#4 SaaS Bootstrappers Interviews - Ivan Kutskir
Indie Developer, Generating $200K monthly,
Leo Askan
November 26, 2023
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ivankutskir
Websites: photopea.com & vectorpea.com
Photopea Blog: https://blog.photopea.com/
Reddit Posts: https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/i8j5te/i_made_a_free_alternative_to_photoshop_that_is/
SUMMARY of INTERVIEW
Background and Early Interests:
Ivan is originally from Ukraine and moved to Czechia at age 11. He later moved to Prague for university studies.
In university, he pursued computer science.
His interest in technology began early, around the age of 15, inspired by his cousins' computer.
He started developing Flash games even before university and continued this hobby into his university years.
Journey to Photopea:
The founder's journey to developing Photopea began with his interest in Adobe Photoshop during high school and his subsequent exploration of web technologies.
He noticed the potential of web-based applications and began converting his Flash games to JavaScript, integrating them with web technologies.
The initial concept of Photopea was to create a simple web-based PSD file viewer.
Development of Photopea:
The development of the first version of Photopea, a basic PSD file viewer, took about 200-300 hours and was released between 2012 and 2013.
Ivan saw gradual growth in the user base and was motivated by the impact and usefulness of new features he added.
The transition from Flash to web-based applications was driven by the evolving capabilities of web browsers and technologies.
Photopea's Growth and Monetization:
Photopea's user base grew organically, largely through word-of-mouth and shared posts on platforms like Reddit.
The platform was initially free with no ads due to a focus on growing the user base.
Eventually, Photopea introduced ads and a premium subscription model (ad-free version) to monetize the platform.
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Challenges and Personal Journey:
Ivan faced challenges in transitioning from a hobbyist to a more business-focused approach.
Despite the option to join other companies, he chose to focus on Photopea due to his passion and interest in the project.
He highlighted the importance of starting with the most useful features and building complexity over time.
Current Status and Future Plans:
As of the interview, Photopea generates significant revenue, mainly from ads.
Ivan has not sought VC funding, preferring to grow the platform independently.
Photopea remains largely a one-person operation, with minimal external assistance.
Future plans include expanding Photopea's offerings and possibly exploring new ventures.
Advice for Bootstrappers:
Ivan advises other bootstrappers to focus on their passions and start with core, useful features.
He emphasizes the value of growing a project gradually and not shying away from entering competitive markets with simpler, more focused products.
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