Built and monetized a first-party AI app without writing code since 2000

Achievements

·        Built SpiritDog as a first‑party commercial web app to deliver and monetize an AI companion experience outside ChatGPT’s walled garden.

·        Implemented a conversion-first funnel: guest access (5 chats) → 7‑day trial → Stripe subscription (monthly/yearly) with tiered usage limits.

·        Delivered admin tooling (‘Spirit Keeper’) for managing users, tiers, knowledge-base files (‘sacred texts’), and basic analytics; added export of user history (JSON) and chat transcripts (print/save as PDF).

·        Demonstrated modern AI-assisted development despite not personally writing code since ~2000, using AI tooling plus cloud-native services to ship production-style capabilities (auth, payments, governance controls).

Tools

·        Google Gemini Studio (AI-assisted development)

·        GitHub (source control + dependency/library management)

·        Firebase Hosting + Firebase Authentication + Firestore (hosting, auth, data, rules/indexes)

·        Stripe (subscriptions + trials)

·        Gemini via Google GenAI SDK (LLM runtime; provider modules designed to be swappable)

·        Planned ops stack: GoHighLevel + n8n/Zapier-style automation for lifecycle workflows

Methodology

·        Defined business constraints: monetization control, portability/ownership, data privacy & governance, and LLM provider flexibility.

·        Built core UX: guest-to-login onboarding, intention/preferences, chat UI with usage counters and upgrade prompts.

·        Implemented platform services: user records, tier limits, invitations, admin actions, knowledge-base file management, and exports.

·        Designed the LLM layer as an adapter module to allow swapping providers without rebuilding the product shell.

Learnings

·        Moving from a GPT to a first‑party app unlocks commercial necessities: owner-controlled subscription funnel, data governance, user relationship ownership, and operational tooling.

·        A conversion-first UX (fast free value + visible upgrade path) paired with admin controls makes the product measurable and scalable.

Relevant URLs

·        SpiritDog Web App: https://spiritdog-web.web.app/

·        Original SpiritDog GPT: https://chatgpt.com/g/g-67f88c065b488191918da6f73c8c2e58-spiritdog

ATTACHED: Full APP doc: Why-What-How in detail