From barista to solo software studio — one year in

A year ago I was making coffee for a living. Someone told me I wasn't capable of learning to code. I didn't argue with them — I just started teaching myself.

Twelve months later, here's where things stand:
UluP Spaces — a visual project management app (canvas of connected nodes instead of task lists). Live on Web, Microsoft Store, and Google Play.
UluP Focus — a Pomodoro timer app, live on the Microsoft Store.
Ulupy — an MCP server published on the official MCP Registry, letting AI assistants create projects and manage tasks through natural language.
Everything solo: product, code, infrastructure, distribution. No co-founder, no funding — just a lot of trial and error, and a lot of help from this community along the way (a few of you directly shaped features like template discovery and duplicate-prevention logic — thank you).
I've recently opened up to take on a small number of freelance projects too — mostly full-stack builds and AI integrations. If anyone here needs that kind of help, or just wants to compare notes on going solo, happy to chat in the comments. fiverr.com/manu_ulup