A Breakdown To How I Built An $8.5K/Month Deals Website
Hello! Who are you and what business did you start?
Hello, my name is Jasper Cyan (born Jasper Green), I’m 22 and from Australia and the founder of the digital deals and resource platform Deal Quokka, I’m also the founder of the design software company Plasfy which I’ve also been interviewed about here on Starterstory, both of these are under my parent brand Jasrati.
Deal Quokka is your ultimate destination for top software products, creative resources, training materials, and more, it’s perfect for web developers, designers, marketers, small-businesses, bloggers, freelancers, and aspiring entrepreneurs.
The main product on the site is the Deal Quokka VIP Club, which gives users unlimited access to all the digital resources, training, guides, and deals on the website, completely free. The financial savings alone are huge, but there’s also the added benefit of everything being organized in one easy-to-use dashboard, which helps users save a ton of time as well.
It’s designed to be a one-stop solution for entrepreneurs and creators looking to streamline their work, learn new skills and find content they can use in their creative projects.
How did you come up with your business idea?
Deal Quokka launched back in May (privately) of this year, and it’s a complete platform that brings together over 20 million premium digital resources and deals, designed specifically for entrepreneurs and small business owners.
If you’re familiar with sites like AppSumo, Deal Quokka is in a similar space, but with a twist. I’ve worked closely with deal websites promoting my products, and one of the biggest frustrations I had was how these marketplaces operated.
A lot of them would take a significant percentage of each sale, while doing very little in terms of actual marketing and promotion. Some were great, they’d put in the effort, write detailed reviews, create videos, and really promote the products. But for most, they simply listed my products, slapped on a price, and that was it.
Meanwhile, I was the one doing 90% of the work, developing the product, licensing the content, and taking on all the financial risk. Yet, they would still take anywhere of 50% of the revenue, or sometimes even more - yes I’m aware that they were bringing me users and customers that would most likely not found me anyway, and there was no upfront costs - so I’m not trying to dig them and I do appreciate the majority of partners and deal websites I’ve worked with, j think just some bad apples can ruin the whole bunch
Mainly, I’ve had situations where these platforms didn’t pay me the commissions I was owed, and it became clear that the whole relationship wasn’t as balanced as it should be. One time, I even signed a contract with a major deal site, only for them to drop the price of my product without my approval. That upset a lot of my previous customers who felt shortchanged, and they blamed me for something I had no control over. I think that was my breaking point in terms of why I built Deal Quokka.
I wanted to build something where the creators, people like me, are treated fairly. I’ve been fortunate to have over 60,000 customers through my parent brand Jasrati and design software Plasfy, but it was time to create a platform where I could offer all my products directly to consumers without losing half the revenue to a middleman who wasn’t pulling their weight. Deal Quokka isn’t just another deal site, it’s built on the idea that creators deserve better, and that’s something I’m honestly really proud of.
Give us a step-by-step process for how you built the first version of your product.
Deal Quokka had actually been on my mind for quite a while. I registered the domain back in 2020 and started laying the foundations for the website at that point. The idea was always there in the back of my head, but I was mainly focused on my design software, Plasfy, at the time.
Back then, I was working with three developers from India on more advanced features for my design company Plasfy. But things didn’t go as planned, each of those developers disappeared, and suddenly I didn’t have any support to help me move forward with development for Plasfy, which created a bottleneck, this left me with some extra time to focus on other ventures since I had nothing else to do. That’s when I really started to build out Deal Quokka
I realized that a big portion of my user base for Jasrati products had come from deal websites. So I figured I already had a customer base familiar with deal websites, people who were the perfect audience for what I was building. The initial version of Deal Quokka was very minimal, just the basic branding and a simple website.
But the idea behind it was clear, I wanted a platform where I could sell my own design products, like Photoshop templates and other digital resources, without having to rely on third-party deal websites that took huge commissions, and of course Plasfy when it was ready to be launched, which it wasn't at this point.
