Remember why you started, and keep building until you see results.
I’ve developed dozens of extensions, submitted nearly 20 to the app store, and while some have gained a massive user base, most have been run-of-the-mill. I’ve integrated payment systems into some of them, but essentially none of my extensions have earned a single dollar (because I didn’t implement paid features).
This post isn’t about sharing extension statistics; rather, I want to discuss an often-overlooked but crucial issue: mental preparation.
We’re now in the AI era. With development tools like Vibe Coding, we can bring our ideas to life faster than ever before. Web apps and all kinds of applications are easy to build. But finding your product-market fit (PMF) is still no walk in the park. You need to promote your product, you need to market it, you need to reach your target users, and you need to identify the problems they face—not just develop in isolation. It’s a long process, and not all developers are comfortable taking that step.
Before seeing results, you’ll be bombarded with stories about how much money “X” made or how “Y” achieved massive growth. Many people get distracted by this information, feeling that what they’re doing is meaningless. They spend time and tokens on these projects every day, yet they don’t generate any revenue—and they end up resenting them!
If you’re feeling this way too, I’d like to share my perspective with you. Neither you nor your product is at fault. A lack of revenue doesn’t mean a lack of progress. As long as you keep building, your gains will manifest in your next product. And no one else can gather these gains for you—they’re stored in your subconscious. In other words, you’re quietly getting stronger. You simply haven’t seen results yet, and the only reason is that you haven’t found the door that’s meant for you. You already hold the key—and it wasn’t created for no reason. If you build and search less, it will naturally take more time to find that door. But if you build and search more, your chances of finding it increase exponentially.
You’re smart—you’ve probably figured it out. “Searching” means promotion and marketing, posting content, and launching your app on app stores to reach your target audience everywhere.
I understand you might feel frustrated or even resentful during this process. But you can definitely push through—fill up your tank after five minutes and go full throttle!
This is my personal journey. I’d love to hear about the challenges you’ve faced during development and how you’ve overcome them. It will be helpful for you and for everyone else.