Wins, failures, and the tactics that actually worked.
The complete log of building 500k.io from $0 to $500K MRR. Showing entries 49–72 of 136.
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.
My Real Vibe Coding Workflow (8 Months In)
Vibe coding is what they call it when a non-engineer ships software by talking to AI in natural language. Here's mine — 8 months in, $9,500 MRR, what works and what's hype.
Building Your First MCP Server (No Engineering Degree)
MCP servers are how you give Claude (or any AI) access to your specific tools. Here's how to build your first one in 90 minutes, even if you're not a developer.
OpenAI Codex Tutorial for Non-Engineers (2026)
OpenAI Codex is back, and it's surprisingly good for non-engineers in 2026. The setup, the 4 use cases that actually work, and when to skip it for Claude Code or Cursor.
Monthly Transparency Report: May 2026
The monthly receipts. Revenue, costs, content shipped, traffic, citations, mistakes, and the next 30-day plan. May 2026 edition.
6 Months as a Solo Founder: The Real Numbers
The honest 6-month report from running 500k.io solo with AI as the only team. Revenue, costs, hours, mistakes, and what I'd do differently. No fluff.
Schema.org for AI Search: The 2026 Deep Dive
Schema.org markup is the single most underrated GEO lever in 2026. Here's the exact schema setup I run on 500k.io, the 6 schema types that matter, and the 3 mistakes that kill discoverability.
How I Track AI Citations Across ChatGPT, Perplexity, AIO
AI citations are the new backlinks. Here's the exact methodology I use to track 100+ queries weekly across 4 platforms, the n8n workflow that runs it, and what I do with the data.
Best LLM for Code in 2026 (I Tested All 5)
Claude Sonnet 4.6, GPT-5, Gemini 2.5 Pro, DeepSeek V3, and Grok 4 on the same 30 founder coding tasks. The honest verdict, the surprises, and which one I'd pay for if forced to pick one.
Replit Agent vs Claude Code in 2026
Two AI coding agents, two different bets. I ran the same 8 tasks on both for 30 days. Here's where each wins, where each lies, and which one I'd pick if you forced me.
$5K MRR Side Project Playbook (AI-First)
The honest 12-week playbook for taking an AI side project from $0 to $5K MRR while keeping a day job. What works, what doesn't, and the 4 traps I had to learn around.
The AI Agency Revenue Ladder ($0 → $10K → $50K MRR)
Three stages, three offers, three honest dollar thresholds. The AI agency revenue ladder I wish someone had given me when I co-founded a $45M operation.
Claude Code Plan Mode: When and How to Use It
Plan Mode is the single biggest Claude Code feature most founders never use. Here's when to flip it on, when to flip it off, and the 4-step routine that turns it into a force multiplier.
Perplexity Research Mode: A Solopreneur Deep Dive
I ran Perplexity Research Mode on 47 real founder questions over 4 weeks. Here's where it crushes Google + ChatGPT, where it lies, and the 6 prompts I keep on file.
n8n + AI Workflows: 12 That Actually Run My Business
I run 12 n8n workflows daily. Each one replaces 30-90 minutes of manual work. Here's the exact list, the prompts, the cost, and the 3 that broke and taught me how not to wire things.
Cursor for Non-Engineers in 2026: The Real Setup
I'm not a developer. I run Cursor anyway and ship working code with it. Here's the exact setup, the rules I follow, and the 5 things I had to learn the hard way.
Synaps: building a French solo founder community in public
How I'm building Synaps, a French-speaking AI mastery community for solopreneurs, in public on Skool. The 4 phases, the bilingual bridge, and what I learned from the first 200 members.
One-person business revenue benchmarks (2026)
What one-person businesses actually earn in 2026. Median revenue, P&L breakdowns by tier, hours/week, and what separates the top 1% from the rest.
Schema markup for AI search 2026
The schema markup that actually moves AI citations in 2026. The 7 schema types you need, the @graph wiring, and the 3 mistakes that kill AI visibility.
$10K MRR with AI: the realistic playbook
The honest path from $1K to $10K MRR as a solo founder with AI. The 4 phases, the 7 levers, and the math that turns one product into a real business.
Vibe coding explained for founders (no engineering degree)
What 'vibe coding' actually is, why it's working in 2026, and the 5-step process for non-engineers to ship real products with AI. The honest version, not the hype.
Brand mentions beat backlinks (the 2026 data)
Brand mentions correlate 3x more with AI search citations than backlinks (Ahrefs Dec 2025). Here's why, what it means for your 2026 SEO strategy, and the 7 mention plays that compound.
Productized service revenue math (with AI)
The exact unit economics of a productized service in 2026. Pricing, delivery time, AI cost, margins. Real numbers from my $9.5K MRR Meta Ads productization.
