How to Build a Life Project That Solves Real Problems (and Pays)
When you think about building a life project, it’s easy to get excited about the possibilities. But before you jump into the technical details or dream about making money, there’s one question you need to ask yourself: Why are you doing this?
It’s tempting to start a project just for fun, but if you want it to last—and maybe even earn something from it—you need to fall in love with a real, painful problem. Not just any problem, but one that’s urgent for you and for others. You have to be the number one user of your own solution. If you don’t care deeply about the problem, it’s hard to convince anyone else to care.
Let’s sit down together and figure out what that problem could be. For me, it was about healthy eating. I wanted to track what I eat, see my progress, and make better choices. That’s how I ended up creating an app called Mil Snap.
Turning a Personal Need Into a Real Project
Mil Snap is a simple food tracking app. Every day, you log what you eat. It’s like a food diary, but with a focus on making things as easy as possible. I built it using React Native, with a lightweight backend in Go, and Firebase Firestore for the database. I host it on Railway, which I find really handy.
I’m not the world’s best Go programmer, but I had a lot of fun building this. The code is clean, and I keep improving it. The app tells you not just calories, but also the Nova score (how processed your food is) and a health rating. It’s become an essential tool for me—I use it all the time to check what I ate last week, or even a year ago.
Launching and Learning
When I launched Mil Snap on Product Hunt, I was surprised by the positive response. Even the founder of Product Hunt left a comment. That gave me a real boost. But not every launch is a hit. Sometimes you get lots of attention, sometimes not. It’s a bit like posting videos on YouTube—some take off, others don’t.
One thing I learned: if you want traction, you have to talk about your project everywhere—email, social media, and so on. And if you’re selling subscriptions through the Apple Store, be ready for a lot of paperwork. Apple asks for tons of documents, and it takes time to get your account approved. But if your company makes less than a million a year, you can join their Small Business Program and pay a lower commission (15% instead of 30%).
Focus on What Matters
I decided to focus only on iOS. I have an iPhone, and iPhone users are more willing to pay for subscriptions. Maintaining both iOS and Android versions takes a lot of time, even if you use the same codebase. I wanted to keep things simple and do one thing well.
I also use Apple’s SF Symbols to make the app look and feel native. There’s a great React Native library for that. It’s another reason why I didn’t bother with Android—I wanted the best experience for iOS users.
Iteration and Feedback
Every week, I release a new version of Mil Snap. I talk to people, watch them use the app, and see where they get stuck. If someone doesn’t understand a feature, I know I need to make it clearer. It’s hard to get feedback by email or message, but when you see someone using your app in person, you learn a lot.
The goal is always to make things as simple as possible. I want Mil Snap to be easy for anyone to use, not just me.
Why You Should Build Your Own Project
Having a project like this gives you a reason to get up in the morning. It’s motivating. You’re not just building something for others—you’re solving your own problem, and that makes it real.
Maybe your project isn’t an app. Maybe it’s a service, a website, or something else. The important thing is that you care about it, and that it solves a real problem for you and for others.
The best way to predict the future is to create it yourself.
— Peter Drucker
If you’re not solving your own problem, you’ll never truly understand your users.
— Unknown
Key Takeaways
- Start with a real, urgent problem—one you care about deeply.
- Be your own first user.
- Keep things simple and focus on what matters.
- Iterate often and get feedback from real people.
- Don’t be afraid of paperwork or setbacks; keep going.
- Focus on one platform if it makes sense for your audience.
Action Steps
- Identify a problem you face every day.
- Sketch out a simple solution—don’t overthink it.
- Build, launch, and talk about your project everywhere.
- Watch people use your project and learn from them.
- Keep improving, one step at a time.
Reflection
- What problem do I care about enough to solve for myself?
- Am I willing to use my own solution every day?
- How can I make my project as simple as possible for others?
Pierre-Henry Soria
#Entrepreneurship #Goal-Setting #Life Planning #Money #Personal Development #Problem Solving #Productivity #Project Management #Tech #Time-Management