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Ben turned one viral idea of himself singing in French into Canary, an app that teaches languages through music. Less than a year later, it makes about $25K a month, and he runs it solo. This video is a playbook for how to test an app idea with content, build a simple first version, and grow it fast.
*Database: 229 consumer iOS apps generating $10K+/mo in revenue* https://clickhubspot.com/8k8k
Say hi to Ben: https://x.com/bengu_ez
Check out Canary: https://www.singwithcanary.com/
🔔 Follow the Second Channel: @StarterStoryBuild
🏁 We're hiring: starterstory.com/jobs
Chapters:
Chapters
00:00:00 $25K in 9 months
00:00:58 Meet Ben!
00:01:17 What’s the app? (Sing with Canary)
00:02:02 The year of apps!
00:02:30 Business breakdown
00:02:50 Ben’s background
00:03:46 Building with an audience?
00:04:34 How he built it
00:05:15 Tech stack and tools
00:05:54 Early growth
00:07:04 What marketing tactics are working right now?
00:07:59 Finding app ideas
00:08:54 Canary app demo
00:09:46 Final advice for builders
00:10:40 Reflections!
00:11:33 More simple app ideas
This video is an educational case study of this founder’s experience. It is not financial advice and does not guarantee any income or results. Every business is different and your results may vary.
1 Nov 2026
How I Built It: $400K/Month iOS App
Yoni built one of the most popular iOS apps in recent years: Brainrot. In this video, we break down the story behind how he took it from a simple idea to an app that is making an astonishing $400K/month. And, most importantly, we get his thoughts on what’s working right now for building and growing apps in 2026.
*120+ Businesses you can start with less than $500:* https://clickhubspot.com/1tva
Say hi to Yoni: https://twitter.com/YoniSmolyar
Check out Brainrot: https://thebrainrotapp.com/
🔔 Follow the Second Channel: @StarterStoryBuild
🏁 We're hiring: starterstory.com/jobs
Chapters:
Chapters
00:00:00 the $400K/month app
00:00:58 Meet Yoni
00:01:27 Brainrot
00:02:00 Yoni’s background
00:02:30 Start your own business
00:03:07 Building a personal brand
00:03:38 Idea behind Brainrot
00:04:11 Launch and early traction
00:04:41 More growth strategies
00:05:47 When to go all-in?
00:06:29 Building apps in 2026
00:09:04 Yoni’s advice for finding app ideas
00:10:04 Tech stack and tools
00:10:29 Brainrot demo
00:11:18 Final advice
This video is an educational case study of this founder’s experience. It is not financial advice and does not guarantee any income or results. Every business is different and your results may vary.
28 Oct 2026
I Make $30K/Month From the Most Boring Website on the Internet
Jake built a simple, boring website called Excel Exercises. The main goal of the site? Help people learn Excel… that’s it! In this episode, we’ll dive into how this website makes $30K/month, how he built and grew it with very little effort, and his advice for people looking for dead-simple app ideas in 2026.
*Simple apps making millions:* https://clickhubspot.com/guvq
Say hi to Jake: https://x.com/shimota_tweets
Check out Excel Exercises: https://excelexercises.com/
🔔 Follow the Second Channel: @StarterStoryBuild
🏁 We're hiring: starterstory.com/jobs
Chapters:
Chapters
00:00:00 Simplest website I've ever seen
00:00:51 What's your story?
00:01:26 What is Excel Exercises?
00:02:15 Numbers behind the business
00:02:55 Simple ideas win!
00:03:35 Background
00:04:19 Finding the idea
00:05:42 Building Excel Exercises
00:06:17 Tech stack and tools
00:07:03 Zero to $10K/month
00:08:01 Growth to $30K/month
00:08:55 How Jake finds simple ideas
00:10:10 App demo
00:11:07 Final advice
00:12:22 Reflections: the simplest website ever
This video is an educational case study of this founder’s experience. It is not financial advice and does not guarantee any income or results. Every business is different and your results may vary.
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