A product designer who got fired built two freemium apps, including AI Carousels, that he says bring in about $15K MRR
Fernando Pessagno runs Resume Maker Online and AI Carousels alone from Sweden, growing them mostly through SEO and about 30 free tools.
Subject: AI Carousels and Resume Maker Online (Fernando Pessagno)Two freemium SaaS products where subscriptions unlock AI and pro features
Case Overview & Background
Fernando ran an agency for over a decade, went back to a 9 to 5, and then was unexpectedly fired. He went all in on his own products: Resume Maker Online, an easy resume builder, and AI Carousels, which helps people make social media carousels without design skills. A year later he says he makes a good living working about four hours a day.
How AI Is Used
Step-by-Step Process
He says he only needs 0.1 percent of a market.
He built AI Carousels in a 10-day challenge and launched on Product Hunt.
He built about 30 free tools that point to the main products.
Customer Acquisition & Distribution
Limitations, Risks & Failure Modes
What may not apply to you, and what could go wrong:
- The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
- SEO traffic can drop with search algorithm changes
- AI design tools face many competitors
Key Takeaways
- Free tools can be a strong SEO engine for a small AI product
- A narrow promise like the best AI carousel generator is easier to market
Sources
Starter Story: I Make $15K/Month With 2 AI Apps
Note: Video interview with transcript. States the 15K MRR figure, the freemium model with AI features and the SEO strategy.
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