i woke up to an email that made my heart stop.
"we want to acquire your product. $4,150."
i read it again. and again.
this was the moment every indie hacker dreams of -
someone actually wanted to buy what i built.
the crazy part?
i hadn't made a single dollar in months.
zero revenue. just endless nights of coding, tweeting, and hoping someone out there would care.
and suddenly, this was it. validation. money. an exit.
my first instinct? take it.
finally, some proof that i wasn't insane for pouring my life into this thing.
the next day, i signed the LOI.
i was hyped. i thought this was it -
my "i made it" moment.
the beginning of something huge.
but then… due diligence started.
and somewhere in the middle of reviewing docs, a strange feeling crept in.
this heavy, uncomfortable knot in my stomach.
i couldn't explain it - i just knew something was off.
i sat with it for a day.
then another.
and the more i thought about it, the clearer it became:
this wasn't why i started building.
so i did the hardest thing i've ever done.
i canceled the deal.
right before closing.
it made zero sense on paper.
but deep down, it felt right.
the next few weeks? brutal.
i questioned everything - my skills, my choices, my sanity.
but i kept going.
i went back to shipping, tweeting, writing, and putting my work everywhere -
twitter, reddit, medium… anywhere i could be seen.
then, out of nowhere, an email from the delta residency program landed in my inbox.
my product got selected.
if i performed well, i'd get a 3-month free residency in san francisco.
spoiler: i didn't make it.
my idea wasn't good enough.
but my ambition? stronger than ever.
and then, on day 9 of the delta program…
day 88 since launch…
i got my first paying customer.
that $4,150 offer?
i don't regret saying no.
not because i'm against exits.
i'm not.
one day, maybe.
but not at the cost of momentum and vision.
if you're building and ever get an acquisition offer, ask yourself:
> does this make the product better for users?
> does this help me learn faster?
> will i still wake up excited tomorrow?
if the answer isn't a strong yes,
it's a no.
i'm still building.
still shipping.
still learning.
because at the end of the day,
i'd rather create something that matters
than sell something that doesn't.
if you're on the same path, keep going.
your moment is coming.
and when it does, you'll know what to do.