By late 2023, Plasfy had become a commercial success, and I was actually on holiday in Rottnest Island in Perth, famous for being referred to as Quokka Island, cycling around and seeing quokkas for the first time and how cute they were, that’s when it clicked I think, I hadn’t touched my deal quokka project in a while, here I am actually playing with quokkas (looking back I wish I snapped a quick quokka selfie photo, that would've been good for the website) and deal quokka is literally dormant, collecting digital dust, but now I had the time and resources to actually bring it to life, I even mention this in closing on the website:
In the early part of 2024, as my non-compete agreements with partners expired, I observed a noticeable shift in the market and user behavior. There was growing fatigue with users and the, being sick of constantly buying new lifetime software deals or creative bundles.
I spent about two or three weeks, working 14-hour days, to turn that early foundation into a fully functioning platform. I did everything myself, building the site, creating all the sales pages, writing the copy, managing the shooting and editing of the videos, and even setting up the membership area.
I’ve got a lot of experience in building websites so I just dove in and grinded it out. If I had outsourced all this work to freelancers the platform would easily cost $100,000 to launch and I probably wouldn't have been satisfied with it, doing everything myself allows me to learn as I go and ensure it's the exact way I envision it.
As I was doing this at the same time I was aggressively growing Plasfy as a solo founder and updating it, so It wasn’t easy, but the idea behind Deal Quokka kept me going, cutting out the middleman and giving creators like myself control over their own sales. I knew that by launching it, I could offer better deals directly to customers and keep the majority of the revenue, which felt fair considering all the work I’d put in. So after those intense weeks, Deal Quokka was finally ready and running.
When I first started building Deal Quokka, I had already created hundreds of digital products and creative resources through my previous ventures, so the initial version of the Deal Quokka VIP Club was packed with my deals and content. But as great as that was, I knew I wanted to make this platform even better. I wanted Deal Quokka to be the go-to place for digital resources, so I decided to expand beyond just my own products.
That’s when I started licensing products from other vendors. I reached out to vendors and worked out lump-sum licensing agreements. This way, I paid them upfront, and in return, I had full rights to offer their products through Deal Quokka. It worked perfectly for our VIP membership model because it gave members unlimited access to the resources, without me having to worry about individual usage fees that could have driven the costs up. By licensing for just a one time price, I was able to keep the prices low and the quality and value high.
As I built out the platform, I thought, “Why stop at just creative resources?” So, I began adding more types of content, training courses, webinars, checklists, and even knowledge resources. Deal Quokka evolved into this comprehensive resource hub for entrepreneurs, marketers, and creators. It's like a treasure trove of everything you’d need just starting out or you’re looking to level up your digital skills.
In terms of tools that I used, every aspect of Deal Quokka was built by me, from the header to the footer, the designs, product thumbnails, deal descriptions, and the backend membership system. The entire website is based on WordPress, WooCommerce, and the Elementor Page Builder. I’ve been using Elementor for years across all my websites, and while it has its drawbacks, especially when it comes to speed, it’s a simple, visual builder that gets the job done. It’s a “what you see is what you get” kind of platform, which makes it easy to create a polished site without needing to code everything from scratch.
For hosting, I use Cloudways, which I also use for my other brands. Cloudways offers managed hosting, so I don’t have to worry about dealing with the more technical aspects of hosting. Plus, their support is fantastic, which is always a huge bonus.
I also use a plugin called WooFunnels, which has been great for handling email automation sequences. It helps with post-purchase emails and abandoned cart recovery, which has been incredibly effective. A lot of users sign up for a free account, but they might not fully explore it or upgrade right away. WooFunnels allows me to engage with them personally over time, building rapport and encouraging upgrades. I’ve recovered a lot of abandoned carts this way, so it’s been a key tool for driving sales.
For video hosting, I use Vimeo.
For product delivery I use Amazon S3, Dropbox and Google Drive and a custom engine I built to ensure all downloads are secure and cannot be shared.
For video editing I use camtasia.
