Laptop Nomads, Monk Mode, and the Future of Solo Startups

In the AI-era’s spam-filled internet, it’s nice to discover something genuinely valuable. Today, I stumbled upon Nico Jeannen’s YouTube channel. He’s a laptop nomad who rapidly builds products, gets paying users, and then sells them.

He has made three videos so far, and I fully endorse the advice he shares—they’re great:

  • Validate your business idea as early as possible.
  • Assume your startup will fail.
  • Solve problems for paying customers.

He also created a video diary documenting the creation of his second SaaS product, which he eventually sold for $200,000. The video above showcases that journey.

 

In the video, he discusses his “Monk Mode,” where he locks himself in an apartment for 6 months to fully focus on his product (with a basement gym and a good restaurant nearby offering delivery). Monk Mode isn’t for every entrepreneur. I’ve met several impressive laptop nomads who manage it, but personally, I can’t. I need long walks and social energy from networking.

Nico’s video highlights an ongoing trend: more tasks are becoming achievable by fewer people. What previously required an entire team can now be accomplished by just one person. This trend has been progressing for a long time (and will continue indefinitely), but with today’s AI tools, we’re reaching absurd new levels. Products that, just a year ago, needed four developers and two marketers/salespeople can now be launched single-handedly.

The future is exciting!

Read more on Nicos blog