In this episode, Sean Weisbrot — entrepreneur, global traveler, and host of the We Live to Build podcast — shares how he used AI to go from idea to post-MVP SaaS product in under two weeks.
Sean dives into his entrepreneurial journey, from his early years in China to building a multimillion-dollar blockchain consultancy, then launching (and losing) a tech startup. Now, he’s back with a new venture: an AI-powered expense management platform built almost entirely using Lovable and ChatGPT.
We unpack how he validated the idea, rapidly built and iterated on the product, and scoped a roadmap that includes QuickBooks integration, subscription management, and AI-driven vendor negotiations. Sean also reveals his go-to-market strategy—built around his podcast guest network of 7- and 8-figure business owners—and his philosophy on pricing and scaling in a SaaS world reshaped by AI.
Timestamps: 00:00 – Using ChatGPT to shape a go-to-market strategy
01:00 – Sean's journey from China to blockchain to AI
02:30 – Lessons from a $15M consulting business
04:00 – How the podcast became a product research engine
05:40 – Validating a SaaS idea with 7-figure founders
07:00 – Why time and cost-saving are today’s real value drivers
09:00 – Building an AI-powered expense management tool in 10 days
12:00 – Real-time walkthrough of the product
17:00 – Budget tracking, need-based categorization, and action plans
20:00 – QuickBooks integration and AI-assisted development
24:00 – Go-to-market via podcast relationships
26:00 – Pricing strategy and future feature tiers
28:00 – AI’s role in evolving SaaS and future vendor management
Key Points:
- Rapid SaaS development: Sean built a working expense management platform in ~10 days using AI tools like Lovable and ChatGPT.
- Deep validation: His podcast interviews with high-revenue founders doubled as user research and lead generation.
- Unique positioning: Aimed at bootstrapped businesses doing $5M–$30M/year—not venture-backed startups.
- AI-first roadmap: Current features include budgeting, categorization, and forecasting; future plans include fraud detection, subscription/vendor management, and AI-led procurement.
- Lean go-to-market: Focuses on building trust and cutting sales cycles by nurturing guest relationships into client relationships.
Notable Quotes:
“The AI can code as fast as I can think.”
“If you’re building SaaS and don’t include AI, you’re already behind.”
“My guests are my go-to-market.”
Guest Links: