Wins, failures, and the tactics that actually worked.
The complete log of building 500k.io from $0 to $500K ARR. Showing entries 49–72 of 102.
The $100/mo AI stack: entry tier for solopreneurs
The exact $100/mo AI stack I'd recommend to a solo founder starting in May 2026. 7 tools, what each replaces, and why this is the cheapest stack that actually ships.
First $1K MRR with AI: the founder playbook
How to ship your first $1K MRR using AI as the only team. The 4-stage playbook, the offers that actually convert, and the 5 traps that kill founders at $300 MRR.
How to use Perplexity for research (the solopreneur edition)
The Perplexity research workflow I run as a solo founder. 7 use cases, the one feature most people skip, and why I cancelled ChatGPT Pro because of it.
I Run $10M of Meta Ads. Here's the AI Bet I'm Making
After running $10M of Meta Ads personally and $45M combined with my co-founder, I'm betting most of the agency playbook gets rewritten by AI in 2026-2028. Here's the bet, the math, and what I'd put my own money on.
How to Sell Claude Skills (Pricing, Distribution, the Real Math)
Claude Skills as a revenue channel — pricing tiers that work, distribution channels that don't, and the honest math from 9 months of tracking solo founder skill sales.
How I Built a Meta Ads Acquisition Funnel + Wired the New Meta Ads MCP to Manage It (2026 Playbook)
I've spent $10M on Meta Ads. Here's the acquisition funnel architecture I run + how I'm wiring the new official Meta Ads MCP to Claude for autonomous daily management. Step-by-step setup.
The AI Agent Monetization Playbook for Solo Founders
Selling AI agents as a solo founder in 2026 — the four monetization models, the actual P&L math, and what's making founders $5K-50K MRR right now.
How to Write a Claude Skill in 2026 (Step-by-Step, No Engineering)
Writing your first Claude Skill takes 25 minutes if you know the structure. Here's the exact step-by-step from a 638-skill bank operator — no engineering required.
How to Rank in Perplexity When You're a DR 0 Founder
500k.io is DR 0 with 32 articles and 0-2 weekly Perplexity citations. Here's the realistic playbook for getting cited when you have no domain authority.
Why Claude Skills Are the Next App Store (and What It Means for Solo Founders)
I've indexed 638 Claude Skills and built a working bank for my own factory. Here's the App Store thesis — why skills will reshape solo founder economics in 2026.
llms.txt is Mostly a Placebo (and What Actually Works)
Less than 0.001% of AI-cited content uses llms.txt. The hype is peaking, the data is brutal. Here's what actually drives AI citations — and why I still ship llms.txt anyway.
AEO vs GEO vs SEO in 2026: A Founder's Disambiguation
AEO, GEO, SEO — three acronyms, three different battlegrounds. Here's the founder-grade definition, when each one matters, and which one I'd pick first.
How to Write a CLAUDE.md (the file that 10x'd my Claude Code)
A 580-line CLAUDE.md is the difference between Claude Code feeling like a smart autocomplete and a junior employee who knows your business. Here's the exact template I use.
Claude Code Pricing in 2026, Actually Explained
Anthropic moved Claude Code tiers on April 22 and partially walked it back. Here's the real pricing math after 9 months on Max 5x — what to pay, what to skip.
The 7 Claude skills every solo founder ships first
Claude Skills are the cheat code most founders ignore. Here are the 7 I install on day one of every project, with install commands and real time saved.
AI is killing the 2-hour devis in French construction: 7 startups changing the game
French artisans used to spend 2 hours per quote. Renalto does it in 60 seconds. Here is the 2026 AI-quoting landscape — 7 startups, real numbers, and who wins.
Claude Code vs Cursor vs Windsurf: the honest 2026 verdict
I ran the same 14 tasks in Claude Code, Cursor, and Windsurf for 6 weeks. Here's which one ships, which one stalls, and which one I actually pay for.
How to build a custom Claude plugin (the .plugin format explained)
Skills are great for one-shot tasks. Plugins are for entire workflows. Here is when to build a plugin vs a skill vs an MCP, and how to write your first .plugin.
AI SEO playbook 2026: a founder's guide
The 2026 AI SEO playbook for founders. What changed, what works, the schemas, the formats, the citations strategy — and what to ignore from 2024-style advice.
Anthropic Skills Marketplace launch 2026: what $500K founders gain
Anthropic shipped a public Skills Marketplace this week. Here's what it actually does, what's hype, and the three workflows founders should rebuild around it today.
Beehiiv 2026 review: 18 months in, honest verdict
Honest Beehiiv review after 18 months of daily use. What works, what's still annoying, who should pick it, and who shouldn't. Pricing, deliverability, monetization, alternatives.
Best AI tools for marketing 2026: 12 paid picks
Twelve AI tools real marketers actually pay for in 2026. Picked by use case, not affiliate payout. Pricing, pros/cons, and who should skip each one.
10 best AI tools for solopreneurs in 2026
The 10 AI tools every $500K-bound solopreneur should run in 2026. Picked by use case, not by affiliate payout. Pricing, pros/cons, and who should skip each one.
$500K solo founder case study: the 5-step pattern
We dissected 10 solo founders who hit $500K ARR with AI as their primary leverage. Eight share the same 5-step pattern. Here's what they actually did, with timestamps and stack.