#27 - How to build a successful Shopify App 🚀

This email is a continuation of the previous one. You can read it by clicking here

Let me tell you about the day I told my mom:

"I'm gonna make more money with my business than an engineer before my graduation"

This story started a few years ago.

When I was 15 I told my parents and my family that I would be rich one day.

I didn't know how or when, but I knew I would be rich.

And it always made my mom laughs. You know, the kind of dreams a child can have.

But she didn't know I was serious. Even though I repeated the same words for years after that time.

And she was trying to protect me from disillusionment.

"You know, we're not coming from a rich family, so you can't be rich"

My father came to France from Portugal when he was 20 years old and my grandparents on my mother's side also came to France to find work.

We were never rich, but I didn't consider myself poor. I've never lacked anything. Like I've always had enough to eat or to play.

But to my mom, it wasn't enough to become rich.

And since I was 15 I have always tried to create small businesses. Nothing serious, but still.

Building businesses was not the only thing I wanted to do. I also wanted to work for a big tech company.

But when I was 20 and did my first internship, as I wanted, big French company, tech service, I felt like it wasn't for me.

So I doubled down on building businesses.

That's what I wanted to do with my life! And I've read everything about it!

I was interested in many things: e-commerce, SaaS, agency, freelancing, Stock options.

But no matter what I was trying, I kept telling my parents:

"You know, I'm gonna be rich"

And as the end of my studies approached, my mom was a little concerned.

My parents did not study long, and neither did my grandparents.

So when I had my bachelor's degree and told them I wanted to be an engineer, everyone was happy! Like "My son did it!"

And deep down, my mom thought I would become one. But I had other projects.

To pay for my studies I had to take out a loan from the bank. And my mother kept telling me: "Get a job while you study to help pay for it!"

And I always replied: "If I do it, I won't have enough time to work on my businesses!"

But I had nothing working. I wasn't making money. So I can understand that my parents were a bit worried.

And that moment came. My mom asked me: "If someone offers you an engineering job, would you take it?"

And I felt sorry for her, but I replied "No, I won't, I want to be an entrepreneur"

I understand it can be hard to hear. I was on my way to becoming an engineer, the achievement of a lifetime for my parents!

And since I wasn't making any money I told her:

"You know what? Let me build my business. I don't find a job or something. I just work on my business. But by the end of my studies, I'm gonna make more money than an engineer. And if I don't, then all right, I'd accept my defeat and start working for anything you want."

And we had a deal!

But as the end of my studies approached, I still didn't have anything!

So I asked my school to do the final internship as a company creation.

We're in October 2019. The internship start was in January 2020. And by the end of 2020, I would graduate.

I built WideBundle, my Shopify App, in May 2020. I have studied the market for the last few months. Chatting with merchants.

In September 2020, I was already making money.

And in December 2020, after graduating, I had my first month making more than $10,000 with WideBundle.

And I told my mom: "I won"

I hope you enjoyed this email, it was a bit different than the others, but it was a story I wanted to share with you.

Remember that, if you truly want something in your life, don't let anyone stops you from getting it. Work so hard that the question "Will I make it?" turns into: "When will I make it?"

See you next week,

Mat