In this episode of Startup Strategies, Juliana sits down with KJ Chen, the founder who abandoned a 3 million user AI novel platform to build Macaron, scaled to 300,000+ users in under 6 months with a $70M valuation, all while training custom AI models and creating a viral marketing engine that pays creators based on performance instead of upfront fees.

KJ Chen shares how:

• He pivoted from 3 million users to build Macaron and scaled to 300,000+ users in under 6 months
• He created a viral marketing engine that rewards creators based on performance, not upfront fees
• His "absurd" user-generated content converted better than polished product demos
• He used the problem-solution-code framework to turn TikTok videos into a product-led growth loop
• He plans to launch 200,000 SEO-optimized mini app landing pages as free traffic engines
• He trained custom AI models to create apps that feel different from anything else on the market

Let's break down his Startup Strategies.

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In this episode of Startup Strategies, Ramsri Golla shares how he built two profitable AI SaaS products on the side while working full time as a lead data scientist. Starting with a $50 to $60 monthly hosting cost, Ramsri scaled Question.ai and Supermeme.ai to over $100K ARR without employees, paid ads, or venture capital.

Ramsri shares how he:

• Built and launched Question.ai years before the technology was ready, betting that AI models would eventually catch up.
• Open sourced his quiz generation models on GitHub to seed early users and kickstart organic distribution.
• Used SEO, Reddit, and founder led marketing over multiple years to reach real teachers instead of just developers.
• Turned Supermeme.ai into a viral product, hit number one on Product Hunt, and grew to nearly two million users while spending $0 on marketing.
• Timed product launches around short virality windows by stitching together emerging AI capabilities before they were fully mature.
• Converted free users into paying customers by limiting usage quantity instead of lowering model quality.
• Ran both products profitably while keeping a full time job, treating them as long term lifestyle businesses.
• Tracked AI progress by following model deltas instead of hype cycles and refused to plan beyond six months in a fast moving market.
• Rejected hustle culture productivity systems in favor of sustainable progress that fits real life.

And much more.

Let’s break down his Startup Strategies.

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In this episode of Startup Strategies, Juliana sits down with Jon Kazarian, the founder who bootstrapped Accelavent, a B2B event platform, to $374K ARR, then watched COVID turn his revenue negative overnight. He pivoted to virtual events and scaled to $10M ARR in just

Jon Kazarian shares how he:

• Pre-sold vaporware using InVision prototypes while his team coded 100-hour weeks.
• Convinced his dad to invest $75K from retirement with one condition: beat Zoom stock.
• Navigated VCs ghosting him after competitor Hopin raised $1.1B.
• Closed 760 demos before the product even existed.
• Maintained a 16-second support response time to power B2B word-of-mouth growth.
• Leveraged SEO, high-touch LinkedIn outreach, and selective paid channels to scale to Fortune 500 customers.
• Raised $5.1M on a SAFE instead of chasing billion-dollar VC hype.
• Focused on “don’t die” as the ultimate startup strategy—because staying alive preserves optionality.
• And much more….

Let’s break down his Startup Strategies.

Links and resources:

FREE Startup Marketing Cheatsheet

FREE $1M ARR SaaS Marketing Playbook

Join the Startup Strategies Newsletter for weekly growth & marketing breakdowns.

Let’s connect:

Tiktok

Instagram

LinkedIn

Youtube

X

Need help with growing & marketing your startup? Work with us.

Make sure you hit FOLLOW or the + sign so you don’t miss out on future episodes on everything growth & marketing for your startup.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.