Podcast Summary: The Startup Ideas Podcast

Episode: Claude Code built me a $273/Day online directory
Host: Greg Isenberg
Guest: Frey Chu ("Mr. Directory") Date: February 16, 2026

Overview

This episode dives deep into the lucrative yet "boring" world of online directories—sites that can generate thousands of dollars in mostly passive income each month. Greg Isenberg and guest Frey Chu demystify how anyone—including non-technical founders—can build, launch, and monetize a high-value modern directory using AI tools like Claude Code. The episode features detailed, step-by-step guides, real-life examples, and candid advice on choosing a niche, scraping and enriching data, and navigating common legal, technical, and business hurdles.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Build an Online Directory? (00:00–02:00)

• Greg introduces the business model: minimal ongoing work, small starting capital, strong passive income potential.
• Directories are often overlooked but can become seven-figure businesses or serve as a launchpad for SaaS products or apps.
• Quote:

  “What they miss is that building an online directory is going to get you thousands of visitors on Autopilot. And once you have that, then go and vibe code a SaaS product.” —Greg (01:17)

2. Real-World Million-Dollar Directory Examples (with Traffic & Monetization Models) (02:12–14:18)

A. Parting.com — Funeral Home Directory (03:01–05:55)

• 61,000 organic visitors/month.
• Monetizes via vertical SaaS & agency services for funeral homes, supplementing some ad & lead-gen income.
• Raised $1.5M in 2021.
• Quote:

  “The agency-directory combo is a potent one... Some of the biggest directories I know monetize this way.” —Frey (04:30)

B. APlaceForMom.com — Senior Living Directory (05:55–08:31)

• ~824,000 organic visitors/month.
• Focused on lead-gen: earning fees for referrals to 18,000+ senior living homes.
• Potentially $50–$500M/year revenue.
• Built on WordPress.

C. GasBuddy.com — Gas Price Crowdsourcing (08:31–14:18)

• 1.1M organic visitors/month.
• Monetizes primarily via ads and a branded debit card.
• User incentivization through a public leaderboard and giveaways ($100 prepaid gas cards).
• Data moat and crowdsourced edge since 2002.
• Quote:

  “What's insane is [a superuser] hasn't missed a day in over 5,800 days. This guy wakes up and he's passionate about gas prices, apparently.” —Frey (11:56)

• Framework: Each successful directory helps users save time, save money, or make money.

3. The Moat: Data Curation, Enrichment, & Automation (14:18–43:39)

Step-by-Step Directory Build (Porta Potty/Luxury Restroom Niche)

Step 1: Collect Raw Data (14:38–17:00)

• Use tools like Outscraper to pull tens of thousands of business entries from sources like Google Maps.

Step 2: Clean the Data with Claude Code (17:00–22:00)

• Use AI prompts (examples shared) to filter listings, automatically removing entries unlikely to be relevant (e.g., missing info, wrong industry).

Step 3: Niche Verification with Crawford AI (22:00–25:32)

• Use an open-source web crawler (Crawford AI) plus Claude Code to auto-verify a company actually offers your desired service via their website.

Step 4: Data Enrichment Passes

• Inventory/Fleet Extraction (25:32–33:00)
  • AI determines specific offerings (e.g., how many stalls per trailer).
  • Go slow, verify edge cases, and refine prompts for accuracy.
• Images: (33:00–35:26)
  • Scrape images with AI, but be mindful of copyright issues—best if businesses claim/edit their own listings.
  • Quote:

    “You're supposed to have the rights for images that you post on your websites, right?... There is some risk associated with scraping images without the rights.” —Greg (34:00)

  • Stock photos or owner-submitted images are safer.
• Amenities/Features/Filters: (35:26–39:00)
  • AI finds all value-adding business features for directory filtering.
• Service Areas: (39:00–41:00)
  • Extracts geographic coverage per listing for user convenience.

