How One Entrepreneur Built a Million-Dollar SaaS in 87 Days

Starting and scaling a successful SaaS (Software as a Service) business is the dream of many entrepreneurs. But most people believe that building a multi-million-dollar SaaS company requires years of development, extensive funding, and a bit of luck. Andre Heckle Jr. shattered this belief by building a SaaS business that generated over $1 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) in just 87 days.

The remarkable part? He did it with a strategy that nobody else was talking about: a hybrid productized service model that required little upfront capital and allowed him to validate his product in real-time.

The Power of the Productized SaaS Model

Andre's strategy hinges on one key idea: the productized service.

Instead of immediately developing complex software, Andre started with a service that solved a specific problem—lead generation through cold emails. By focusing on the service first and delivering it manually, he could test and validate his business idea without the high costs of development.

Here’s how it worked:

Manual Delivery: Initially, instead of building a fully automated platform, Andre's team manually fulfilled customer requests for leads.
Customer Validation: This approach allowed him to interact closely with customers, gathering feedback and fine-tuning the product in real-time.
Cash Flow: The manual service generated immediate revenue, which Andre reinvested into developing the SaaS platform.

By the time Andre launched the SaaS version of ListKit, he had already validated the business model, gathered data on what customers wanted, and built up significant cash flow. This approach drastically reduced risk and accelerated the growth process.

Key Takeaways from Andre's Journey

1. Start with a Service, Transition to SaaS

Reduce Upfront Costs: Starting with a productized service allows you to validate your idea without spending tens of thousands on developers upfront.
Customer Feedback: Direct interactions with customers provide real-time feedback, allowing you to build a product they actually want.
Generate Revenue Early: Starting with a service ensures you have cash flow from day one, which can fund the development of your SaaS product.

2. Cold Email as a Growth Engine

Cold email is often underutilized by entrepreneurs, but for Andre, it became a core part of ListKit's growth strategy. Here's how he made it work:

Lead Magnet Approach: Instead of pitching the product directly, Andre offered potential customers a free list of leads—demonstrating the value upfront.
Building Trust: By delivering 50 free leads, ListKit built trust with its audience, making it easier to convert these prospects into paying customers.
Scalability: Once validated, the cold email strategy was automated, allowing ListKit to reach thousands of potential customers at scale.

Pro Tip: If you’re launching a SaaS or service-based business, consider using cold email to build relationships, validate your offer, and generate early revenue.

3. Leverage Co-Founders with Complimentary Skills

One of Andre's keys to success was building a strong team of co-founders with diverse skill sets. Instead of trying to do everything himself, Andre brought on experts in sales, marketing, and technology, allowing him to focus on leadership and strategy.

Key Roles for a SaaS Team:

CTO/Developer: Responsible for the technology and infrastructure.
Head of Sales: Drives sales and customer acquisition.
Marketing Experts: Handle content marketing, ads, and customer engagement.

Having a team that covered all these areas allowed Andre to focus on growing the business while his co-founders executed their respective roles at a high level.

Bullet Points for Success:

Validate before Automating: Start with a manual process to validate your product, gather feedback, and generate cash flow before investing in automation and technology.
Build a Complimentary Team: Assemble co-founders or early team members with diverse skill sets, ensuring that all core areas of the business are covered.
Utilize Cold Email: Implement a cold email strategy with a strong lead magnet to build relationships, validate your product, and generate early sales.

The Challenges Along the Way

Andre's journey wasn't without its hurdles. Like many entrepreneurs, he faced challenges in hiring the right developers and getting the product to market. In fact, he burned through tens of thousands of dollars on developers who couldn’t deliver the desired product. However, instead of giving up, he pivoted to a manual service model that allowed him to continue building and validating his idea.

Eventually, with the right team in place—including a co-founder who had the technical skills to bring the SaaS product to life—Andre relaunched ListKit. This time, it was a resounding success.

