The Good, Bad, Ugly + Reveal
Alright folks, this is the one you’ve been waiting for, part two of my vibe coding journey, so let’s get to it.
Since our world as we know it has turned upside down these last few years as AI adoption accelerates across the globe – I’m going to start with the “UGLY” part of my vibe coding journey first (and save the best for last.)
Simply stated: Vibe coding is ugly.
Vibe coding is ugly for many reasons, but let’s start with these ugly facts:
- Me (the vibe coder) has zero coding knowledge and experience.
- Your AI Collaborator (the actual coder) is non-human, has no memory, has zero intuition, takes unnecessary risks, and is prone to mis-lead, mis-guide, and mis-inform.
So, what could possibly go wrong here?
Everything!
If you missed the beginning of this journey, be sure to read The Vibe Code: Part 1 to catch the full backstory.
Vibe coding, in a way, is the perfect recipe for creating the ultimate Gordian knot…
…you start with clean, symmetrical, round, even rubber bands…
…then you start to interact with them, form, twist, and cajole them into shapes…
…and soon enough, you have yourself an unimaginable tangled mess on your hands.
It seems the more you try to explain, refine, improve and update your vibe app to get ready for launch, the more “Frankenstein” it becomes – and there’s really no going back as you scream…” it’s ALIVE!”
And it quickly gets confusing on both ends (for the vibe coder (that’s you) and your AI collaborator generating the code that’s creating the app.
Your AI collaborator will forget things it’s already done, redo things that were previously debugged / fixed, and layer “fixes” on top of “fixes” while the “old pile of code” sits and rots in the database like 500 miles of rusted train tracks.
And you’ll eventually hit the “wall.” And this is the critical inflection point.
To prove my point (in the biggest way possible mind you), when I hit my “98% done” benchmark after spending 6 hours trying to fix ONE simple functionality inside the app to no avail – I found myself mentally exhausted, frustrated, impatient, and quickly losing confidence…
…but not my AI pal…
…endlessly finding one after another “real root causes” to the problem…
…none of which worked, of course, so it consulted “the architect” (that’s the AI boss in the back room – you know the type – bellowing loudly between cigar puffs,) …
…and then came the mother of all “root cause fix” suggestions…
…to “shut down and reboot/restart” the app.
Hmm, I wondered – is that the right answer?
With AI, the “trust but verify” saying must be reversed – it’s “verify, then trust.”
So, I did a little checking in the back end and here is what I found:
If you shut down/reboot/restart the app…
”…Your published app will be canceled, and it will cease to exist!”
OMG.
For context, I’ve put in well over 100 hours building this app up to this point, so if I would have followed this last “root cause” fix recommendation and clicked that little button – I would have lost my Frick ‘in mind!
I warned you that this stuff is UGLY.
But wait, there is more, much more!
In vibe coding, ignorance is not bliss – it’s the “chef’s kiss” of the agony of defeat.
To get this right, you need to do what your 1000 IQ AI Collaborator can’t do…
…trust your intuition…
…think on your feet…
…use common sense.
Otherwise, you’ll be on a marathon-style hamster wheel ride and guaranteed to burn out and bail.
Moving on…
Breaking The Bad Vibe Code
OK, so I hope you’ve got a taste of how UGLY vibe coding can be. Now let’s get into the bad (don’t worry, it only gets better from here.)
Word to the wise – if you commit to the vibe coding process and make it through the UGLY phase, you’re in the home stretch.
Wait. We’ve already talked about the patience part, right?
Good – you’ll need at least a month’s supply of it.
Because once you get everything looking / acting “right” – you need to vigorously test.
And when I say “test,” I really mean TEST.
As in, test – test – test – test – test – test…retest – retest – retest – retest.
This part will truly “test” your nerves.
Got it?
You can’t afford to launch your fancy new app into the world and have it implode day one – so you gotta put “some miles” on the thing and give it a good run / stress test.
But warning – you’ll probably be the only one stressed out here, just saying.
And don’t forget about the most important “bads” of them all…
…make sure your app’s original premise for existing (your market problem-solving solution) is valid and produces the outcome / result that you originally intended…
…because to send a “faulty solution” into the market would be very BAD…
…so do your best to make sure your app will deliver “the goods.”
Don’t overthink this too much or let it stop you from launching – the market will tell you if they want it or not, that’s your ultimate litmus test – just make sure first it passes your own internal “who cares test.”
By now, you’re realizing that vibe coding is challenging, but I highly recommend trying it because even if you fail to produce something, the experience will be worth it 100x over.
Now let’s get into the math part of it…
…how much does vibe coding cost?
It depends. But know this, to do it right, it’s going to cost more than you originally planned.
It’s like a mini-version of remodeling your house – plan on spending more than your originally budgeted and taking more time than originally estimated.
Most vibe coding apps or popular LLMs are in the $20-$25 per month range, but you’ll end up spending way more to get your app built.
