Sal Aiello and Monica Powers are the dynamic duo behind the creation of a lucrative side hustle that they built in just four days, spending less than $200 to get it off the ground. Their journey began with running their side hustle ideas past ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence chatbot, using it as a starting point for market research. They quickly realized that they had a unique skill in asking ChatGPT the right questions to get useful answers, a skill that others may not possess.
Aiello, a seasoned CTO for tech startups, and Powers, a product designer who runs a strategic design and branding company called Mascot, decided to capitalize on their expertise and create an AI-powered research tool. The concept was simple: users would fill out a form about their business idea, and the tool would input their answers to ChatGPT in a way that maximized the usefulness of the responses. This innovative approach led them to consider the possibility of monetizing their creation.
In March, they officially launched DimeADozen, a platform designed for “want-repreneurs” looking to test their business ideas. For a fee of $39, users could receive a comprehensive report compiled in a fraction of the time it would typically take using traditional analytics agencies or search engines. In just seven months, DimeADozen generated over $66,000 in revenue, with almost all of it being profit, aside from minimal expenses for web hosting and a database.
The success of DimeADozen caught the attention of Felipe Arosemena and Danielle de Corneille, a husband-and-wife team consisting of a software engineer and a product designer. They saw the potential in the side hustle and made a deal to acquire it for $150,000, with plans to make it their full-time venture. Aiello and Powers will continue to be involved as advisors, dedicating about five hours per week to the business.
Powers and Aiello’s collaboration began at a virtual startup founder meetup event, where they quickly realized their shared passion for entrepreneurship. With three other side hustles in progress, DimeADozen stood out as a groundbreaking venture, being the first AI research tool tailored specifically for testing business ideas. By leveraging ChatGPT to generate detailed reports based on user input, the platform offered a faster and more reliable alternative to traditional research methods.
The duo’s expertise in prompt engineering, a technique for optimizing chatbot interactions, helped minimize the risk of AI hallucinations, ensuring the accuracy of the information provided by DimeADozen. While they acknowledge that eliminating hallucinations entirely is challenging, they have fine-tuned their approach to prompt parameters to mitigate the issue effectively.
Looking ahead, Aiello envisions a future where DimeADozen becomes a ubiquitous tool for business validation and learning. With aspirations of potential acquisition by industry giants like Salesforce, the platform’s ultimate goal is to revolutionize the way businesses validate and analyze their ideas.
In conclusion, Sal Aiello and Monica Powers’ journey from idea conception to a successful side hustle exemplifies the power of innovation, collaboration, and strategic thinking. Their story serves as an inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to turn their ideas into profitable ventures, showcasing the potential for success with determination and creativity.