Scaling Beyond the First Million

After reaching $1 million ARR in just 87 days, Andre didn’t stop there. He continued scaling ListKit by leveraging three key strategies:

Paid Ads: Once the product was validated and cash flow was steady, Andre scaled through paid ads. He tested dozens of creatives every week, constantly refining what worked to attract new customers.
Affiliate Marketing: Partnering with affiliates allowed ListKit to reach new audiences without spending additional marketing dollars.
Customer Success: Andre's team offered one-on-one onboarding calls with every new customer to ensure they were set up for success. This not only reduced churn but also provided ongoing feedback that helped improve the product.

Conclusion: How You Can Build Your Own SaaS

Andre’s story shows that building a multi-million-dollar SaaS business doesn’t have to be complicated. By starting with a productized service, gathering customer feedback, and scaling through cold email and ads, you can quickly validate and grow your business.

Here are the key steps to follow if you want to replicate Andre’s success:

Start Small, Validate, and Scale: Begin with a service model to validate your idea. Then, transition to a full SaaS product as demand grows.
Focus on Customer Needs: Regularly engage with your customers to gather feedback and iterate on your product based on their needs.
Leverage the Power of Cold Email: Build relationships and trust with potential customers through targeted cold email campaigns.
Build a Strong Team: Assemble a team with complementary skills to cover all aspects of your business and ensure sustainable growth.

Starting and scaling a successful SaaS (Software as a Service) business is the dream of many entrepreneurs. But most people believe that building a multi-million-dollar SaaS company requires years of development, extensive funding, and a bit of luck. Andre Heckle Jr. shattered this belief by building a SaaS business that generated over $1 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) in just 87 days.

The remarkable part? He did it with a strategy that nobody else was talking about: a hybrid productized service model that required little upfront capital and allowed him to validate his product in real-time.

The Power of the Productized SaaS Model

Andre's strategy hinges on one key idea: the productized service.

Instead of immediately developing complex software, Andre started with a service that solved a specific problem—lead generation through cold emails. By focusing on the service first and delivering it manually, he could test and validate his business idea without the high costs of development.

Here’s how it worked:

Manual Delivery: Initially, instead of building a fully automated platform, Andre's team manually fulfilled customer requests for leads.
Customer Validation: This approach allowed him to interact closely with customers, gathering feedback and fine-tuning the product in real-time.
Cash Flow: The manual service generated immediate revenue, which Andre reinvested into developing the SaaS platform.

By the time Andre launched the SaaS version of ListKit, he had already validated the business model, gathered data on what customers wanted, and built up significant cash flow. This approach drastically reduced risk and accelerated the growth process.

Key Takeaways from Andre's Journey

1. Start with a Service, Transition to SaaS

Reduce Upfront Costs: Starting with a productized service allows you to validate your idea without spending tens of thousands on developers upfront.
Customer Feedback: Direct interactions with customers provide real-time feedback, allowing you to build a product they actually want.
Generate Revenue Early: Starting with a service ensures you have cash flow from day one, which can fund the development of your SaaS product.

2. Cold Email as a Growth Engine

Cold email is often underutilized by entrepreneurs, but for Andre, it became a core part of ListKit's growth strategy. Here's how he made it work:

Lead Magnet Approach: Instead of pitching the product directly, Andre offered potential customers a free list of leads—demonstrating the value upfront.
Building Trust: By delivering 50 free leads, ListKit built trust with its audience, making it easier to convert these prospects into paying customers.
Scalability: Once validated, the cold email strategy was automated, allowing ListKit to reach thousands of potential customers at scale.

Pro Tip: If you’re launching a SaaS or service-based business, consider using cold email to build relationships, validate your offer, and generate early revenue.

3. Leverage Co-Founders with Complimentary Skills

One of Andre's keys to success was building a strong team of co-founders with diverse skill sets. Instead of trying to do everything himself, Andre brought on experts in sales, marketing, and technology, allowing him to focus on leadership and strategy.

Key Roles for a SaaS Team:

CTO/Developer: Responsible for the technology and infrastructure.
Head of Sales: Drives sales and customer acquisition.
Marketing Experts: Handle content marketing, ads, and customer engagement.

Having a team that covered all these areas allowed Andre to focus on growing the business while his co-founders executed their respective roles at a high level.