Step 5: Database Creation & Site Build (41:00–43:39)

• Use the cleaned-up and enriched data to create a Supabase database and design the frontend with modern visual tools.
• Add creative elements for trust/human touch (mascots, custom icons).
• Quote:

  “The logo on this website does slap. You’ve got this mascot and he feels very approachable... a little character in the new fancy Apple-style website.” —Greg (35:26)

Big Takeaway: AI tools unlock new hyper-niche directories (e.g., "ADA-accessible bathroom contractors," "senior living for dementia patients") by automating what used to be overwhelming manual data work.

4. Should You Build a Directory Now? (43:39–47:23)

• Directories are not a get-rich-quick scheme. SEO takes time (often >6 months), so unsuitable for immediate cash flow seekers.
• Directories are, however, a low-cost, scalable playground to master cloud code/AI, web building, SEO, and lead-gen sales.
• Once you capture distribution via search, you have leverage for SaaS crossovers and higher-value offers.
• Quote:

  “If your timeline is to make money in less than six months, I would not build a directory… But as a playground to learn cloud code, SEO, and selling, there’s nothing better.” —Frey (44:25)

5. AI, LLMs & The Future of Directory SEO (47:23–54:00)

• Will LLM search (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google Gemini) eat directory sites?
  • Discovery vs. Decision: LLMs may help discovery, but users still visit directories for high-stakes, nuanced decisions (health, finance, legal).
  • Local SEO remains defensible: niche, location-specific queries still best served by focused directories.
  • The “Niche Survives” Thesis:

    “In a world where people are going to LLMs for search... the niche directories are the ones that stay and the ones that are horizontal actually get hurt… if I'm building a directory this year, I'm trying to build it super niche so I can play into that new AI search era.” —Greg (52:29–53:40)

  • Multiple monetization opportunities once you command niche organic traffic—lead-gen, ads, SaaS, or even direct database/API licensing.

Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “The agency-directory combo is a potent one... Some of the biggest directories I know monetize this way.” —Frey (04:30)
• “[GasBuddy had] a public leaderboard and did giveaways... It's just very simple psychology. Everyone loves a public leaderboard.” —Frey (11:19)
• "If I can do it, you definitely can do it." —Frey (25:36)
• "Add some human touch to this directory—it's definitely unfinished. That's a compliment to my creative side!" —Frey (35:57)
• “If your timeline is under six months... I would say go to garage sales and flip items... because that's what I did when I really needed money." —Frey (45:32)
• “Directories are a distribution-first model. They kind of have an unfair advantage when it comes to SEO.” —Frey (46:11)
• “Once you have distribution, monetize in any way you want—people will even email you new monetization ideas.” —Frey (51:52)

Notable Resources & Links Mentioned

• Outscraper: For scraping business data
• Crawford AI: Open-source website crawler
• Claude Code (AI coding/automation)
• Supabase: For database implementation
• Andy’s Tap Water Quality Directory: Case study (~40k visitors/month via public data)

Final Thoughts & Takeaways

• Niche and Data are Everything: Choosing a specific focus and building a data moat are the most important levers for directory success.
• AI Automates the Boring Grind: Modern tools let non-coders compete with established players at low cost.
• Patience Required: SEO takes six months or more, making this a long-term play, but the learning and upside can be life-changing.
• Monetization is Flexible: Lead-gen, SaaS, membership, and agency services are all valid—especially when traffic and data are defensible.
• The Next Wave is Hyper-Niche: As AI reshapes broader search, tightly focused, high-quality directories become even more valuable.

Guest Plugs & Community

• Frey’s YouTube channel: Weekly directory-building walkthroughs
• Free online directory builder community (3,200+ members)
• Find all links in the episode description

Suggested Segments for Quick Listening

• Directory ideas & traffic guessing game: 02:12–14:18
• AI automation process demo: 14:38–43:39
• Debate: Directories vs AI search: 47:23–54:00

For aspiring founders, this episode is a detailed manual on launching a future-proof, high-ROI side project and a masterclass in the art of building digital assets for fun and profit.