Imagine leaving your corporate job, building something of your own, and earning $12,000 in monthly recurring revenue (MRR). Sound like a dream? For Demitro, the founder of ScreenshotOne, it’s a very profitable reality. His journey from a salaried developer to a thriving solopreneur offers a powerful blueprint for any coder ready to turn their skills into direct income.
The Irresistible Call: Why He Left “The Best Job in the World”
Demitro spent most of his life as a developer, even in what he described as “the best job in the world” with a “huge salary”. Yet, a deeper pull—a childhood dream—pushed him to take the leap and go all in on entrepreneurship.
“You need to be persistent enough to try anything to just get to this first dollar.”
This could be your story. If you’re a developer feeling that same internal push, Demitro’s path proves your coding skills are your most valuable asset.
The Smart Way to Find Your Million-Dollar Idea
Demitro started with “millions of ideas,” but wisely narrowed his focus to API products, leveraging his backend and server-side expertise.
- Competitors are a GOOD sign: Seeing many in the screenshot automation niche validated demand.
- True validation is paid validation: His test was getting 10 paying customers outside his network.
Build Fast, Launch Faster
His first launch took 5 months — a mistake he avoids now. Today he:
- Launches within a month.
- Starts with just one feature.
- Skips payment systems initially.
- Shares early with friends, then iterates.
Your First Dollar: A Feeling Worth “A Million”
Demitro’s first $7/month subscriber came after promoting on Twitter, Reddit, and Indie Hackers.
“A huge feeling… it felt like a million dollars.”
Marketing channels that worked:
- Twitter & Google ads
- Zapier/Make integrations
- Product Hunt launches
- YouTube tutorials (even third-party ones!)
Master Pricing and Beat Churn
He began with $5–$7 plans, but margins were thin. The solution was cutting free plan generosity and raising prices. For churn, he personally emailed users with simple yes/no questions, revealing mismatches (e.g., no-code users expecting plug-and-play). Clarifying ScreenshotOne was “for developers” reduced churn from 11% to 7%.
The Developer’s Dream: Profit and Freedom
ScreenshotOne runs on TypeScript, Go, Puppeteer, and Cloudflare, with costs of ~$4,500/month on servers. Profit margins hover at 40–60% on $12k MRR.
But beyond revenue, freedom defines his life: family time, coffee, football, reading, and travel. His advice?
“Your mental health is your only tool. Protect it.”
Your Journey, Your Rules
His ultimate advice is simple: “Don’t listen to anybody, including me.” Every journey is unique. You must own your decisions and shape your path.
Feeling inspired to build your own Micro SaaS? The freedom, financial rewards, and satisfaction of creating something yours are within reach. Don’t just dream — start building today.