10 Web Applications in 1 Year

I realized not long ago that one of the largest detriments to my weightlifting training was consistency. I would go 4 times a week for 2-3 weeks, and then get "busy" and drop out of the habit for a month, only to try to rebuild momentum month after month expecting the significant results I wanted. My strength suffered, obviously, but so did my sense of identity as someone who was fit, strong and healthy.

Similarly, I've noticed the same with my development work. I'll do 3 full sprints working on GrabbrApp, my security startup, and knock out a ton of contributions on GitHub projects I've started up, and then go two months without writing a line of code, in or outside of my 9-to-5. And again, it hurt my skillset as a software developer as well as my identity as someone who was a developer, a tinkerer and an engineer.

There are some similarities between weightlifting and software development in that way. You really can't expect good results without putting in the reps. You can't expect to code for 1 month straight and then go weeks or months without doing anything and expect a senior developer spot any more than you can expect a 500lb deadlift with a month and a half of work and two months of being a couch potato.

This year I majorly fixed my weightlifting and gym-going habit (a subject for another blog) and as I did, I decided on a rather extreme method of fixing my software development habit... or lack thereof.

From now until the end of March 2025, I'm going to release 10 web applications to the public.

The majority of these web applications are going to be security SaaS apps that I think have serious potential to be rather helpful. One of them, the first one that should be released pretty soon, will be a landing page for my work, a place where I can put links to everything, to include this blog.

Here is my thinking: I have published a grand total of one web application outside of 9-to-5 work, and that's GrabbrApp. Nothing else. I've bought a ton of domains, spun up a ton of GitHub repositories, but the only thing I've ever published is the startup that I want to blow up and make a retirement job.

What if, in preparation for the powerlifting meet I have in May, I decided to only lift the deadlift one time? What if, in preparation for the marathon I'm running in December, I decided to only run a half marathon one time? There's not a trainer on earth that would say that's a good idea. So, instead, I'm going to release a series of web applications and do everything possible to make them succeed:

• A full launch on ProductHunt, HackerNews, YouTube, LinkedIn, the works
• Maybe some paid ads, I'm not necessarily convinced those are my jam
• A couple of feature releases/bug fixes after launch
• Lots and lots of blog posts...

GrabbrApp is still going to be getting some love during this period, because just about all of this is meant to help gear me toward being a better developer/CEO/marketer of GrabbrApp.

Watch this space (and subscribe to the blog!) to get updates on how things are going!