Bullet Points for Success:

Validate before Automating: Start with a manual process to validate your product, gather feedback, and generate cash flow before investing in automation and technology.
Build a Complimentary Team: Assemble co-founders or early team members with diverse skill sets, ensuring that all core areas of the business are covered.
Utilize Cold Email: Implement a cold email strategy with a strong lead magnet to build relationships, validate your product, and generate early sales.

The Challenges Along the Way

Andre's journey wasn't without its hurdles. Like many entrepreneurs, he faced challenges in hiring the right developers and getting the product to market. In fact, he burned through tens of thousands of dollars on developers who couldn’t deliver the desired product. However, instead of giving up, he pivoted to a manual service model that allowed him to continue building and validating his idea.

Eventually, with the right team in place—including a co-founder who had the technical skills to bring the SaaS product to life—Andre relaunched ListKit. This time, it was a resounding success.

Scaling Beyond the First Million

After reaching $1 million ARR in just 87 days, Andre didn’t stop there. He continued scaling ListKit by leveraging three key strategies:

Paid Ads: Once the product was validated and cash flow was steady, Andre scaled through paid ads. He tested dozens of creatives every week, constantly refining what worked to attract new customers.
Affiliate Marketing: Partnering with affiliates allowed ListKit to reach new audiences without spending additional marketing dollars.
Customer Success: Andre's team offered one-on-one onboarding calls with every new customer to ensure they were set up for success. This not only reduced churn but also provided ongoing feedback that helped improve the product.

Conclusion: How You Can Build Your Own SaaS

Andre’s story shows that building a multi-million-dollar SaaS business doesn’t have to be complicated. By starting with a productized service, gathering customer feedback, and scaling through cold email and ads, you can quickly validate and grow your business.

Here are the key steps to follow if you want to replicate Andre’s success:

Start Small, Validate, and Scale: Begin with a service model to validate your idea. Then, transition to a full SaaS product as demand grows.
Focus on Customer Needs: Regularly engage with your customers to gather feedback and iterate on your product based on their needs.
Leverage the Power of Cold Email: Build relationships and trust with potential customers through targeted cold email campaigns.
Build a Strong Team: Assemble a team with complementary skills to cover all aspects of your business and ensure sustainable growth.

Starting and scaling a successful SaaS (Software as a Service) business is the dream of many entrepreneurs. But most people believe that building a multi-million-dollar SaaS company requires years of development, extensive funding, and a bit of luck. Andre Heckle Jr. shattered this belief by building a SaaS business that generated over $1 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) in just 87 days.

The remarkable part? He did it with a strategy that nobody else was talking about: a hybrid productized service model that required little upfront capital and allowed him to validate his product in real-time.

The Power of the Productized SaaS Model

Andre's strategy hinges on one key idea: the productized service.

Instead of immediately developing complex software, Andre started with a service that solved a specific problem—lead generation through cold emails. By focusing on the service first and delivering it manually, he could test and validate his business idea without the high costs of development.

Here’s how it worked:

Manual Delivery: Initially, instead of building a fully automated platform, Andre's team manually fulfilled customer requests for leads.
Customer Validation: This approach allowed him to interact closely with customers, gathering feedback and fine-tuning the product in real-time.
Cash Flow: The manual service generated immediate revenue, which Andre reinvested into developing the SaaS platform.

By the time Andre launched the SaaS version of ListKit, he had already validated the business model, gathered data on what customers wanted, and built up significant cash flow. This approach drastically reduced risk and accelerated the growth process.

Key Takeaways from Andre's Journey

1. Start with a Service, Transition to SaaS

Reduce Upfront Costs: Starting with a productized service allows you to validate your idea without spending tens of thousands on developers upfront.
Customer Feedback: Direct interactions with customers provide real-time feedback, allowing you to build a product they actually want.
Generate Revenue Early: Starting with a service ensures you have cash flow from day one, which can fund the development of your SaaS product.

2. Cold Email as a Growth Engine

Cold email is often underutilized by entrepreneurs, but for Andre, it became a core part of ListKit's growth strategy. Here's how he made it work:

Lead Magnet Approach: Instead of pitching the product directly, Andre offered potential customers a free list of leads—demonstrating the value upfront.
Building Trust: By delivering 50 free leads, ListKit built trust with its audience, making it easier to convert these prospects into paying customers.
Scalability: Once validated, the cold email strategy was automated, allowing ListKit to reach thousands of potential customers at scale.