Case in point, the platform I’m using charges $25/month, but I quickly hit my “usage limit” and need to continuously cough up some more dough to keep building.
Here’s a rough breakdown of my vibe-coding app development cost thus far:
- Vibe coding platform: $25/month
- Total “added usage” to build: ~$350 – $500
- LLM API Usage – ongoing once you get subscribers
- Other connected services: Email marketing software, Email verification software, Security software, etc.
- *Biggest expense: My personal time! Well over 100 hours at this point. If my expertise (time) is worth $100/hour (and I think it is ) then that’s $10,000 of intellectual capital invested.
NOTE: Don’t undervalue or underestimate this part of the equation! It’s actually MORE when you factor in the lost opportunity costs / tradeoffs.
But don’t let the cost of vibe coding intimidate you – all cases are unique, some will require less investment, some more – but you can manage the process the entire time.
Now, it’s time to start delivering the goods…
The Vibe Code: Delivering The Goods
The million-dollar question: Is vibe coding worth the hassle?
My answer: HELL YES!
In my case, when I compare what I’ve spent to what I’ve BUILT, the cost is pennies on the dollar.
Why?
Because, IMHO, I’ve built a world-class Micro SaaS AI App that is LEGIT, SAFE, SECURE, and PRODUCES AMAZING RESULTS…
…and it’s highly scalable.
And now that I know how to do this (and made 1000 mistakes along the way), I can continue to improve my app, get user feedback, and be even better equipped for my next vibe coding adventure whenever I choose to take it.
Best of all – the vibe coding process allows anyone to become truly autonomous…
…so, you’re in complete control of your destiny…
…fully capable of living / working independently…
…while gaining maximum freedom.
What a deal!
In a nutshell, vibe coding is bigger than the product / service that you build – it’s the ultimate investment in yourself, so you can’t lose.
My advice – take the leap and dream big because the sky’s the limit.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: We’re living in a repeat of the “Wild West,” where anything goes and anything can happen.
Take control of your destiny or AI will leave you behind…
…because whether you like it or not, AI is the new sheriff in town…
…and this sheriff ain’t getting replaced anytime soon.
So, strap on that holster, and arm yourself with some AI vibe coding skills – your financial survival may soon depend on it.
Are you READY for the big REVEAL…LFG!
The Reveal: My First Vibe-Coded AI App
Remember the sage advice I gave you in part one of my story – do the market research first and make sure that you find a real problem in the market that’s worth solving.
…You want to know what I made?
I made a super niche Micro SaaS AI app that solves one problem and focuses on one market / ecosystem.
My deep market research led me to an interesting discovery…
…that only 1% of LinkedIn users comment – paralyzed by fear of sounding stupid or being judged.
Do you use LinkedIn? I bet you know the feeling.
But here’s the thing – 99% of LinkedIn users are staying silent and missing the biggest opportunity to grow their network, audience, influence and authority.
The missed opportunity is massive, and it’s the same for individuals, entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies.
But here’s the smoking gun that I found:
The LinkedIn algorithm favors comments over posts…
…and why LinkedIn comments get 30-75X more impressions than likes.
Check out what LinkedIn’s Director of Business Development, Catherine Taibi, said recently:
“The big metric we look at is comments…sometimes the best content is actually I the comments section itself.”
My research led me to discover a hidden / emerging strategy for building an audience on LinkedIn – helping LinkedIn users create authentic, insightful, and valuable comments.
That’s why I built:
CommentIQ.app – The only AI with VoicePrint Voice Authenticator
Unlike generic AI that makes everyone sound the same, CommentIQ’s proprietary VoicePrint Voice Authenticator captures your unique voice so every comment you generate in the app sounds exactly like you wrote it – because it’s trained on your words, your voice, your tone, your personality.
Does it pass the “who cares test?”
Hell yes!
I’ve been personally using it for the 4 days and here are the results:
- My profile views are up 33% this week
- My last 8 comments received 48 likes!
- My post impressions are up 177.5% in just the last 7 days
- My engagements are up 500% in the last 7 days
- My members reached is up 253.9% in the last 7 days
- And I just started!
If you’re trying to grow your network, build your audience, sell more stuff, grow your business, boost your brand authority, and be positioned as the most trusted advisor…
…then I highly recommend you check out commentIQ.app.
GOOD NEWS: I’m offering the first 250 MUSE subscribers first dibs to become a Founding VIP member and save 40% for life! The first 250 subscribers will get this deal and then it will be gone forever, so don’t delay.
Best of all, you can try the app out for free, no credit card required, and test it yourself.
NOTE: If you take advantage of the free trial, be sure to create your unique VoicePrint Voice Authenticator Profile – it takes just a few minutes but supercharges your authenticity.
I can’t wait to hear your feedback.
Finally, THANK YOU for being a part of my vibe coding journey and I hope I can be of service to you if you decide to take the leap yourself.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me (or leave a comment) if you have any questions or need further guidance on how to take your next steps – I’m here for you!
