Seeking Feedback: A Platform to Discover Indie Hackers Building in Public
Hi HN,

Over the last two years, I’ve been working hard to build my career in web development. I landed a number of positions at agencies and startups, but I quickly realized that working in those environments has its limits. In my efforts to become economically independent, I started looking at people who were already doing what I aspired to—indie hackers and solopreneurs building their own projects.

What I noticed is that success often comes from solving a real problem that people have. In my own search to find a problem I could solve, I realized I had one right in front of me: I needed a place where I could easily find examples of indie hackers who were documenting their successes, failures, and personal journeys as they build products, apps, and businesses. So, I took it upon myself to start collecting these links.

After curating over 350 URLs, I now have a comprehensive list of indie hacker websites and blogs where creators share their personal journeys. Some of these sites focus on product development, while others mix in unrelated topics like lifestyle and personal blogs. But what they all have in common is the transparency of building in public. The one thing I’ve learned is that there’s immense value in being able to explore the real journeys of these creators, even when they’re not always solely focused on their projects.

The Idea:
I’m thinking of turning this collection into a platform that organizes all of these links and lets people explore them in different ways. The goal is to create something that’s valuable to other developers, solopreneurs, and indie hackers who want to learn from real-world examples.

Here’s the core concept:

Key Features:

Directory: A searchable list of indie hacker websites. Users can explore personal sites of creators who are documenting their journeys, whether they’re successful or learning through failure.
Random Exploration: A feature where users can randomly explore different creator websites with each click, offering a fun way to discover new people and projects.
Passive Discovery: A daily or weekly feed that delivers a random indie hacker link to users' inboxes, letting them passively discover new projects without having to visit the site every day.

Monetization Thoughts:
I’m thinking of offering a freemium model:

Free Users: Access to a limited number of URLs, one random spin per day, and weekly email updates.
Premium Users: Full access to the directory, unlimited spins, and daily updates via the feed. I’m also considering adding affiliate links for tools and services these indie hackers use.

Why I’m Posting Here:
I see the value in this collection because it solved a problem I had myself—finding examples of people who are in the trenches, building their own projects and documenting the process. But I’m not sure if this resonates with others, and I’d love some feedback to gauge whether or not this idea is worth pursuing.

What I’d Like to Know:
Do you think this kind of platform would be valuable to others trying to build their own projects?
Even though the content on each website can be a mix of personal and project-related posts, do you see the benefit in offering a resource like this?
What would you want to see in a product like this to make it more useful or appealing?

Any feedback or thoughts would be hugely appreciated! I’m continuing my efforts to make something of myself, and I want to know if this could help others along the way too.

Thanks in advance!