Our business model with Visnalize
Cover image by Mark Fletcher-Brown via Unsplash
Lots of big words, but I hope that post title and description did a good job catching your attention. This post is not gonna be written in a formal business language, but rather in a more casual and friendly tone. In this post, I'm sharing about how we make money from doing what we do here at Visnalize, by providing nostalgia, enjoyment, and entertainment to the users through our retro digital products and services.
If you happen to be walking down the same path as us, or are just curious about how we operate as a small and independent team, then this post is for you.
Quick recap
Rewinding a bit, in the early days in 2020, Visnalize didn't exist back then. It was just me and Win7 Simu as a side project.
After a year of development, the project became somewhat of a side hustle as it made some money. The revenue was barely enough to be considered a business, but it was enough to sustain the project and keep it going. That's when I realized I wanted to turn it into something more, and that's how Visnalize was born.
A brand that focuses on recreating and preserving the nostalgia of the past, while providing an accessible way for people to experience it. Win7 Simu, followed by Brick 1100 are the first two products that I launched under the Visnalize brand, and they have been well-received by the community.
Where we are now
Today, Visnalize still remains a side hustle for me, as I have a full-time job (despite the fact that Visnalize is now making even more money than this job, but that's a story for another time). However, it's no longer a one-person project, we've grown to a small team of 2 people. Since a few months ago, Thuan has joined me as a part-time developer to help me build and maintain the products. This has allowed me to focus more on the "business" side of things, such as planning, marketing, and customer support.
With no background in business, I'm still learning as I go, figuring things out along the way. There will be mistakes made, there will be lessons learned, and there will be wins to celebrate. I don't have all the answers, and I don't claim to be an expert in this field. But I believe sharing our journey and how we do is a great way to document our progress, to reflect on our growth, and also to inspire others who are on a similar path.
What we do (value)
We stay true to our mission from the beginning: to recreate nostalgia for entertainment.
We do our best to deliver high-quality updates and new features to our existing products, Win7 Simu and Brick 1100, while also exploring new ideas and concepts that align with our vision. However, we don't half-ass our work. We strive for excellence in everything we do, and we value quality over quantity.
We started independently, we will remain independent, even as we grow and evolve. No investors, no outside distractions, no pressure, just us, our passion, and our commitment to our users.
There is one thing we would ask of you, our users. As we remain a small and independent team, your support is crucial for us to keep going. Please help us by spreading the word about our products, providing feedback, and reporting any issues you encounter. Every help counts, no matter how small, and we truly appreciate it.
How we sustain (revenue)
To keep our motivation high and our projects running, we rely on a few key revenue streams below:
1. Advertising and product sales
Our primary revenue stream since the beginning has been through advertising and product sales, with Win7 Simu being the flagship product that has generated the most revenue.
Ads are displayed on our website and within our products, keeping our services free for everyone while also help us stay afloat. We aim to keep the ads minimal and non-intrusive, so they don't interfere with the user experience.
There are also subscription and lifetime plans for users who want to get access to additional features and an ad-free experience. This is a great way for users to support us while also getting something in return.
We also have a few cosmetic and optional in-app purchases, such as themes and skins, that users can buy to enhance their experience. These purchases are entirely optional and do not affect the core functionality of the products.
2. Partnerships
At the moment, we have partnered with 2 companies that help us generate additional revenue from our products. These partnerships are mutually beneficial, we provide the value they need, and they provide us with the extra income that contributes to our sustainability.
We are always open to exploring new partnerships that align with our vision and values, as long as they don't compromise the quality of our products, or bring any negative impact to our users.
3. Sponsored content
You must have noticed a few sponsored posts on our blog, and that we have recently offered some new services on our website, such as sponsored posts and advertising. These services are designed to help businesses and individuals promote their products and services to our audience, while also generating revenue for us.
We carefully vet all sponsored content to ensure that it is relevant and appropriate for our audience. We want to maintain the quality of our content and the trust of our users, so we only work with sponsors that align with those values.
Closing notes
I am truly proud of what we have achieved so far, and I am excited about what the future holds for Visnalize. We are still a small team, but that's what makes us unique. We are agile, flexible, and able to adapt quickly but remain focused on our mission.
And with the assistance of AI tools, building and maintaining our products has become easier and more efficient than ever. We are constantly exploring new ways to improve our products and services, and we are always open to feedback and suggestions. Please feel free to reach out to us if you have anything to share, or if you just want to have a chat, we are always happy to hear from you.
Thank you for being part of my our journey. Sincerely.