Pro Tip: If you’re launching a SaaS or service-based business, consider using cold email to build relationships, validate your offer, and generate early revenue.

3. Leverage Co-Founders with Complimentary Skills

One of Andre's keys to success was building a strong team of co-founders with diverse skill sets. Instead of trying to do everything himself, Andre brought on experts in sales, marketing, and technology, allowing him to focus on leadership and strategy.

Key Roles for a SaaS Team:

CTO/Developer: Responsible for the technology and infrastructure.
Head of Sales: Drives sales and customer acquisition.
Marketing Experts: Handle content marketing, ads, and customer engagement.

Having a team that covered all these areas allowed Andre to focus on growing the business while his co-founders executed their respective roles at a high level.

Bullet Points for Success:

Validate before Automating: Start with a manual process to validate your product, gather feedback, and generate cash flow before investing in automation and technology.
Build a Complimentary Team: Assemble co-founders or early team members with diverse skill sets, ensuring that all core areas of the business are covered.
Utilize Cold Email: Implement a cold email strategy with a strong lead magnet to build relationships, validate your product, and generate early sales.

The Challenges Along the Way

Andre's journey wasn't without its hurdles. Like many entrepreneurs, he faced challenges in hiring the right developers and getting the product to market. In fact, he burned through tens of thousands of dollars on developers who couldn’t deliver the desired product. However, instead of giving up, he pivoted to a manual service model that allowed him to continue building and validating his idea.

Eventually, with the right team in place—including a co-founder who had the technical skills to bring the SaaS product to life—Andre relaunched ListKit. This time, it was a resounding success.

Scaling Beyond the First Million

After reaching $1 million ARR in just 87 days, Andre didn’t stop there. He continued scaling ListKit by leveraging three key strategies:

Paid Ads: Once the product was validated and cash flow was steady, Andre scaled through paid ads. He tested dozens of creatives every week, constantly refining what worked to attract new customers.
Affiliate Marketing: Partnering with affiliates allowed ListKit to reach new audiences without spending additional marketing dollars.
Customer Success: Andre's team offered one-on-one onboarding calls with every new customer to ensure they were set up for success. This not only reduced churn but also provided ongoing feedback that helped improve the product.

Conclusion: How You Can Build Your Own SaaS

Andre’s story shows that building a multi-million-dollar SaaS business doesn’t have to be complicated. By starting with a productized service, gathering customer feedback, and scaling through cold email and ads, you can quickly validate and grow your business.

Here are the key steps to follow if you want to replicate Andre’s success:

Start Small, Validate, and Scale: Begin with a service model to validate your idea. Then, transition to a full SaaS product as demand grows.
Focus on Customer Needs: Regularly engage with your customers to gather feedback and iterate on your product based on their needs.
Leverage the Power of Cold Email: Build relationships and trust with potential customers through targeted cold email campaigns.
Build a Strong Team: Assemble a team with complementary skills to cover all aspects of your business and ensure sustainable growth.

Starting and scaling a successful SaaS (Software as a Service) business is the dream of many entrepreneurs. But most people believe that building a multi-million-dollar SaaS company requires years of development, extensive funding, and a bit of luck. Andre Heckle Jr. shattered this belief by building a SaaS business that generated over $1 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) in just 87 days.

The remarkable part? He did it with a strategy that nobody else was talking about: a hybrid productized service model that required little upfront capital and allowed him to validate his product in real-time.

The Power of the Productized SaaS Model

Andre's strategy hinges on one key idea: the productized service.

Instead of immediately developing complex software, Andre started with a service that solved a specific problem—lead generation through cold emails. By focusing on the service first and delivering it manually, he could test and validate his business idea without the high costs of development.

Here’s how it worked:

Manual Delivery: Initially, instead of building a fully automated platform, Andre's team manually fulfilled customer requests for leads.
Customer Validation: This approach allowed him to interact closely with customers, gathering feedback and fine-tuning the product in real-time.
Cash Flow: The manual service generated immediate revenue, which Andre reinvested into developing the SaaS platform.