For graphic designs I used my own design software Plasfy for 95% of the graphics, but some of the advanced mockups and 3D designs I did use Photoshop, as Plasfy can only really do 2D at the moment.
For the Quokka mascots I used midjourney to generate the images
And for licensing agreements with vendors, I just use Dropbox Paper to manage and sign deals, it’s simple and effective.
Here’s a photo of the first version of deal quokka vs now, it’s much more polished, and take note of the added value!
How did you “launch” the business?
When it came to launching Deal Quokka, I leaned into my experience selling products since around 2015. Over the years, I’d built up a solid customer base, and I knew they’d be the perfect audience for Deal Quokka. So I decided to run a pre-launch campaign, tapping into my existing users and the relationship I had built with them.
The campaign was designed to be mysterious. I built a pre-launch page with nothing but a Quokka and sent out an email to my email list with a simple message: “Something cute is coming.” There was no explanation, no real incentive, just curiosity and a countdown timer and an optin form on the page.
After I sent out the initial email to my list teasing the launch of Deal Quokka, I posted the same message in our Plasfy Facebook group. The hype started building quickly, and within a short time, a couple hundred people had signed up for the pre-launch announcement. The excitement was real, and I knew I had to follow through with something special.
When Deal Quokka officially launched, I offered them a Founders Platinum VIP deal, which gave them early access to the platform. The site wasn’t as polished back then, the user interface was much simpler, and there were only about half the deals it has now. But they were essentially backing the platform as it grew, and they received exactly what was advertised.
For the sales page, I decided to take a different approach. Instead of a standard sales video, I created a pre-recorded webinar that went into detail about the platform. It was a short, 9-minute webinar, filmed to feel more like a live event. I recorded it using Camtasia, and the goal was to give it a more professional and personal touch. I walked viewers through the backstory of Deal Quokka, who I was, why I built the platform, and how, as a customer, they’d be saving a huge amount of money by taking advantage of this platinum deal.
The message was simple: this was a no-brainer. One of the frustrations I mentioned in the webinar was the constant cycle of buying shiny products, something a lot of my users could relate to, and how yes this is a more expensive initial purchase, but you'll end up savings tens of thousands, and you won't regret it as I build and expand the platform.
When it came to pricing, I set the early access “backer” price at around $300.I needed to ensure I would provide a massive amount of value to my most loyal customers who were willing to shell out this amount in a single order.
This price gave members access to virtually all the software deals on Deal Quokka. But here’s where the real scarcity kicked in, it was limited to the first 50 people. And that wasn’t just a marketing gimmick you see sometimes. Due to the licensing agreements I had in place with some of the vendors, I could only offer this deal to 50 people. That’s why I had to cap it, and honestly, it did create a sense of urgency that really drove the success of the launch.
When I launched, the conversion rate for that $300 product was around 12%, which is incredibly high for a mid/high-ticket item. To put it in perspective, most of my other products have an average order price of about $25. I'd never really sell anything for over $100 usually, so to see such a strong response to a $300 offer was amazing. Within about 24 to 36 hours, those first 50 spots sold out completely. It was clear that the value inside Deal Quokka resonated with people, and they saw the massive savings they’d get from all the software included in the platinum deal.
That initial success really gave me the validation I needed to push forward. The early backers weren’t just getting access to great deals; they were becoming a part of something new and exciting, and it was clear from the response that Deal Quokka was filling a gap in the market.
One of the biggest challenges during the launch was the manual work involved in setting up user access. I had 50 early backers who purchased the $300 offer, which gave them access to nearly 200 software products. The thing was that there wasn’t an automated way to grant access to these products. So, I had to go through each product manually, filling out account creation forms, entering emails and passwords, and setting up each account one by one.
