What were you doing at 17?
If you’re like most of us, probably learning how to parallel park or deciding if getting a BlackBerry was still a good idea (spoiler: it wasn’t).
Meanwhile, Zach Yadegari, just 17 years old, has been quietly building an AI-powered app — Cal AI — that now pulls in a jaw-dropping $1.12 million per month.
No big launch.
No viral TikTok campaign.
No VC hype machine.
Just a clean idea, smart execution, and a product people can’t stop sharing.
Cal AI lets you track calories with a snap of a photo. That’s it.
No logging. No spreadsheets. No calorie counting stress.
Just snap → scan → done.
When I first heard about it, I thought, “There’s no way a teenager pulled this off.”
But he did — and with surgical precision.
In a recent interview, Zach shared his journey, breaking down exactly how he made it happen. From idea to implementation, it’s a blueprint in brilliance — and yes, you can apply it too.
🔑 Key Insight #1: Viral Products Aren’t Born — They’re Designed
Cal AI wasn’t just useful. It was cool.
The kind of product that makes people stop, take notice, and say, “You have to try this.”
Zach understood a key principle:
People don’t just share tools — they share things that make them feel smart, ahead, or helpful.
He designed for shareability, simplicity, and surprise.
The result? Users became marketers.