By the time Andre launched the SaaS version of ListKit, he had already validated the business model, gathered data on what customers wanted, and built up significant cash flow. This approach drastically reduced risk and accelerated the growth process.

Key Takeaways from Andre's Journey

1. Start with a Service, Transition to SaaS

Reduce Upfront Costs: Starting with a productized service allows you to validate your idea without spending tens of thousands on developers upfront.
Customer Feedback: Direct interactions with customers provide real-time feedback, allowing you to build a product they actually want.
Generate Revenue Early: Starting with a service ensures you have cash flow from day one, which can fund the development of your SaaS product.

2. Cold Email as a Growth Engine

Cold email is often underutilized by entrepreneurs, but for Andre, it became a core part of ListKit's growth strategy. Here's how he made it work:

Lead Magnet Approach: Instead of pitching the product directly, Andre offered potential customers a free list of leads—demonstrating the value upfront.
Building Trust: By delivering 50 free leads, ListKit built trust with its audience, making it easier to convert these prospects into paying customers.
Scalability: Once validated, the cold email strategy was automated, allowing ListKit to reach thousands of potential customers at scale.

Pro Tip: If you’re launching a SaaS or service-based business, consider using cold email to build relationships, validate your offer, and generate early revenue.

3. Leverage Co-Founders with Complimentary Skills

One of Andre's keys to success was building a strong team of co-founders with diverse skill sets. Instead of trying to do everything himself, Andre brought on experts in sales, marketing, and technology, allowing him to focus on leadership and strategy.

Key Roles for a SaaS Team:

CTO/Developer: Responsible for the technology and infrastructure.
Head of Sales: Drives sales and customer acquisition.
Marketing Experts: Handle content marketing, ads, and customer engagement.

Having a team that covered all these areas allowed Andre to focus on growing the business while his co-founders executed their respective roles at a high level.

Bullet Points for Success:

Validate before Automating: Start with a manual process to validate your product, gather feedback, and generate cash flow before investing in automation and technology.
Build a Complimentary Team: Assemble co-founders or early team members with diverse skill sets, ensuring that all core areas of the business are covered.
Utilize Cold Email: Implement a cold email strategy with a strong lead magnet to build relationships, validate your product, and generate early sales.

The Challenges Along the Way

Andre's journey wasn't without its hurdles. Like many entrepreneurs, he faced challenges in hiring the right developers and getting the product to market. In fact, he burned through tens of thousands of dollars on developers who couldn’t deliver the desired product. However, instead of giving up, he pivoted to a manual service model that allowed him to continue building and validating his idea.

Eventually, with the right team in place—including a co-founder who had the technical skills to bring the SaaS product to life—Andre relaunched ListKit. This time, it was a resounding success.

Scaling Beyond the First Million

After reaching $1 million ARR in just 87 days, Andre didn’t stop there. He continued scaling ListKit by leveraging three key strategies:

Paid Ads: Once the product was validated and cash flow was steady, Andre scaled through paid ads. He tested dozens of creatives every week, constantly refining what worked to attract new customers.
Affiliate Marketing: Partnering with affiliates allowed ListKit to reach new audiences without spending additional marketing dollars.
Customer Success: Andre's team offered one-on-one onboarding calls with every new customer to ensure they were set up for success. This not only reduced churn but also provided ongoing feedback that helped improve the product.

Conclusion: How You Can Build Your Own SaaS

Andre’s story shows that building a multi-million-dollar SaaS business doesn’t have to be complicated. By starting with a productized service, gathering customer feedback, and scaling through cold email and ads, you can quickly validate and grow your business.

Here are the key steps to follow if you want to replicate Andre’s success:

Start Small, Validate, and Scale: Begin with a service model to validate your idea. Then, transition to a full SaaS product as demand grows.
Focus on Customer Needs: Regularly engage with your customers to gather feedback and iterate on your product based on their needs.
Leverage the Power of Cold Email: Build relationships and trust with potential customers through targeted cold email campaigns.
Build a Strong Team: Assemble a team with complementary skills to cover all aspects of your business and ensure sustainable growth.