Automating myself out of an unloved project with Python, n8n and Telegram

In 2020, I built my first side project. I "scratched my own itch" and started selling it, and since then, the project has earned me over $15,000. However, just a few months after its release, I was so overwhelmed by maintenance work that I considered shutting it down. Instead of killing the goose that lays (small) golden eggs, I decided to automate the project.

In this presentation, I will share how I used the fair-code licensed tool n8n to automate interactions with users. By connecting custom Python scripts, a web scraper, and integrating a Telegram bot, I created a system for fast and easy interactions with my project.

I'll also discuss the highs and lows of building a side project. As a software developer, I always saw a project with recurring revenue as the "holy grail." After putting in the initial effort to build and launch it, I thought I could sit back and watch the money roll in. Not quite. Building the project is just the beginning—you'll also need to handle customers, combat fraud, and manage the challenges that can quickly lead to burnout.

This talk is 34% about Python, 33% about lessons learned (the hard way) about having a side project with paying customers, and 33% about setting up free tools to automate things.