This process was incredibly time-consuming. I was already working long days, and a good portion of that time was spent just getting these accounts set up. There was no way around it, I’m only human, and setting up 50 users across 200 products took countless hours. That’s another reason why the cap was set at 50 early backers. It wasn’t just about the licensing restrictions; I simply didn’t have the capacity to handle more than that in such a short period. Despite the manual effort, every single one of those early backers was satisfied, and to this day, I haven't had a single refund or even request or mention of one. I did an all nighter first night to set up the accounts to ensure those backers got access quickly
Once that offer was closed, I took the time to engage directly with many of these backers. I wanted to understand where they were with their businesses, what their goals were, and how Deal Quokka and myself as the founder could best serve them. That kind of one-on-one interaction really helped me refine the platform and make sure I was delivering as much value as possible.
So in the first day and a half, I did about $15,000 in sales, which was a huge win. As I built the platform myself, and the only cost was my time, most of that was pure profit, but instead of pocketing it, I reinvested everything back into the platform. It was helpful having Plasfy at this point selling well in the background. I wanted to license more deals, update the user interface, and add more training resources. One thing that stood out to me from customer feedback was that while they appreciated the immense value, many felt overwhelmed by the sheer amount of stuff included. So, I focused on organizing things better, creating new "vaults" and making the platform easier to navigate.
Initially, it had five vaults, and now it's up to eight or nine. The goal has always been to make Deal Quokka the best platform possible, and part of that was listening to what my early backers needed and delivering on it.
As for pricing, you’ll notice the VIP Club membership is now priced lower than that original $300 offer. That’s because it no longer includes access to all the software products. Instead, VIP members get a 30% discount on software deals, which are now labeled as Deal Quokka Select Deals. I'll never offer the platinum deal again, it's just not worth the hassle and I promised this to the initial backers and won't obviously renege on that, they are special to me.
While users can still buy the software products at a discounted price, most don’t actually need to, they already have the software or similar ones but are using all the other deals, resources and training in their projects.
Something to note is that digital products don't really have a cost associated with them after you've accumulated the initial cost of development or licensing, and as I'm selling directly to consumers and cut out the middleman I had previously, I can price my products very competitively to vertically scale the brand, in the future I am planning to increase the price, right now it's a lifetime deal to help push users through the door, I do plan to eventually change to monthly but only after the platform is fully matured.
Ultimately, the biggest factor in Deal Quokka’s success has been the pre-existing audience and skillset I built over the last decade. These customers were already familiar with me, deal websites and actively had a pain point and were looking for what Deal Quokka offers. Knowing that I had a strong, engaged audience from the start made all the difference. I think also the idea of the exclusivity of the VIP club, and the premium layout makes such a bigger difference:
After the initial launch of Deal Quokka, I knew I didn’t want it to be just another faceless marketplace. That’s where the whole "Quokka" theme came into play. I introduced Quincy the Quokka as our mascot because I wanted to create something with a personality, something people could connect with. If you’re familiar with how AppSumo had its "sumo and taco" theme, (funnily enough they don't focus on that anymore after scaling to nine figures but I plan for quokkas to always be somewhat involved) I wanted Deal Quokka to have its own unique branding, but with a more personal touch.
Initially, I was going to call it Deal Panda, but I realized there might be some negative connotations there and it’s more of a tacky name. Plus, being Australian, it just made sense to go with something that represents Australia, hence, the Quokka. Quokkas are known for their friendliness, and that’s exactly the vibe I wanted for the brand.
But it wasn’t just about the mascot. I wanted Deal Quokka to feel like an actual brand with a human connection behind it. That’s why, after launch, I reached out to Angelina, someone I had worked with in the past for video ads for Plasfy. She’s got over 15 years of experience as a makeup artist, but she was also someone I knew would be great as the face of Deal Quokka, I also knew that some Plasfy users would recognise her and it would stay on brand. I shared all the scripts, video ideas, and even gave her access to the platform so she could experience it herself. Thankfully, she agreed to be the mascot for Deal Quokka.
If you visit the main website, the first thing you’ll see is a video with Angelina. I did the scriptwriting and edited that video myself and handled all the animations, because outsourcing would’ve cost me probably $5,000, and I’ve got the skills to do it in-house. So, it made sense to save the cost and make sure it was exactly the way I envisioned.
