From Idea to #2 Product of the Week

The Idea That Started It All

A few months ago, I watched my batchmates struggle through placement season. They weren’t failing because they lacked knowledge, they were failing because they weren’t prepared for the pressure of real interviews.

I saw smart, capable people freeze up when asked simple questions like “Tell us why should we hire you?” I saw them stumble through answers, unsure if they were saying the right things. And worst of all, I saw them leave interviews without feedback—never knowing what went wrong.

That’s when it hit me.
"What if job interviews had a practice mode?"

That’s how BoltPrep⚡️ was born.

Building in Public & The Peerlist Effect

I started small, just an AI-powered mock interview tool that could ask real questions, analyze responses, and provide instant feedback. The idea was simple: practice should feel as real as the actual interview.

But building a product is one thing. Getting people to use it is another.

So, I decided to launch BoltPrep⚡️ on Peerlist and document the journey.
I shared every milestone: building, beta testing, collecting feedback, iterating.
And to my surprise, people actually cared.

In just a week after launch, this happened:

✅ 105+ upvotes on Peerlist
✅ 50+ users actively practicing interviews
✅ Ranked #2 Product of the Week on Peerlist Launchpad
✅ 714 views, tons of feedback, and feature suggestions
✅ Won a Mobbin yearly subscription (never saw that coming! 🤭)

The support was overwhelming. People didn’t just upvote—they messaged me, shared feedback, and actually used the product.

That’s when I realized something important:

People don’t just support products, they support people who build with them.

Lessons From the Journey So Far

1️⃣ Building is Just 50% and Distribution is the Other 50%

Thought if I built a great product, people would automatically come. I was wrong 😑

The truth? You have to show up, talk about your product, and involve people in the process. Peerlist , Twitter, Reddit, and LinkedIn became just as important as the code itself.

2️⃣ The Best Growth Hack? Talking to Users.

Some of the best features in BoltPrep came from random DMs.
Someone would message, “Hey, I wish it had this feature…” and I’d build it.

Want to grow? Stop guessing. Just talk to users.

3️⃣ Perfection Kills Momentum: Launch, Then Improve

If I had waited until BoltPrep⚡️ was “perfect,” it still wouldn’t exist.
Instead, I shipped early, gathered feedback, and iterated.
What you launch today won’t be your final product, it will be the first step toward it.

What’s Next?

We’re just getting started.

BoltPrep⚡️ will keep evolving, getting smarter, and helping more students land jobs with confidence.
The journey so far has been incredible, and I’m excited to see where it goes next.

If you’re someone who struggles with interviews, give it a try. And if you’re building something yourself, launch it before you feel ready.

Because the only way to know if your idea is good is to put it in front of real people 💚