hey Tom,
Wow, what an inspiring journey! SummaLetter sounds like an incredible project, and it's impressive how you turned a newsletter FOMO fix into a startup reality over the weekend. The combination of FastGen, Bubble, and other tools seems like a winning formula for rapid development.
I'm particularly intrigued by your choice of Lemon Squeezy for monetization – sounds like a hassle-free solution for indie hackers. Kudos on the 11-hour sprint in Bubble and the extra effort learning FastGen – dedication pays off!
Heading over to summaletter now to check it out. Wishing you continued success with SummaLetter and your endeavors in the no-code space!
And of course let me know what you think about the app after using it 😊
Thanks! Lemon Squeezy is hassle-free indeed! You should try it!
I am using bubble to create social media marketing app. The tough part is finding a product market fit but it seems like you got it!
It's still ahead of me, but at least the app is ready and working :)
Cool UI, inspiring stort, and it solves a real problem.
+1 on ProductHunt.
Thank you!
It's inspiring how you efficiently addressed a real pain point and brought it to life in such a short span. Congratulations on the successful launch of SummaLetter!
Thanks!
1 week OMG i've been on it for months
Are you working on a similar idea?
no
But with nocode? :)
Looks cool!
thank you Twesolowski
I would like to help you with your customer analysis. From this analysis you can see what topic your potential customer are interested online.
Here are the customer analysis for Summaletter: SUMMALETTER CUSTOMER ANALYSIS
From the analysis you could see that when the topic "Email newsletter" have a good rating for google and reddit which means it have more engagement from the audience. And from this topic you can see they specifically interested on best practices for email newsletters, how to create engaging email newsletters and email newsletter design tips
Hopefully it is beneficial for you and you can also do the analysis for you self using decentool.com which is currently free
;) Thanks.
Tom, what an impressive accomplishment! It's so inspiring to see how you have tapped into the power of no-code to bring your vision of Cluee.app to life so quickly. Kudos!
Actually Cluee.app took much more longer. The story is about side project called https://summaletter.com/
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Which is more cool: the idea or building in a weekend? 😀
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Haha thanks 😅