Angelina being the face of Deal Quokka, alongside Quincy the Quokka, has helped build a sense of trust and loyalty with my customers. It adds a human element to the brand. You’ll notice that if you go through the sign-up process, whether you create a free account or a paid one, you’re greeted by Angelina in videos. She’s there thanking you for signing up and guiding you through how to get the most out of your membership.
This personal touch has made a huge difference in building that relationship with users. Quincy the Quokka is cute, but having an actual person as the face of the brand gives that extra layer of trustworthiness and authority.
Beyond that, I wanted to make sure our members felt they had direct access to me as the founder. So, I added more personalized elements to the members’ area, including direct links to our Facebook community group, where users can reach out to me directly. I wanted people to know that Deal Quokka isn’t just another platform, I’m actively involved, and they can reach out if they need anything or have any feedback or just for a quick chat.
How have you grown your business?
At the moment, Deal Quokka is doing really well, and it's seeing steady growth, but I’m just getting started. While I haven’t fully tapped into Facebook ads yet, that’s definitely on the horizon. I’m readying up for some serious vertical growth. When the time is right, I’ll be scaling the business aggressively using paid ads.
Right now, though, most of the sales for Deal Quokka are coming through Plasfy, my design software company. I’ve added non-intrusive banners in Plasfy that naturally guide users towards Deal Quokka. Since both products cater to small business owners and entrepreneurs, it’s a seamless transition. Plasfy users sign up, see the value in what I offer with that, and then gravitate towards Deal Quokka through those banners.
A lot of the user reviews even mention this: “I initially bought Plasfy, then I found Deal Quokka.” That connection between the two platforms has been a major way I’ve been acquiring users for Deal Quokka. And Plasfy itself has been on a huge upswing, just in the past few months, I've rolled out hundreds of updates and recently won 14 new awards for being one of the best design software products in the market. The value that Plasfy users are getting has made them naturally curious about Deal Quokka, and that’s been a huge driver for growth.
One of the key things that’s helping both brands grow is the personal connection I’ve built with my users. I make sure my presence is felt throughout both platforms, on all the thank you pages, there’s a little note saying “thanks from Jasper”. The idea is to build a personal connection and show users that I’m the founder behind these products, and I care about the experience they’re having. That’s something you just don’t get with larger, more corporate brands.
As I mentioned earlier, you can have a thousand customers, but if they’re loyal and genuinely invested in what you’re doing, they’re more valuable than a million followers who aren’t engaged. It’s something I’ve seen a lot with influencers, they might have a million followers, but when they try to launch a product, it flops because they haven’t built a true community. Those followers aren’t real fans or supporters. They’re just numbers that look good on paper.
That’s why I’m focused on building a community around my products. People who know me, trust the brands, and are excited about everything I launch. It’s that personal connection that drives repeat business and long-term growth, and it’s something I’ll continue to focus on as I expand Deal Quokka and scale through paid ads.
One of the more recent things I did for both Deal Quokka and Plasfy was a video testimonial campaign giveaway. I wanted to create something fun and engaging for my community, so I launched a cash giveaway where users just had to film a quick video on their phone, sharing their experience with my brands. There were three cash prizes of $100 each, so it wasn’t just pocket change! I had a good number of people submit video testimonials, and today, mid-September, I actually just put them up on the sales page.
This campaign has been incredibly valuable for a couple of reasons. First, I think it’s been great to feature real customer faces and stories directly on the sales page. There’s just something about seeing a real person talking about their experience that makes a much stronger connection than text reviews alone. It’s made me realize how much of an actual community I've built with a wide variety of ages, skill sets, and differences between small business owners, entrepreneurs, and people working in the non-profit sector.
Here’s an example from Paul Matthews whos runs a successful hypnotherapy business in dublin:
embed:vimeo
He mentions how Plasfy and Deal Quokka - and all my effort is paying off and helping him in his business.
