This founder set an expiration ate for his company… and then hit $40M ARR.

Eric Simons (the builder behind Bolt.new) turned “we’re shutting down” into the world’s largest hackathon.

In this episode, we break down Eric’s probability playbook and how I’m applying it on my 60‑day clock to keep State of Play alive beyond October 1st.

We talk last bets, 100 swings, hackathons that print customers, and the automations I'm using to help me keep swinging.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
- How an "end date” forces focus (and why it worked for Eric Simons)
- The 100‑swing probability game for finding PMF again
- Turning ideas into sales leads (not “projects”)
- A real automation stack: Polar → n8n → Notion → email for code fulfillment
- Why designers are becoming builders and what that unlocks

SUPPORT THE SHOW:

UX Tools Newsletter (written by me):
Join 100,000+ designers for weekly insights → https://uxtools.co

UX Tools Bundle: $129 for $9k+ in software value. Limited codes, first come first served (details on uxtools.co)

CHAPTERS
00:00 – “In 60 days, it’s over” (cold open)
00:16 – Meet Eric Simons + the $40M ARR plot twist
00:30 – The decade everyone ignores (failure before the hockey stick)
02:30 – The Dropout DNA (living in an office, working 6am–3am)
03:30 – The $30,000 reality check vs a $300 Bolt build
05:00 – The Probability Playbook: take 100 swings
07:00 – The office‑squatter strategy (desperation, channeled)
09:00 – The competitor’s funeral + picking a death date
11:00 – The builder uprising
11:45 – The million‑dollar tweet (how the hackathon started)
13:00 – Meet the 100,000 (designers → builders)
15:00 – The only title I wear
16:00 – The last swing (countdown to Oct 1, 2025)

ABOUT TOMMY GEOCO
I spent 15+ years in tech and design. Former military. Father of five. Now building Internet Enjoyers, a weird little media + product studio rediscovering soul in creative tech. This show is how I’m rediscovering my love for the game.

ABOUT STATE OF PLAY
Host Tommy Geoco discovers what fuels the internet’s most interesting designers and builders—real numbers, real stakes, no fluff.

LINKS
UX Tools Newsletter: https://uxtools.co

FOLLOW ME
Instagram: https://instagram.com/itsdesignertom
X / Twitter: https://x.com/designertom_
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/tommygeoco
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@designertom
Threads: https://threads.net/itsdesignertom