Alptekin Can

I've spent over a decade building companies from scratch, raising nothing but energy, curiosity, and a bit of madness. I've seen products go viral overnight and others die quietly in the dark. I've hired, fired, scaled, burned out, sold, and started again. I've lived through everything they don't tell you in founder interviews. The truth is, building something real is never glamorous. It's chaos, self-doubt, and obsession disguised as progress. And yet, I wouldn't trade it for anything else.

I've come to believe that the purpose of building isn't growth, it's clarity. Every company, every product, every failure is a mirror. They show you who you are when the metrics fade and the hype disappears. I used to think success was external: team size, revenue, users. Now I know it's about focus and creative freedom.

If you're early in your journey, here's what I've learned: build fast but think slowly. Learn to say no. Focus on revenue. Care about details no one else will notice. Make something you can be proud of, even if no one claps. The startup world loves to celebrate speed, but what really matters is endurance. Anyone can sprint, but very few can stay obsessed for years.

I don't care about building the biggest company anymore. I care about building the right one, something honest, useful, and timeless. No investors. No hype. No noise. Just curiosity, ideas, and focus.

These days, I'm bringing my personal ideas to life again, without big teams, just passion and intent.

2025 Indie Developer
2022 - 2024 Co-founder of Reload (Acquired by 361 / Lab)
2019 - 2022 Co-founder of Clay (Acquired by Plexagon)
2018 - 2021 Co-founder of Focuses (Acquired by Publishers)
2014 - 2018 Tons of Fail