Million-Dollar AI App (No Code)

Spent last night in my "office" (the laundry room) testing 5 AI tools. My wife thinks I'm folding clothes, but I'm actually building our vacation fund.

Have you had a chance to read the last issue? You can do so here.

🎁 AI SOLOPRENEUR STARTER KIT

50 working business ideas. 22 AI tools to grow. 171 prompts to build.

Have you check out yours? Download it here.

🔍 PROMPT TIP OF THE WEEK

I’ve got 3 tips for you to improve your prompts. Add them to the end of your prompts and instantly get higher quality outputs.

1. Ask me qualifying questions until you are 95% sure you can complete the task according to what I ask of you.
2. What would a top 0.1% person in this field think?
3. Reframe this in a way that challenges how I see the problem.

🖼️ IMAGE OF THE WEEK

🧰 AI TOOL OF THE WEEK

Lumalabs

Alright, let's talk about AI video generators. Most people are just making silly videos but not knowing how to turn a profit from them.

With Dream Machine, you can have a tool that's not just about making cool videos, but about fundamentally shifting how we think about content, scale, and even new business models.

What is it?

Dream Machine is a cutting-edge platform that lets you create stunning, realistic videos and images from simple text prompts or existing visuals. Think of it as your personal, on-demand video production studio, capable of generating professional-grade content without needing expensive equipment or complex software.

How you can make money with it:

What you wanna do here is create valuable assets that businesses and individuals are willing to pay for. Here are concrete ways to monetize, along with potential income ranges:

1. Freelance Video & Ad Creation for Small Businesses:

   • The Need: Local businesses (restaurants, boutiques, real estate agents, service providers) desperately need engaging video content for social media ads, website headers, or short promotional clips, but lack the budget for traditional videographers.

   • Your Solution: Use Lumalabs AI to quickly generate dynamic, eye-catching video ads or short explainers based on their products or services. Charge a flat fee per video or a package deal for a series of clips.

   • Potential Income: For short (15-60 second) social media videos, you could charge anywhere from $100 -$500+ per video, depending on complexity, client budget, and your experience. A package of 3-5 videos could fetch $500 -$2,000+.

   • Example: Create a 15-second video showcasing a new menu item for a local cafe, or a dynamic visual tour for a real estate listing.

2. Social Media Content Packages for Solopreneurs & Influencers:

   • The Need: Content creators, coaches, and solopreneurs constantly need fresh, high-quality visuals for platforms like Instagram Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and LinkedIn.

   • Your Solution: Offer monthly content packages where you generate a set number of unique, branded video clips or animated visuals using Lumalabs AI. This saves them time and helps them stand out.

   • Potential Income: Monthly retainers for content packages can range from $300 -$1,500+ per client, depending on the volume and type of content provided.

   • Example: Generate a series of abstract, engaging background videos for a motivational speaker's daily quotes, or dynamic product showcases for an e-commerce influencer.

3. Digital Product Enhancement & Sales:

   • The Need: If you're selling digital products (e-books, online courses, templates), compelling visuals are crucial for marketing and perceived value.

   • Your Solution: Create unique, attention-grabbing video intros for your online courses, animated mockups of your e-books, or dynamic promotional clips for your digital templates. These can be used on sales pages, social media, and email campaigns to drive conversions.

   • Potential Income: This is less about direct service fees and more about increasing the perceived value and sales of your own digital products. A well-produced video sales letter or course intro can significantly boost conversion rates, potentially adding hundreds to thousands of dollars to your product sales over time.

   • Example: Design a captivating 30-second animated trailer for your new online course, showcasing key modules with dynamic visuals.

4. Stock Video & Asset Creation:

   • The Need: Content creators and marketers are always looking for unique, high-quality stock footage and visual assets that aren't generic.

   • Your Solution: Generate a library of diverse video clips (e.g., abstract backgrounds, nature scenes, futuristic interfaces, specific object animations) using Lumalabs AI and sell them on stock media platforms like Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, or even your own Gumroad store.

   • Potential Income: This is a passive income stream. While individual sales might be small (e.g., $5 -$50 per license*), a large, high-quality portfolio can generate hundreds to thousands of dollars per month over time, depending on demand and the size of your library.

   • Example: Create a collection of "futuristic cityscapes" or "abstract energy flows" and list them for sale.

Cost & Getting Started:

Lumalabs AI no longer offers a free tier or trial, but they are priced reasonably enough for you to experiment and build a portfolio without high upfront investment.

• Lite plan: $9.99/mo

• Plus plan: $29.99/mo

• Unlimited plan: $94.99/mo

This is perfect for budget-conscious entrepreneurs. Start by mastering a few key prompt techniques, build a small portfolio of diverse examples, and then reach out to potential clients to quickly cover your cost.

The Practical Takeaway:

This is a tool that you can directly translate into income by solving real-world visual content needs for businesses and creators. Focus on a specific niche, offer clear value, and start creating!

💸 AI INCOME USE CASE

From "Scratching Your Own Itch" to a Million-Dollar No-Code AI Business (The Formula Bot Story)

This week, we're diving into the incredible journey of David Brossard, a "normal guy" who, with a full-time job and a new baby, built an AI app now valued at over a million dollars – all with no code. His story with "For Real Bot" (formerly Excel Formula Bot) is a blueprint for how you can turn a simple idea into significant income using AI.

