TL;DR: Built a fully functional AI sprite generator website in days, but skipped market validation entirely. Need advice on growing from zero users to profitability.

The Story

On August 8th, I had this random idea: what if you could generate pixel art sprites and 2D game assets in seconds just by typing a prompt?

I got so excited that I dove straight into building. Using Next.js, Supabase, Stripe, and Vercel (with Claude Code as my coding partner), I managed to get a fully functional website live.

The Problem

I built so fast that I completely skipped the "boring" stuff like:

• Market validation
• Building an email list
• Finding early users
• Actually talking to potential customers

Classic developer mistake, right? 😅

Current Marketing Efforts

• Daily TikToks documenting the build process
• Active on Twitter and Reddit (posting/engaging every 2 days)
• The website is live and functional

What I Need Help With

I'm at a crossroads and need advice on:

1. Market validation - How do I validate demand now that it's already built?
2. User acquisition - Best strategies for finding indie game devs, pixel artists, and hobbyists?
3. Monetization - Current setup has Stripe integration, but what pricing model makes sense?
4. Growth tactics - What's worked for similar creative tools?

Questions for the Community

• Have you launched a creative tool before? What worked/didn't work?
• Should I pivot my marketing approach or double down on current channels?
• Any specific communities or platforms where pixel art creators hang out?
• Worth going back to build an email list, or focus on direct user acquisition?

I know I did this backwards, but hoping to learn from the community's experience. Any advice, brutal honesty, or "I've been there" stories would be hugely appreciated!