Jonathan Kuipers

Bootstrapping @projection_lab

[Mad Fientist @madfientist]

The Best FIRE Software Just Got Even Better

https://t.co/B98SgGfnyl

[Jonathan Kuipers @jonkuipers]

I'm biased, but it's a pretty great place to work. come join us!

[Kyle Nolan @_knolan]

ProjectionLab is bootstrapped, profitable, and hiring!

We're looking for a Senior Full-Stack Engineer to join the team as our second dev.

You'd be working directly with me on a large Vue 3 + TypeScript codebase, shipping features used by thousands of households.

This is hard work with a high quality bar. But also the most fun I've ever had building software :)

Full story + how to apply: https://t.co/keTEN5LG1N

[Kyle Nolan @_knolan]

ProjectionLab is bootstrapped, profitable, and hiring!

We're looking for a Senior Full-Stack Engineer to join the team as our second dev.

You'd be working directly with me on a large Vue 3 + TypeScript codebase, shipping features used by thousands of households.

This is hard work with a high quality bar. But also the most fun I've ever had building software :)

Full story + how to apply: https://t.co/keTEN5LG1N

[Kyle Nolan @_knolan]

24 hrs on the front-page of hacker news?!

Replying to comments till 2am was not on the agenda this week 😂

Glad the HN hug of death is no problem for @Firebase Hosting!

Here's a peak at the analytics:

https://t.co/n9I15oqRFC

[Jonathan Kuipers @jonkuipers]

@garrytan The challenge is: how do we shift focus away from false credentials and vanity metrics, and toward the kind of real success stories you’re highlighting? There’s clearly appetite for it. Just look at the response here:
https://t.co/eRtSwiJ6tj

[Kyle Nolan @_knolan]

We did it!! $1,000,000 in annual recurring revenue. With zero funding. 🥹

And I'm still processing that this is real.

No AI hype. No VC money. Just 4 years of hard work building good software to solve a real problem we had ourselves.

And never giving up.

When I started ProjectionLab as a side project in 2021, I was just a normal engineer working solo on nights & weekends after my day job.

I couldn't imagine my little app ever making 5 figures... let alone 7! 🤯

But today, we're a 3 FTE team helping 100k+ households plan for a better financial future.

The chart may look smooth, but the journey to $1M ARR had ups, downs, and moments I wanted to quit.

Here's the full story: https://t.co/GviovcniHy

#buildinpublic

[Kyle Nolan @_knolan]

Back in February, @jonkuipers and I mapped out which ambitious new features could accelerate growth.

But what did we do next? Something completely different... 🙈

We realized that to build those ambitious features sustainably, we needed to upgrade the foundation.

So by popular request from the PL community, we focused on:

- ⌛ Monthly precision inputs (more granular event scheduling)
- ✂️ Better US state & local tax modeling (exemptions, Prop 13, NYC, etc)
- 🧑‍💻 Technical debt reduction (migrated 20+ key components to TypeScript, improved performance)
- 📆 Calendar year alignment
- 🏦 Inherited IRAs (Traditional & Roth)
- 💸 Centralized cost basis & past contributions inputs
- ⚙️ Advanced RMD controls (10-year, stretch, custom distribution schedules)
- 🏡 More property tax & assessed value modeling options
- 💻 UX improvements across event forms
- ➡️ And a lot more!

This release clocks in around 80,000 lines of code and 3 months of sustained effort.

But more importantly: it puts us in a much better position to build that next wave of features we strategized about in February.

This is exactly the kind of flexibility we WOULD NOT have if we had taken outside funding.

Staying lean and bootstrapped means we get to prioritize product quality, technical clarity, and long-term sustainability. Not just chasing growth at all costs.

In the long run, that's where our staying power will come from.

If you try out the new version, let us know what you think!

#buildinpublic

[Kyle Nolan @_knolan]

Just hit 4M search impressions this year! 🔥

Want to know the secret to how I did it?

...

I didn't!

Last year I brought on @jonkuipers to lead growth & marketing for @projection_lab.

And he's been crushing it.

I'm focused on building. He's focused on growth.

No hacks or secrets. We're just staying focused on our strengths, and trusting each other with theirs.

Hiring the wrong person can kill your business.

But hiring the RIGHT person?

That's how you keep coding and 10x TTM search impressions at the same time.

