Bootstrapped, Ranked #1 on Product Hunt, and Solving Job Rejections with AI
Artificial Intelligence
India
30 Years
Hi, I’m Rohith Reddy, co-founder of ResumeUp.AI. I graduated in Computer Science from IIIT and started my career as a Software Engineer at ADP. Later on, I joined YuppTV, where I led engineering teams and built successful products from scratch. Ever since my early days in tech, I’ve loved building new things. That zeal led me to start a few tools that have acquired 200K monthly users.
In June 2024, I finally decided to leave my position as Director of Engineering and go all-in on ResumeUp.AI.
Our mission at ResumeUp.AI is straightforward: We want to make job hunting easier with a complete set of tools that work well with ATS (applicant tracking system) and recruiters. We spent a lot of time understanding how ATS and recruiters review resumes, and we've built these insights directly into our AI-driven platform.
"Tech alone isn’t the hard part—distribution is. Learn marketing early."
What inspired you to start your own business?
Today’s job market is tough, and many talented people miss out on interviews because their resumes are not optimized for ATS systems. After a lot of conversations with hiring managers and HR professionals, I realised there is a significant gap in how resumes are being evaluated by ATS.
The turning point for me was, a friend of mine who is very talented got his resume rejected by big tech companies, and he didn’t even get a chance for an interview. This experience made me see the problem firsthand. From there, we evaluated the scope for this idea and started building the resume up.
How did you turn your idea into a business?
It took me a month to recruit a front-end developer and begin building the platform. Within 4 months, we had the MVP ready. We tested and shared in our internal circles thoroughly before opening payments. Within two weeks of our payment integrating, we had our first paying customer – which is proof of our idea.
Key highlights are the launch on Product Hunt, where we became #1, and in March 2025, we have reached 5000$ revenue milestone.
How did you get your customers?
We have had one of the major challenges in customer acquisition for ResumeUp. We tried various methods, and ProductHunt was a great success for us. We have achieved #1 position for that particular day on PH and began getting featured on various newsletters.
In addition to this, we have emphasized SEO significantly and developed SEO optimized content pages that are performing quite well as lead magnets.
Within five months, we have pulled in 270 paying customers and generated $5K in revenue. Our short-term vision is to increase our revenue and make it self-sustaining, while our long-term vision is to make a full toolbox for search seekers.
How are you funding your startup?
We are currently 100% bootstrapped, and we plan to continue this way to remain focused on our vision and execute it.
What is your average monthly revenue?
We have a free tier with 20 credits for using AI and resume creation. It is sufficient to create 2-3 resumes. For those who need to create multiple resumes tailored to job descriptions and access other premium features, we offer monthly, quarterly, and yearly plans starting from 4.49$ per month. We have around 270 paid customers with MRR at $1.5K.
How are you doing today and what plans for the future?
Currently, ResumeUp.AI is growing steadily. Our primary challenge was marketing, which we plan to overcome through investing in SEO.
Focusing on ATS optimization and user-driven features were among our best decisions. The competitive job market also created a positive environment for us. Personal commitment from the entire team and dedication brought resumeup.ai to this stage, and we continue to deliver the best to our users.
What advice would you give to budding founders?
Understanding marketing deeply from the beginning is the key to success. Building a valuable product isn't sufficient, especially when the tech becomes a commodity, it is even harder to market your product. So focus on that part from the start.
Also, surround yourself with supportive people who share your vision and passion.
Are you currently hiring?
We plan to expand soon and will open roles in content writing and digital marketing, primarily remote positions.
What’s the most unexpected thing you’ve learned about entrepreneurship?
Realizing the immense role marketing plays in a product's success. Even the best technical solutions require effective marketing.
What is your proudest achievement so far?
Securing the #1 spot on Product Hunt and gaining recognition from Google as an authoritative brand. This gave me confidence on the path I have chosen to leave my high-paying tech job and start my entrepreneurial journey.
What role has your family or support system played in your entrepreneurial journey?
My family and friends, especially my best friend and now co-founder, Hareesh Vemasani, have pushed me to do my best and supported me throughout this journey. We've been fortunate to have a group of friends who have always been willing to help out whenever they can on the product side.
Where can we find you?
Book Recommendations
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The Art of Thinking Clearly
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How I Raised Myself From Failure to Success in Selling
