I’ve been solo-building a platform called AIWingman for the past 6 months. It’s a tool that actually helps drivers and car owners save time and money—but hardly anyone knows it exists.
I’ve done it all myself. Barely spent $6k, surviving on instant noodles and cheap coffee. My only recurring cost is $180/month in servers. The tech works. People who try it love it.
But here's the problem:
I’ve got less than 60 days of runway left.
120 users total, 12 of them paying = ~$70 MRR
Break-even needs 9,000–11,000 users
CAC looks like $20 per user
That’s $40k–$60k just to not die
So now I'm at a fork in the road:
Option A: Keep grinding
Hold onto 100% ownership.
Let it grow slowly and organically.
Risk burning out or going broke before the market even notices.
Option B: Raise capital
Trade 25% equity for $400–$500k.
Have the ammo to scale.
Risk VCs pressuring me to pivot, speed up timelines, or ruin the soul of the product.
VCs I’ve spoken to say, “It’s promising—come back when you have more traction.” Great. So I need traction to raise money, but I need money to get traction. Neat.
I know the product works. I feel it in my gut. But I'm burning cash sitting on something that could genuinely improve lives, and I can’t afford the ads to prove it.
Has anyone here been in this exact spot?
When do you bet on yourself and stay lean?
When do you take outside capital and hit the gas?
Is there a sane middle ground—angel round, revenue-based deal, or something scrappier?
Appreciate any hard-earned advice.
