How does a solo founder build a profitable AI tool that brings in $30K/month—all while keeping costs low and scaling through smart distribution?

Nichesss, founded by self-taught programmer Malcolm Tyson, is a GPT-3-powered content generation tool that helps copywriters, small businesses, and marketing agencies create blog posts, ads, and social media content in seconds.

Despite launching in a crowded space, Malcolm grew Nichesss into a $360K/year SaaS business by focusing on affordability, leveraging viral SaaS marketplaces like AppSumo, and fostering an engaged community.

Let’s break down his step-by-step playbook.

The Problem They Solved

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The rise of AI writing tools created a major gap in the market—but it wasn’t just about the technology.

Most AI copywriting tools were too expensive for freelancers and small businesses. While competitors targeted enterprise users with high-ticket pricing, Malcolm saw an opportunity:

Affordable AI content generation for smaller players.
Simple UI that made AI-generated content easy to use.
No-code, one-person operation to keep costs low.

By pricing Nichesss at 80% of what competitors charged, Malcolm made AI copywriting accessible—without compromising on quality.

The Strategy

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Nichesss’ growth didn’t happen by accident. Malcolm Tyson followed a structured playbook—testing his product early, leveraging distribution platforms, and building an engaged community to ensure long-term success. Each step played a crucial role in turning a small AI tool into a six-figure business.

Early on, Malcolm focused on validating demand before fully committing to development. He built an MVP in one month and tested it using Facebook Ads, ensuring that potential users understood the value proposition.

The results were clear!

For every $1 spent, he made $3 back—proof that there was strong demand for an affordable AI writing tool. 🚀

The real breakthrough came with AppSumo, a platform designed for SaaS lifetime deals. By launching on AppSumo, Nichesss saw an immediate $100,000 in revenue in its first month.

More importantly, the platform provided a steady stream of new users without requiring ongoing ad spend. Malcolm further capitalized on this momentum by upselling premium tiers and ensuring retention through consistent product updates and an active community.

Turning AppSumo Users into a Retention Engine

Rather than treating AppSumo as a one-time growth hack, Malcolm used it as a foundation to build long-term engagement.

  • Community Building: He created a Facebook Group (now 9,000+ members) where users shared insights and feature requests.
  • Email Marketing: A 30,000+ subscriber list received regular product updates and use cases, keeping them engaged.
  • Iterative Development: User feedback helped refine Nichesss, ensuring it remained relevant and valuable.

By combining marketplace exposure with community-driven retention, Malcolm ensured that users didn’t just sign up—they stuck around. This approach transformed Nichesss from a one-time AppSumo success into a sustainable, profitable SaaS business.

user demographic report
google analytics report

Metrics & Milestones

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Here’s how Nichesss scaled over time:

  • $100K in revenue from AppSumo in the first month.
  • $360K/year in recurring revenue.
  • 12,000 active users per month.
  • 100 signups/day, 16 converting to paid.
  • Users in every continent, with the U.S. and India as top markets.
earnings from AppSumo

Operating Costs:

  • Hosting: $200/month
  • AI Generation Costs: $2,000/month
  • No employees or contractors.

💡 Key Insight: Low overhead = higher margins.

Takeaways & Practical Tips

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Nichesss proves that you don’t need a big team or massive funding to build a successful SaaS business:

Validate demand early. Run test campaigns before building a full product.

Use SaaS marketplaces for distribution. Platforms like AppSumo can drive massive user acquisition.

Create an engaged community. A Facebook Group or email list keeps users involved.

Iterate constantly. Keep testing pricing, messaging, and product features based on real feedback.

Prioritize profitability. Avoid overhiring and keep operations lean.

With smart distribution, an engaged community, and continuous iteration, Malcolm turned a simple GPT-3 app into a six-figure business—all as a solo founder.

If nobody knows about your amazing product or service, you aren’t going to make any money.

Malcolm Tyson, Founder @ Nichesss

If you’re building SaaS, think lean, move fast, and always test.

Another great platform solo founders love is Product Hunt. Read the Hoverify story to find out how Himanshu Mishra used ProductHunt to build a stable $2K MRR.

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