How I Built ScrollTone in a Week With No Dev Experience

Jun 24, 2025

I Wasn’t a Developer. I Was Just Done Waiting.

I didn’t have a computer science degree. I wasn’t a coder. I didn’t know what a Flask route was or how to use a Stripe webhook. But I had a vision: a tool that could help people reflect, write, and reconnect with themselves using the power of AI.

That tool became ScrollTone — an AI-powered reflection console that generates spiritual or self-awareness prompts, lets people respond, and helps them deepen their thinking. I built the first working version in 7 days, by myself, using ChatGPT, raw intuition, and Google.

Here’s how it happened.

Step 1: I Skipped “Learning to Code”

Most people get stuck in tutorial hell. I didn’t want that. So I asked ChatGPT, straight up:

“How do I build a web app that takes user input and returns a GPT-generated reflection?”

ChatGPT gave me the bones: Flask for the backend, HTML/CSS for the frontend, and OpenAI’s API. I copied the code, asked dumb questions, and let the AI walk me through every step like a patient co-founder.

If I got an error, I pasted it into ChatGPT.

If I needed a new feature, I described it like I was texting a friend,

Step 2: I Built Dirty and Fast

I didn’t worry about how perfect it looked. I just wanted it to work.

I had:

  • A basic HTML frontend

  • A Flask backend with 3 routes

  • A form that collected user input

  • An API call to OpenAI

  • A “reflection” output displayed on screen

In under 3 days, I had a working MVP.

 

Step 3: I Layered in Stripe

On day 4, I asked:

“How do I charge users $9 to access this app?”

Within minutes, ChatGPT gave me the code for Stripe Checkout, told me how to secure it, and helped me test the flow. I embedded a paywall, ran a test payment, and it worked.

I didn’t even fully understand what was happening under the hood. But it didn’t matter. The product was real.

Step 4: I Launched It Raw

No paid ads. No email list. I posted it on Reddit, Twitter, and a few indie hacker groups. I framed it like:

“I built this AI reflection console in a week. It helps you get honest with yourself.”

People resonated with it. A few paid. A few sent messages. ScrollTone was born.

Final Thoughts

You don’t need to be a dev to build an app.

You don’t need to spend 6 months preparing.

You need a clear outcome, a working prompt, and the courage to build dirty.

ScrollTone wasn’t polished. But it was alive. It helped people. It was real.

And if you’ve got a vision in your head and a fire in your gut, you can build your own ScrollTone too.

I built mine with no experience. In 7 days. With AI. So can you.

Want to learn how I did it step-by-step?

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