Starter Story I quit being an influencer & built a $250K/month app | Starter Story
Sep 18, 2025
Sebastian Diorju, a former influencer with millions of subscribers, shares his eye-opening journey from online fame to founding a booming SaaS company that rakes in $250K monthly. He discusses the disconnection he felt in the influencer world and his motivations for pivoting to a software-focused business. Sebastian dives into growth strategies, the importance of operational efficiency, and the challenges of hiring. He also offers valuable advice on navigating failure and the crucial decision of audience versus operational focus.
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Disappearing To Build Something Real
- Sebastian went ghost on the internet to stop monetizing attention and build something detached from his face.
- He wanted to build a durable product that would grow without him turning on a camera.
Product Must Survive In The Wild
- Building a SaaS without your personal brand forces the product to survive purely on market merit.
- Sebastian aimed to create something people would adopt and share without him convincing them.
Buying Out Co‑Founder To Double Down
- Neither founder was technical so they hired many developers and improved each time they made a good hire.
- Sebastian later bought out his co-founder and doubled down when MRR was only ~13–14K.