Quit my job, failed 3 times, built a tool, got 8,000 leads

Hi, Luna here. I left a solid career at L’Oréal and AWS in 2023. On paper, things looked great. But inside, I felt stuck. I wanted to start a startup. Didn’t think it’d be this messy though. \--- Try #1: Print on demand phone case (failed) Try #2: Anti-hangover jelly (failed) Try #3: Automate the process of creators building a skincare brand. (??) **Then I built a simple tool and it went viral** I made this tiny AI brand strategy tool: paste your socials → get a vibe check on your brand → see product fit and potential revenue. It was supposed to just attract a few creators for the skincare thing. Somehow it blew up. **8,000+ leads. 700+ booked calls. No ad spend.** **-------** Suddenly, folks from my old world: L’Oréal, Amazon, early-stage startups, started asking: “Can you build a tool like this for our brand?” That was the first time I thought: maybe I’m onto something. Maybe I’ve just been circling the problem from the wrong angle. Now I’m working on something new: * A SaaS that helps brands make AI Lead Magnet like the one I made * Using what I know about brand, strategy, storytelling, all of it I’m still not there yet. No big revenue. No team. No exit. But for once, it feels like I’m finally facing the right direction.(?) **What I’ve learned so far**: * Solving a real problem beats chasing a trend * Start with a tool, not a platform * Three failed projects doesn’t mean you’re not close * Most people give up too early Still building. Still figuring it out. If you're on the same path, or thinking about starting, let’s talk!