It was 3 AM, and there I was, bleary-eyed, scrolling through YouTube. Little did I know that a single video was about to change the course of my life.
Let me rewind a bit. For the past few years, I've been living what many would consider a dream – working as a Software Engineer at Amazon. Great manager, awesome colleagues, interesting work. So why did I feel this nagging sense of restlessness?
Growing up, I watched both my parents run their own businesses. Their entrepreneurial spirit must have seeped into my subconscious, planting a seed that would eventually sprout into an irresistible urge to chart my own course.
Back to that fateful night. As I watched a video by creator Marc Lou, something clicked. It seems the YouTube algorithm gods, in their infinite wisdom, decided to shine their algorithmic luck upon me. He introduced me to a concept I'd never heard of before: Indie Hacking. Suddenly, all those restless feelings crystallized into a clear vision of what I wanted to do next.
Indie hacking, as I've come to understand it, is the art of building and launching products to solve niche problems. It's about being nimble, creative, and autonomous. As a solo developer, you might not be able to scale a single product to the moon, but you can create a constellation of smaller, impactful projects.
The more I researched, the more excited I became. This path promised a level of freedom and creativity that no job, no matter how prestigious, could match. I spent weeks diving deeper, reading success stories, and imagining the possibilities.
And then, I made a decision that surprised even myself: I quit my job at Amazon.
Is it scary? Absolutely. Is it risky? You bet. But you know what's scarier than taking a leap? The thought of looking back in 10 years, wondering "what if?".
I'm incredibly fortunate to be in a position where I can use some of my savings to fund this adventure. Not everyone has this privilege, and I'm acutely aware of how lucky I am to have this opportunity.
Ironically, it was my time at Amazon that gave me the confidence in my technical skills to even consider this path. Life has a funny way of preparing us for journeys we never knew we'd take.
So, what's next? In the coming weeks and months and if all goes well - years, I'll be diving headfirst into the world of indie hacking. I'll be building, launching, and learning – probably failing a few times along the way, but that's all part of the adventure, right?
I'll be documenting every step of this journey right here on this blog(subscribe for updates), and on my X for those who want more frequent updates. Whether you're a fellow developer dreaming of going solo, or just someone curious about the world of indie hacking, I invite you to follow along.
Who knows? Maybe my 3 AM epiphany will inspire your own leap into the unknown. After all, sometimes the most rewarding journeys start with a moment of courage.