The 404 Studio Doesn’t Care About Stealth Mode, They’re Already Getting Paid
In this interview, Dani talks about building The 404 Studio from high school roots into a lean team shipping products and landing deals in their first week.
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In this interview, Dani talks about building The 404 Studio into a lean, fast moving team that balances launching in house SaaS products with taking on high-impact client projects to stay profitable and grow steadily.
Dani share:
His backstory and how he started.
How he got his first free and paid customers for his product.
What was effective in attracting customers to his product?
His competitive advantages, what gives him an edge, and insights that have proven beneficial to his operations.
Which books, podcasts, or other resources have had the greatest impact on him.
Advice he'd offer to entrepreneurs who are just starting out.
Q. Hello! Who are you and what product are you working on currently, and who is your target audience (Age range)?
We’re The 404 Studio, a digital studio that builds and manages our own SaaS products (like Clubbo, Merqo, Drivi, and Kontest), while also taking on select development projects for businesses that align with our expertise. Our audience ranges from small businesses to enterprises (ages 25-50) looking for digital solutions that make a real impact.
Q. What is your backstory and how did you come up with your idea? What year did you start?
I and my co-founder Mauri met in high school. Years later, after pursuing different paths in tech, design, and marketing, we reconnected with a shared vision: to create a studio that not only develops SaaS products we believe in but also helps businesses by delivering high-quality digital solutions. We launched The 404 Studio in 2025.
Q. Take us through the process of building the first version of your product MVP
For Clubbo, we focused on core booking and membership features, keeping it lean and functional. For client projects, we prioritize delivering real value through clean design and scalable architecture, adapting to each business’s needs.
Q. How many employees do you have working on your product? Do you have any co-founders?
We’re a small team of 4, with 2 co-founders (Mauri and i). We handle both internal SaaS projects and client solutions, balancing growth in both areas.
Q. How much monthly traffic do you receive?
Our combined platforms and client sites receive about 1000 monthly visits.
Q. How did you get your first customers for your product and how many free/paid customers do you have currently? (Feel free to list them out).
We started with network connections and word of mouth. Clubbo’s first paid client came from a local council collaboration. Across all SaaS and client projects, we have around 10 paying clients and about 50 free users.
Q. Since you launched your product, what has worked to attract customers?
Building relationships with our clients
Offering targeted solutions to meet real business needs
Iterating quickly based on feedback
A mix of product development and service delivery keeps us flexible
Q. How is your product performing currently, and what are your plans for the future? Can you share your current metrics and revenue figures?
In our first week alone, we secured about €4,300 in combined SaaS and service deals:
€400 website for an architecture firm
€2,900 event app project in negotiation
€1,000 Clubbo feature deal with a local council
Our long-term plan is to grow MRR with Clubbo and other SaaS, while continuing to take on select client projects for stability and cash flow.
Q. Since the inception of your business, have you gained any insights that have provided you with a competitive advantage and proven beneficial to your operations?
Yes, balancing SaaS development with consulting allows us to validate ideas faster and build cash flow. It also builds trust with clients, opening the door for upselling our products.
Q. What tools have helped you grow your product?
Figma, Sketch for design
React, Node.js for development
Stripe for payments
Notion for internal management
Google Analytics, Search Console for tracking growth
Q. Which books, podcasts, or other resources have had the greatest impact on you?
“The Lean Startup” by Eric Ries
“The Hard Thing About Hard Things” by Ben Horowitz
Q. What advice would you offer to entrepreneurs who are looking to start or have just begun their journey?
Start with real problems. Deliver value first, iterate later. Be willing to combine consulting with product building to fund growth.
Q. Are you looking to hire for certain positions right now?
Not right now, but we’re always open to meeting talented people.
Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions! What is your contact info if people would like to inquire about your services? You can add all your links.
Great! Here are links to our website, Reddit, Instagram and X accounts.
Let me know what you learned from this interview and have a productive week! 🙏
Indie Tip of the Week
You don’t need a polished product or 1,000 users to start sharing. Post your progress, your thinking, even your mistakes. People love watching the behind the scenes of a product taking shape. It builds trust, attracts early supporters, and often brings in your first paying customers before launch. Start with a tweet, or a short blog post. You’re not just building a product, you’re building a story people want to follow.
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Indie Trivia Of the Week
Richard Hatch is the very first winner of which reality TV show?
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