Wins, failures, and the tactics that actually worked.
The complete log of building 500k.io from $0 to $500K ARR. Tactics + feelings, no fluff. New entries every week.
Claude AI for Business: The 2026 Founder's Guide
Claude AI for business in 2026: which plan to pay for, the four functions it runs best (content, sales, support, ops), how it stacks against ChatGPT, and the 30-day rollout.
Stripe, Beehiiv, Resend: the 4-API solo SaaS stack
The exact 4-API backend a solo founder runs — Stripe, Beehiiv, Resend, Supabase — with real monthly costs, what each one does, and which one makes you pay first.
Lead Gen With AI by Vertical (Bathroom, MVA, Mutuelle)
I run lead gen across 3 verticals at The Kreators AI — US bathroom remodeling, US auto injury, and French mutuelle senior. AI changes the playbook by vertical. Here's how, with real CPLs.
Marketing Automation With AI in 2026 (Real Stack)
The honest marketing automation stack I run on 500k.io and The Kreators AI. 9 tools, $300-500/mo, and the 5 workflows that produce 80% of the leverage.
Premium Newsletter Tier Pricing: The Real Math
Most newsletter founders price the premium tier wrong. Here's the math from running The 500K Brief and the 4 questions that determine whether $9 or $29 is right for you.
M-Series Mac for AI Builders: What I Use
I run an M4 Max MacBook Pro every day for AI-heavy work. Here's the honest review, the specs that matter, what I'd skip, and whether you need an M-series Mac at all.
AI Customer Support: How One Person Handles 1,000+ Users
I support 1,000+ users solo across 500k.io and Synapse Circle. The AI customer support stack that makes it possible, the 4 rules I follow, and the line where AI hurts.
Notion AI Deep Tutorial (Real Solopreneur Use)
Notion AI gets dismissed too quickly. The 4 use cases where it earns its $10/mo, the 3 where you should use Claude or ChatGPT instead, and the workspace setup I run.
AI Cold Outbound: The Workflow That Generates Replies
Cold outbound is mostly dead in 2026 except for the operators who personalize at scale. Here's the exact workflow that gets 15-20% reply rate and the 5 things that kill it.
Cursor SDK Explained for Founders
Cursor released an SDK. Most founders don't need it. The ones who do save 10+ hours/week. Here's the 5-minute explainer and the 3 use cases that justify the learning curve.
AI SEO Guide 2026: Win Search and LLM Citations
The AI SEO guide for 2026: how to rank in Google while getting cited by ChatGPT, Perplexity, and AI Overviews — the dual playbook, the schema stack, and the 90-day plan.
ChatGPT for Solopreneurs: The 2026 Playbook
ChatGPT is the AI tool most solopreneurs use, but few use well. The 8 use cases that earn the $20/mo, the 3 that don't, and the prompts I keep on file.
Claude Code Beginner Guide 2026 (From Zero)
Never used a terminal? Never written code? This is the absolute zero-to-working-Claude-Code guide for non-engineer founders. 4 hours from install to first shipped script.
The Complete Guide to Claude Code in 2026
How to use Claude Code in 2026, from install to a full agent workflow: pricing, CLAUDE.md, Plan Mode, skills, hooks, subagents, MCP, and the 30-day adoption plan.
Best AI Lead Generation Tools in 2026: Real CPL Data
The best AI lead generation tools in 2026, matched by use case — with real CPL benchmarks from live campaigns: HVAC at $38 vs $115, MVA legal, and the exact starter stack.
I Tried 50 AI Side Hustles. 3 Actually Work.
An honest 12-month experiment across 50 AI side hustles. The 47 that died, the 3 that work, and the pattern that explains why most fail.
5 AI Side Hustles That Actually Make Money in 2026
Five AI side hustles that actually make money in 2026 — real startup costs, honest timelines, and documented monthly revenue ranges for each one. No recycled listicle claims.
Claude Code Slash Commands: The 2026 List (+7 Worth Stealing)
The Claude Code slash commands list for 2026 — the 18 built-ins that matter, the custom command format, and 7 commands from the 500k.io repo you can copy today.
Claude Code Subagents Explained (and the 5 I Run Daily)
Claude Code subagents explained: what they are, when to delegate, and the 5-agent setup that runs the 500k.io content factory. YAML config and context math included.
The AI Sales Automation Playbook for Solo Founders
From cold outreach to closed deal — the AI sales automation stack I run for The Kreators AI and 500k.io. Tools, prompts, the 5-step workflow, and the line where humans still win.
AI Voice Cloning: My ElevenLabs Workflow
I cloned my voice in ElevenLabs 8 months ago. Here's the real workflow, what works, what to avoid, and the 3 use cases that justify the $22/month.
The AI Video Generation Stack in 2026
Sora 2, Runway Gen-4, Veo 3, Hailuo. I tested all four with the same 12 founder use cases. Here's what actually ships and what's still hype.
Claude Code Hooks: The Complete Tutorial (with 7 Real Examples)
Hooks turn Claude Code from a chat tool into a workflow engine. The event model, the settings.json shape, and 7 hooks I run daily on 500k.io to automate linting, security, and commits.
AI Image Generation for Solopreneurs: The Real Stack
Hero images, social posts, mockups, OG cards. The AI image generation stack I run for 500k.io, the 4 tools that earn their cost, and the 3 I tried and killed.