#buildinpublic

[Jonathan Kuipers @jonkuipers]

📈📉📈 No surprise: market performance influences when / how people plan.

@projection_lab usage has closely mirrored the market YTD.

All-time highs boost confidence, but uncertain times are when planning matters most.

The market is unpredictable. Your plan doesn't have to be.

[Jonathan Kuipers @jonkuipers]

@tferriss A lot of our customers like @monarch_money—it pairs well with ProjectionLab’s long-term planning features!

[Jonathan Kuipers @jonkuipers]

@_knolan @projection_lab great use of @prezi

[Jonathan Kuipers @jonkuipers]

We're excited to see around 30% of @projection_lab's MRR come from customers using PL for more than a year.

And the share of older cohorts is growing 📈

Retention like this is rare in B2C apps and a powerful growth driver, especially when bootstrapped.

#buildinpublic

[Kyle Nolan @_knolan]

We hit $1M in total revenue and closed out January at $70k MRR! 🔥

In the early days, I never imagined @Projection_Lab would help 100,000+ people plan for a better life.

There were lean months, late nights, and moments of doubt.

You can see in the revenue chart: it's been a roller coaster.

Showing up every day was not always easy. And $1M in 4 years may not be rocketship numbers.

But creating a bootstrapped business that's profitable, efficient, and fully aligned with our customers is more than enough for me 😊

#buildinpublic

[Jonathan Kuipers @jonkuipers]

Excited to share some news! After a year of advising and teaming up with @_knolan, I've officially joined the @projection_lab team full-time as head of growth. 🎉 We're on a mission to make financial planning accessible for everyone.

Check us out and help spread the word! 🙏

[Kyle Nolan @_knolan]

11 months ago, no one was working on ProjectionLab full-time. Now, there are 2 of us!

It's been a hell of a year:

- Side Hustle ➡️ Full-Time Gig
- 2k ➡️ 5,000+ Customers
- Aug was our biggest month ever! 📈

And I'm thrilled to announce that @jonkuipers is coming onboard full-time to lead growth and marketing for PL.

https://t.co/k6j3Pjo57j

Jon started out as an early @projection_lab community member, worked the past year as an advisor, and he's one of the people who convinced me to quit my day job and go all-in after our @FinCon award last year.

And now with Jon leading growth, I’m able to fully focus on product and development... which means more exciting updates and new features ahead for everyone! 😎

[Jonathan Kuipers @jonkuipers]

Definitely beats meeting in a random conference room
🔥

[Kyle Nolan @_knolan]

As a corporate employee, I used to dread traveling for work... But not anymore! ✈️

Just had a blast visiting @jonkuipers and Lindsey with @traveling_olive -- hiking, fishing, and strategizing about what's next for @projection_lab! 🏞️ 🎣

[Jonathan Kuipers @jonkuipers]

@_knolan Always love these posts! Excited for what's next! 🚀

[Jonathan Kuipers @jonkuipers]

@_knolan @projection_lab

[Jonathan Kuipers @jonkuipers]

@_knolan it's about time 😉🥳

[Jonathan Kuipers @jonkuipers]

Congrats, Kyle! 🎉

Well deserved. I'm continually impressed by what you've built @projection_lab over the past few years! 👏🚀

[Kyle Nolan @_knolan]

ProjectionLab was selected as one of the winners at the FinCon #fintech startup competition in New Orleans! 🎉

@FinCon is one of the largest personal finance conferences, and the first I have attended for @projection_lab.

It was fun (and luckily not too scary) making a 7-min presentation/pitch on stage to the judges and audience full of content creators and brands.

I really enjoyed meeting many of you there in person, and it is shaping up to be an exciting year.

Also, huge congrats to the #1 and #2 picks @joinwaterlily and @DebtDebbie! You are both excellent speakers @lvittayarukskul and Frida, and I'm sure the future is bright for your products!

The other folks in PL shirts are Jon (@jonkuipers, growth advisor) and Olivia (my fiancé). It was a blast having them along, and they were both a tremendous help.

At first I was planning to attend alone, but I am glad I didn't! Loads of people showed up to chat and learn about PL, and there is no way I could have managed everything 😅

Thanks again to everyone who encouraged me to attend! @ptmoney @RetireBeforeDad @debtfreejustine

[Jonathan Kuipers @jonkuipers]

@liamflaherty haha, this reminded me of the clown head trash cans all over Ecuador