This question was asked last year (
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21332072) by gajus, and I'm curious what it looks nowadays.
> How many people on hacker news are running successful online businesses on their own? What is your business and how did you get started?
> Defining successful as a profitable business which provides the majority of the owners income.
> Has recent shutdown of economy affected your business?
The product allows you to send pictures in the mail to your loved ones via SMS. It works great for getting fresh photos to your grandparents who might not be super savvy with a computer.
My brother started it a few years ago and makes enough now to keep it going. Probably is the classic definition of a lifestyle business, but I think that's a success even if it's unlikely to be a unicorn.
Also and more importantly, the product helps to bring hundreds of families closer together, which is especially important right now given our elders are cut off from contact.