It was also just a lot of fun, personally. Waiting for those videos to come in and seeing the enthusiasm from my customers was exciting. Many of them reached out to say how much they enjoyed the campaign, and it’s something you don’t really see with larger brands, they rarely do fun, personalized giveaways like this. It’s helped build even more loyalty with my audience.
In terms of the next steps for growing Deal Quokka, my main priority right now is to keep improving the platform. I’m focused on making the user interface as intuitive as possible and ensuring the site is fast and optimized. Right now, the site can be a bit slow due to the sheer amount of content on there, so improving speed and performance is a big focus for me.
I’m also adding new deals and licensing more products every day, while working with new vendors, affiliates, and partners. Once the platform is fully optimized, I plan to scale things up. I’ll reinvest into paid ads, open up the affiliate program to everyone (not just VIP members), and start working with more external partners to build Deal Quokka into a recognized brand.
Ultimately, I see a lot of potential for Deal Quokka. I genuinely believe this could become a seven-figure, or even eight-figure brand in the future . But for now, the focus is on perfecting the platform and making sure it delivers the best possible experience for my users.
Optimizing the sales funnel has been a big focus for me lately. One of the first things I did was add order bumps on the checkout page to increase the average order value. This has made a noticeable difference, as users are more likely to add an extra deal or two to their cart while checking out. I’ve also introduced some high-ticket backend offers, which are only available to users that need an extra personalIzed hand on hand approach with me. These offers are more private and targeted toward higher-end spenders, and while they’re not for everyone, they’ve been effective in driving larger sales.
A huge part of optimizing the funnel was improving the overall look and feel of the checkout page. Initially, the design was a little bit basic, it worked, but it didn’t really provide a great user experience. So, I went in and reworked it, making it cleaner and more user-friendly. I also got Angelina to take some professional photos that I've now integrated into the design, which really elevated the aesthetics of the page. It feels much more polished now.
Beyond that, I spent time optimizing the sales page itself. The first version wasn’t terrible, but I knew it could be better. I updated the design, added more engaging content, and featured Angelina throughout the page, which has helped make it more visually appealing and professional.
Of course, after running the video testimonial campaign, I integrated those video reviews into the sales page as well. Having real customer testimonials as social proof has been a game-changer. It adds an extra layer of trust and credibility, and I’ve definitely noticed that it’s had a positive impact on conversions.
Overall, the funnel is much more refined now, and it’s performing better because of these optimizations.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned through all of this, especially since launching Deal Quokka, is the importance of building real connections with your customers. It's about the relationships you build with the people behind those numbers.
Give us a breakdown of your revenue & financials.
In the first day and a half, in May, for the launch, I did $15,000 in sales, immediately afterwards sales declined, which I knew was going to occur, as I closed the offer and focused not on selling but working one on one with the backing members, I think the first month after launch I only did an extra $1k, after a while I gradually partnered with some external giveaway websites which led to more consistent sales and more users discovering the brand.
So since launching in May, and now in September the average monthly revenue has been about $8,500/month, I think that’s a good starting point for the brand but I honestly haven't even started to market it as I’ve been occupied with everything at Plasfy.
So Deal Quokka has more than 5,000 users now, most sales are for the VIP Club and upgrades but some users still buy the individual deals - the Deal Quokka Select deals are not selling very well so I’m working on updating that to a credit based system for users to get an even better deal.
At this stage, my focus is on continuing to improve the platform and bring in more customers. I did experiment with some paid ad campaigns, which has brought in new users, but the return on ad spend (ROAS) was profitable but not the best, but I’d rather reinvest in more profitable Facebook campaigns when the time is right and when I test out new creatives, with enough testing I know I'll be able to do it and get the 2x - 5x ROAS I am used too.
In the end, it was harder than I thought it would be to build the platform out, but also more rewarding. Seeing it come to life, hearing from customers who say it’s helped them save money and grow their businesses, and of course it being profitable day 1 as a bootstrapped business by myself, I can say I’m quite proud of building Deal Quokka, and it makes all the effort worth it.
What does the future look like?
Looking ahead, my focus is on continuing to grow Deal Quokka under the umbrella of my parent company, Jasrati. Jasrati is a brand I started when I was 15, it’s a play on my name, Jasper, and at the time, I just thought it sounded cool. Since then, it’s grown into something much bigger. My goal with Jasrati is to support creative entrepreneurs, small business owners, and non-profits by providing high-quality, affordable digital tools and resources.
For Deal Quokka, I’m constantly working on licensing new products and deals to ensure it becomes the best digital deals platform out there. Right now, the main focus is making the platform even more user-friendly and improving the overall experience for our customers. I’m actively partnering with more vendors, securing exclusive deals, and optimizing the site in terms of speed and functionality.
But beyond just making Deal Quokka a success, I want Jasrati to be known as a leader in the creative and digital space. My long-term vision is for Jasrati to be recognized as a parent brand that fosters creativity. I want Deal Quokka to grow into a household name for digital deals, and I see Jasrati becoming the backbone of multiple successful ventures, well I guess it is already getting to that point with over 500 positive reviews and great MoM growth.
The fun thing about this journey is that I’m still learning and evolving. I’m always on the lookout for new opportunities to expand and grow my brands, whether through licensing, partnerships, or launching new projects. Eventually, I want to open up even more platforms and services under the Jasrati umbrella, continuing to serve creators and entrepreneurs.
Ultimately, the future for Deal Quokka is about scaling it to become a seven-figure, or maybe even eight-figure, business over the next few years. But beyond the numbers, it’s about keeping that personal connection with the users, whether it’s through my Quokka theme, the direct interaction I have with customers, or the unique deals I'm offering. The goal is to create a platform that not only provides value but also makes a real difference in people’s lives. That’s what excites me about the future.
Through starting the business, have you learned anything particularly helpful or advantageous?
When I first built Deal Quokka, I’ll be honest, it came from a place of bitterness. I had been working with several deal websites over the years, and over time, I’d probably lost out on at least $50,000. These platforms would promise commission shares but never actually pay out. I’d send follow-up emails asking, “Where’s my money?” pretty much, I could see the customers, and the sales, but I never saw the commission that was agreed upon. In some cases, they’d ghost me entirely.
And then, a year later, I’d get some half-baked excuse about how they had to pay wages or weren’t profitable, and then they’d ask if I wanted to run another promotion, In those cases i also supported these customers as I found it unfair to disable their accounts based on the deal partners messing me around, so there was even more costs associated with it.
That’s when I hit my breaking point and thought, I’m done. I wanted to create something better, and Deal Quokka was my way of saying, “I’ll show you.” Looking back, it was a pretty toxic mindset, I built it with the goal of “destroying” the deal websites that had mistreated me. I wanted to build a platform that was 100 times better, cheaper, and more respected, not just for myself but for other creators who were getting the short end of the stick. These platforms were taking massive cuts, doing minimal work, and leaving creators like me with barely anything to show for it.
Looking back now, I realize that starting a business from such a negative place isn’t sustainable in the long run. Initially, I had this “fuck you” attitude, like, I’m going to outdo all of you. And while that drive was the biggest factor that pushed me to build Deal Quokka in general, my mindset has shifted over time.
There were times when long-standing relationships I’d built over the years completely fell apart, all because a couple hundred dollars went unpaid and I got ghosted. I mean, if your business is struggling and you need the money, just tell me. I’m reasonable. But not communicating and disappearing? That’s where the trust breaks. Honestly, the biggest lesson I took away from that is: don’t screw over the people you’ve worked with for years. It might seem small at the moment, but that kind of thing will always catch up with you and will bite back with full force.
