How I Built a $20K MRR DNS Filtering SaaS by Overcoming My Own Digital Addiction

AI Summary · A Serial Entrepreneur’s Perspective

Ben Bozzay turned his struggle with internet addiction into a SaaS product—Tech Lockdown—generating $20K per month in subscriptions. His core insight: adults want strict device controls, but most existing tools are designed for parents monitoring kids. Tech-savvy users need deeper solutions, combining DNS filtering with MDM. He validated the “solve your own problem into a paying product” model by moving from free content → paid guides → SaaS. Worth pursuing, but the market is narrow—ideal for technical founders who can also produce content. Biggest risk: customer acquisition relies on stacking SEO content, and DNS filtering is becoming commoditized, squeezing pricing power.

• Replace app blocking with an MDM + DNS filtering stack that bypasses user workarounds
• Build trust with free content first, then introduce paid offers—conversion path is clear
• Productize content (guides) before building SaaS to validate demand and lower startup costs
• Target the overlooked adult self-discipline niche instead of competing in the crowded parental-control space

1. What’s the Opportunity?

Who: Ben Bozzay (engineer, cybersecurity, and SEO background). For whom: tech-savvy adults seeking strong control over their screen time. The problem: adult digital addiction—current tools are either too weak or designed for parental control. How he makes money: SaaS subscription for DNS filtering, now at $20K MRR.

2. Independent Take

Is it worth building?Yes—for a small team validating demand, but unlikely to become a mass-market business. Why: the need is real (Ben himself was the user), willingness to pay is proven (free → paid → SaaS), and $20K MRR shows the model works. Best suited for solo founders with technical skills, content creation ability, and SEO know-how. Biggest catch: limited market ceiling (adult self-discipline is a niche), low technical barrier for DNS filtering leads to homogenization, and pricing pressure builds over time.

3. Cold-Start Playbook

Step 1: Write 10 in-depth technical articles and DNS filtering tutorials, then publish on Medium, Reddit, and YouTube to validate demand (look for people asking “how do I set this up?”). Cost: <$0 (just your time). Timeline: 1–2 months. Step 2: Launch a paid guide ($29–$49) using free content as top-of-funnel, and track whether conversion exceeds 5%. Step 3: Build the minimal DNS filtering SaaS (leverage open-source stacks, apply your own branding), then gather feedback from early adopters.

4. Biggest Risks & How to Avoid Them

Kill #1: Homogenized competition—more DNS filtering tools keep appearing, making pure software hard to price.Mitigation: niche down (e.g., “focus mode for gamers,” “distraction blocker for freelancers”) and build a content community as a moat. Kill #2: Acquisition dependent on SEO content volume—traffic costs rise and algorithm changes can tank you overnight.Mitigation: start building an email list early for owned audiences; explore affiliate marketing or API integrations into other tools.

5. Case Study: How Ben Made It Happen

• What he built: Started with free content (Medium posts, Reddit threads, YouTube videos) sharing how he used MDM + DNS filtering to control his devices. At the paid stage, he launched structured guides that saved users hours of setup time. At the SaaS stage, he introduced a DNS filtering subscription service.
• How he acquired customers: SEO was core (he had agency experience), targeting long-tail keywords like “DNS filtering tutorial” and “adult digital detox.” He also engaged in communities (answering questions on Reddit) and let the free → paid → SaaS funnel convert naturally.
• How he priced: Paid guides at $29–$49 one-time (productized consulting); SaaS subscription at $X/month, driven by organic upgrades from content users.
• Timeline: Discovered the problem in 2020 → wrote free content to validate demand → launched paid guides in 2021 → released DNS filtering SaaS in 2022.
• Key metrics: $20K MRR; took roughly two years from personal pain point to commercial validation.
• Pitfalls he hit: Paid-content users churned after one-off purchases, stalling momentum—he pivoted to SaaS subscriptions. Early tool was too weak and easily bypassed—he upgraded to an enterprise-grade stack (DNS + MDM) to raise the barrier.

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