From Freelancer to Agency Owner: Janu's Journey Building FeatherFlow Without External Funding
Volume #3 of "Happy Bootstrapping" - FeatherFlow & BoilerplateHub
In this episode of Happy Bootstrapping, Janu shares his inspiring journey from freelance developer to founder of FeatherFlow, a software product development agency specializing in MVPs for SaaS and AI applications, and BoilerplateHub, a curated directory of boilerplate templates.
The Evolution of a Bootstrapped Business
FeatherFlow wasn't built with a rigid business plan or external funding. It evolved organically from Janu's freelancing experience during his computer science studies, when he realized he could earn more developing software than working minimum wage student jobs.
"It started in college when I noticed the student job salary wasn't great, especially during COVID," Janu explains. "I knew I could develop software—I've been doing it since I was young—and there would be people willing to pay more than minimum wage."
His first client was a German ambassador in South Korea who needed help organizing diary entries. As he continued taking on small projects, a pivotal moment came when he was approached by a client from the US who wanted to build HR software for employees with autism.
"That was the first time I didn't just develop software but also consulted on the product," Janu recalls. "I suggested cutting certain features and focusing on others. That's when I first did product work."
The Social Media Breakthrough
While FeatherFlow officially launched about 18 months ago, the business gained significant traction through an unexpected viral tweet. The tweet had nothing to do with his agency—it was about a fellow student who tried to share code by sending him a localhost link via WhatsApp.
"It was just a casual, amusing tweet I posted from my couch and even considered deleting the next morning," Janu remembers. "But when I woke up, I suddenly had 400 more followers, and it just kept growing."
That single viral post resulted in approximately ten booked meetings and ultimately two clients who sustained his business for the rest of the year. Since then, FeatherFlow has grown steadily through referrals, with the agency now earning between $10,000-15,000 monthly from primarily American clients.
The Work-Life Balance Challenge
Like many bootstrappers, Janu struggled with work-life balance during the transition period. While juggling his full-time job as a product manager and growing FeatherFlow, he sometimes worked up to 100 hours per week.
"I had to actively think about what to do because I wasn't feeling well anymore. I was sometimes working 100 hours a week, even pulling all-nighters when there was a deadline," he admits. "I knew I needed to decide on something because I couldn't function properly anymore."
After just 8-9 months at his job, Janu made the difficult decision to leave and focus on his agency full-time. To provide additional stability, he now also works as a part-time programming instructor at a master school, teaching about 10 hours per week.
"With those 10 hours a week, I could cover all my expenses. This allowed me to think more long-term about FeatherFlow rather than making short-sighted decisions just to pay myself a salary right away."
Building a Portfolio of Bootstrapped Projects
Beyond FeatherFlow, Janu has created several other profitable projects. His most successful side venture is BoilerplateHub, a curated directory of boilerplate templates for developers that has generated over $3,000 in total revenue.
"I saw a new boilerplate template coming out almost every week on Twitter, and people were always asking which one they should buy," Janu explains. "I created a small directory of boilerplates from people I trusted, and unexpectedly made an $80 sale on the first day."
The site operates on an affiliate model, with Janu earning 30-50% commission on sales. He performs quality control by researching creators, reading reviews, and sometimes requesting GitHub repository access before listing products.
Additionally, Janu has built several free tools that drive traffic to his site, such as an AI SVG generator and a "MicroSaaS Ideas" page with 50 business concepts.
Key Lessons for Bootstrappers
Janu shared several valuable insights for aspiring bootstrappers:
Find what you're truly passionate about - "If you don't really care about the problem you're solving, you won't last long. You'll hit obstacles, and it will become unfun."
Distribute risk through multiple income streams - His combination of agency work, teaching, and product businesses creates stability and cross-pollination of ideas.
Focus on customer success rather than maximizing revenue - "Your job isn't to extract as much money as possible from a client, but to ensure they're successful so they'll work with you long-term."
Prioritize health and sustainability - After experiencing burnout and back problems, Janu now emphasizes sleep, exercise, and maintaining reasonable working hours.
"I wouldn't want to work 100 hours a week even as an entrepreneur," Janu reflects. "It should be fun, bring joy, and be sustainable long-term. I couldn't have maintained that pace - I was having mini-burnouts every few weeks."
Happy Bootstrapping is a German podcast where I interview bootstrapped founders, indie hackers, and solopreneurs about their startup journeys. Over the years, I've connected with many successful entrepreneurs who have built e-commerce shops, SaaS platforms, mobile apps, content businesses, or hybrid models.
Furthermore I am a bootstrapper myself and growing my DevOps-as-a-Sercice and Web Operations Company “We Manage”.
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