Now, as I’ve grown and evolved, Deal Quokka is about so much more than just some type of imaginary perceived payback. It’s about providing real value and helping people. I’ve had so many people reach out to me, telling me how much they’ve saved and how it's changing their business and thank me personally, that’s been incredibly rewarding and makes my day. 💖
It’s the same shift I experienced with Plasfy. For Plasfy, I even built a not-for-profit program that a growing number of organizations use as a way for me to give back, though I haven’t implemented one yet for Deal Quokka. Maybe in the future, I’ll consider it, but for now, the focus has shifted away from this negative energy and mindset to genuinely helping people. Seeing how my brands can make a difference in someone’s life, whether it’s saving them money or giving them the tools to grow their business, that’s what drives me now.
So, one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that while it’s okay to start with that fire and frustration, it’s important to evolve. Building something sustainable and meaningful comes from focusing on the people you’re helping, not just trying to compete. Today, Deal Quokka is all about impact, and that’s a much more rewarding journey.
Advice for other entrepreneurs who want to get started or are just starting out?
As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve built hundreds of products over the years, and I’ve gained a lot of experience along the way. I’m 22 now, and everything I’ve learned has been self-taught. I started freelancing on Fiverr when I was young and even made my first $10k online by creating Minecraft videos on YouTube as a little kid. I’ve always had a creative drive, and that’s been a core part of my journey. If you visit my personal website, I will share a little more detail about that backstory.
But one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned through all of this, especially since launching Deal Quokka, is the importance of building real connections with your customers. it's about the relationships you build with the people behind those numbers.
When I was younger, just starting out, I was more focused on the metrics. I would say things like, “I’ve got 5,000 new leads from that campaign,” without really thinking about the fact that those “leads” are actual human beings with their own stories, struggles, and experiences. It’s easy to get caught up in the numbers, but the truth is, your business will not just survive, but thrive when you start seeing your customers as real people.
That’s why I’ve made it a priority to develop a more personal connection with my audience. And sure, as you scale, you can’t have a one-on-one relationship with every single user. I’m seeing that now with Plasfy as it continues to grow. But even at scale, you can create an environment where people feel heard and valued, and I think not forgetting about the little people is important
The recent video testimonial campaign was an eye-opener for me. Seeing real faces and hearing directly from people about how my products have transformed their businesses, saved them money, and even changed their lives, that hit home. Some people shared how my brands had made a huge difference for them, and that’s something I honestly hadn't fully grasped before.
It’s easy to focus on the financial side of things, but when you realize that what you’re building is actually impacting people’s lives, it gives you a new perspective. For me it’s no longer just about growing the business or hitting certain revenue goals, yes your business should be profitable and growing healthy of course, but It’s about knowing that what I’m doing is making a real difference for others.
So I think that’s a lesson every entrepreneur should learn. Your customers are more than just numbers; they’re real people, and building that connection can not only grow your business but also give you more meaning and fulfillment in what you do.
Where can we go to learn more?
So to conclude: Building Deal Quokka has been a lot of fun and a lot of work. It started as a way to solve my own frustrations with other platforms, but it's growing into something way bigger, thanks to all of my existing users. Every bit of progress we’ve made together, every new feature, it all comes from listening to the users.
You’re the reason I keep pushing to make this platform better. Whether it’s adding more deals, optimizing it more, or just keeping things fun with Quincy, this is all about giving them the best value possible. And I know we’re just getting started. It’s your support that keeps Deal Quokka moving forward, and I’m excited to see where we can take this together.
Thanks for reading my story about Deal Quokka with a mix of Jasrati and Plasfy included, if you have any feedback, have any further questions, looking to collaborate, or just want to reach out to me please do so using the links below.
Shoutout to Starterstory for the chance to let me share the launch of Deal Quokka.
Learn more about Jasper Cyan (Jasper Green) here and find his socials and future backstory.
You can visit Deal Quokka website.
See the sales page and funnel here.
Learn more about Jaspers parent brand Jasrati.
Learn how Jasper Cyan as a solo founder is taking on the billion dollar design industry with Plasfy here.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
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