Illinois Entrepreneur Runs $10K MRR Firms on $20 Tech Stack

Peoria, Illinois entrepreneur Alex Rivera runs three online businesses. Each hits $10,000 in monthly recurring revenue (MRR). His tech stack costs $20 per month total.

Rivera shared details on April 12, 2026. His setup bucks Silicon Valley's big spending.

Heartland Roots Fuel Lean Innovation

Rivera grew up on a Peoria-area family farm. Corn and soybean fields shaped his work ethic. He earned a computer science degree from Bradley University in Peoria.

He skipped coastal tech jobs after graduation. He built tools for local needs. His first business launched in 2023. It delivers crop yield tools for Midwest farmers.

The tool pulls USDA soil data and National Weather Service forecasts. Farmers input field sizes. The no-code app predicts yields for corn, soybeans, and wheat. Revenue hit $10K MRR by mid-2025, per Rivera's Stripe dashboard.

The second business sells no-code templates for auto repair shops, diners, and farm supply stores across central Illinois. The third handles email automation for retailers. It nurtures leads for Bloomington boutiques and Springfield hardware stores. All three reached $10K MRR.

"Hard work and frugality win in Illinois," Rivera said in a Peoria chamber talk. Peoria's manufacturing heritage guides his choices.

Illinois Entrepreneur's $20 Monthly Tech Stack

Rivera pays $9 monthly for ConvertKit email marketing. This handles newsletters and lead sequences for all three businesses. Carrd landing pages cost $9 monthly. Users build pro sites without code.

Namecheap domains cost $2 yearly (17 cents monthly). Total: $19 monthly.

Free tools plug gaps. Notion organizes projects and client docs. Google Sheets runs profit-loss sheets with custom formulas. Stripe processes payments at 2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction, per Stripe's fee schedule.

No-code platforms skip servers and developers. The stack handles 500 subscribers per business, per Rivera's ConvertKit analytics. No upgrades needed yet.

Financial Breakdown: $30K MRR on Pennies

Three businesses deliver $30,000 total MRR. Stripe's 2.9% fee totals $870 monthly on $30K MRR, plus 30 cents per transaction. Net profit exceeds $29,000 monthly.

Rivera tracks cash flow in Sheets. He projects $360,000 annual run rate. This funds reinvestment without debt.

Busey Bank, a Champaign-based lender, offers low-rate lines for Illinois bootstrappers. Rivera tapped one for initial marketing. "Local banks get heartland models," he said.

Cash Flow Beats Crypto Volatility

Bitcoin traded at $71,643 on April 12, down 1.6%, per CoinMarketCap. Ethereum hit $2,215.25, down 0.9%. Alternative.me's Fear & Greed Index read 16, signaling extreme fear.

Rivera ignores crypto swings. Steady MRR provides VC-like stability without dilution. Stripe now supports USDT payments for crypto-curious customers.

His model shields against market dips. Farmers pay for yield tools rain or shine. Retailers need email flows year-round.

Silicon Valley Excess Rejected

Venture capital hit $150 billion in 2025, per PitchBook data. Many startups burn $1,000 monthly on AWS, HubSpot, and devs. Rivera's stack saves $980 monthly per business.

Annual savings: $11,760 per firm, $35,280 total. "Why buy AWS when Carrd works?" Rivera asked.

Silicon Valley pitched $2 million. Rivera turned it down. "Equity dilution kills control," he explained.

Chicago's 1871 incubator now scouts similar Midwest models. Rivera's success pulls talent back from coasts.

Boosting Central Illinois Community

Rivera hosts free Peoria workshops on no-code tools. 200 locals joined since January 2026, per event logs.

Sessions cover Carrd builds and ConvertKit flows. Attendees launch side hustles. He mentors at Peoria Next innovation hub.

His story draws farm kids to tech. One mentee built a tractor parts marketplace.

Firms employ five remote workers from Springfield to Bloomington. Annual payroll hits $50,000 USD. Roles include customer support and template tweaks.

April rains boost crop prospects. Farmers subscribe to ag-tech forecasts for precise planting.

Plans to Scale from Peoria

Rivera aims for $50K total MRR by year-end. ConvertKit Pro at $29 monthly raises the stack to $40.

He stays rooted in Peoria. Family farm duties and Big Ten basketball games keep him home.

No-code tools like Bubble and Adalo open doors. He tests them for ag expansions.

Lessons for Illinois Entrepreneurs

Rivera outlines steps for locals:

Start small. Solve one pain point with free tools like Google Sheets.
Test MRR fast. His first month pulled $500 USD, then he iterated on feedback.
Network locally. Peoria chambers provide beta testers and intros.
Track daily. Google Analytics shows 70% organic traffic from farm forums and retailer groups.
Avoid debt traps. Bootstrap with customer cash.