The Problem David Solved (Your Opportunity):

David's "itch" was simple: constantly being asked by junior colleagues for help with Excel formulas. He realized there was a massive, unmet need for quick, AI-powered assistance with data in spreadsheets.

• Key Lesson: look for your own everyday frustrations or common requests from your network – they often hide lucrative problems to solve.

How He Built It (The No-Code Advantage):

Despite having no coding experience, David built the initial MVP (Minimum Viable Product) in just a couple of weeks using Bubble.io, a no-code platform. He learned everything from YouTube.

• Key Takeaway: You don't need to be a developer to build powerful AI tools. No-code platforms drastically reduce the time and cost to launch, allowing you to validate ideas quickly. This is crucial for budget-conscious entrepreneurs.

Going Viral (The Marketing Playbook):

David's launch strategy was pure genius and incredibly low-cost:

1. Leverage Existing Communities: He posted his free tool on the Excel subreddit. It blew up, becoming the top post of the day and week.

2. Cross-Pollinate: Someone suggested posting on "Internet is Beautiful" subreddit, which made it go truly viral, again driving thousands of users.

• Key Takeaway: Identify online communities where your target audience hangs out. Offer genuine value (like a free tool) and let the community spread the word. Viral marketing isn't just for big companies; it's accessible to solopreneurs.

The "First Dollar" & Monetization Pivot:

After blowing through $5,000 in OpenAI API costs due to virality, David faced a critical decision: shut down or monetize. He got scrappy:

1. Donations: He put up a Stripe link asking for donations, recouping a few thousand dollars.

2. Early Sponsorships/Ads: He ran a beta ad on ESPN (for an Excel competition!) and some Google ads, which, while not hugely profitable, provided motivation.

3. The Paywall: A few months later, he launched a full paywall with logins and subscriptions. This is where the real money started coming in, eventually reaching $226,000 MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue) with 5,000 paying users out of 750,000 total.

• Key Takeaway: Don't be afraid to experiment with monetization. Start small (donations, simple ads) to validate demand, then transition to a sustainable subscription model once you have a proven user base.

Evolving the Product (Listening to Your Users):

David initially built what he needed. But to grow, he started talking to users. People would email him their Excel files, asking for help beyond just formulas. This led to the development of new products like the "Data Analyzer," which allows users to upload data and get analysis, charts, and modeling through natural language.

• Key Takeaway: Your "itch" might get you started, but your users will show you the path to true product market fit and expansion. Solve their deeper problems, even if they're not directly asking for a "feature."

Building a Moat (Beyond ChatGPT & Microsoft):

David faced intense competition, with many "carbon copy" sites emerging. Then, Microsoft announced AI integration into Office, and ChatGPT offered free usage. His initial competitive advantage was convenience (AI in your spreadsheet, no browser needed) and customization (language preferences).

Now, his vision is to build something that cannot be replicated by ChatGPT or Microsoft. This means focusing on:

• Deeper Functionality: Features like the "Data Analyzer" that go beyond simple formula generation.

• Specialization & Integration: Becoming an all-in-one platform for data analytics within spreadsheets, offering a seamless experience that generic AI tools can't match.

• Key Takeaway: In the rapidly evolving AI landscape, your initial competitive advantage might be short-lived. Continuously innovate, deepen your product's capabilities, and focus on unique integrations or specialized workflows that are hard for large players or generic AI to replicate. You might even consider selling it as you reach critical mass, exiting for a big payday.

Your Action Plan:

David's story proves that a "normal guy" with an idea, a no-code tool, and a smart marketing strategy can build a million-dollar AI business. What "itch" can you scratch? What problem can you solve with AI, even if it's just for a small group of people? Start small, get scrappy, and listen to your users – your "first dollar" might be closer than you think!

🤑 AI INCOME Q&A

Question: "Is it better to offer many AI services or specialize in one?" - Raj P.

Answer: Start with one service, master it completely, then expand strategically. The most successful AI entrepreneurs in our community began with a single offering (like email sequences or product descriptions) and became known for excellence in that area before adding complementary services. This approach lets you command premium rates, build systems, and develop expertise that generic AI operators can't match.

🌱 LIFE BEYOND AI

My wife enjoys drinking wine, and I dabble in it once in a while.

I’m quite shocked though when I heard that our environment is affecting wines and how they taste.

🛠️ TOOLS THAT MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER

1. Abacus.ai → Use all the latest LLMs and build custom AI applications for an extremely low cost

2. Later → All-in-one platform to manage social media content, track performance, and grow online presence

3. beehiiv → Build, grow, and monetize your newsletters (use my link to get 30-day trial + 20% OFF for 3 months)

4. Recraft → Create high-quality images and vector graphics, with features like background removal and style customization (use my link to get 200 bonus credits, ~ 100 images)

5. LumaLabs → Create high-quality images and videos from text and images, including 3D models.

6. Beacons → Customize link-in-bio pages + building your online store

7. Descript → AI-powered video and audio editing platform to create professional-looking content

8. ElevenLabs → Create ultra-realistic text-to-speech voices in multiple languages (80% off the latest model for the month of June)

🕵️‍♂️ A SURPRISE INSIDE

This might hold something you didn’t know you wanted to know…

And that’s a wrap for this week.

If you have any questions, feedback, or just want to say hi, please hit “reply”. I do my best to respond to every single email.

Thank for so much for your support!

☄️ Let’s make moves,
Keith
Chief Human Officer, Optimizing With AI