The Delulu Diaries: Building Modatongue Whilst Life Was Life-ing

Modatongue connects language learners with native-speaking tutors through authentic cultural content. We launched on August 30, 2025, after months of building, going on hiatus, pivoting, and surviving—here's the story of getting here. 

They say entrepreneurship is a rollercoaster. What they don't tell you is that sometimes you're on the rollercoaster whilst also juggling flaming torches, learning Spanish, and wondering if instant noodles count as all three meals. 

Let me tell you about 2023-2025, or as I like to call it: "The Universe's Stress Test." 

The Beginning (AKA When Delusion Was Still Fun) 

Back in 2023, I had this idea for Modatongue. I was that annoying person in the group chat sending voice notes at 2 AM about "disrupting the industry" and "changing the game." Some of you believed me. Most of you probably muted the chat. Either way, thank you for not blocking me. 

Building this thing? Hard. Harder than I ever imagined. The iterations were endless—just when I thought we had it figured out, we'd realise we needed to pivot. Again. Working with tutors, managing content creation, and trying to get suppliers to collaborate? Imagine herding cats, but the cats are busy, have their own schedules, and sometimes ghost you for weeks. Because this project lives and dies by content, every collaboration felt like a small miracle. Released early access programme or waitlist on May 18, 2023, my birthday, and we got 280 early adopters—love you for the initial love. 

The Hiatus (Featuring: A Fight with Loneliness) 

Then life said, "You know what? Let's spice this up." 

I relocated to Europe. And suddenly, building a startup took a backseat to just... surviving. Learning a new language, juggling work, graduate school, settling into a new country and making new friends and acquaintances from scratch. They don't lie when they say abroad is lonely. It's a different kind of lonely—the kind where people surround you but you're still figuring out where you fit. 

The startup went quiet. Not dead—just hibernating whilst I figured out how to be human in a completely new environment. To everyone who stuck around during that radio silence: you're the real MVPs.
 

The Launch (And Reality's Reality Check) 

August 30th 2025, we launched. FINALLY. The feeling was indescribable. Thank you to everyone who signed up, tested the product, gave feedback and loved it. 

Now, here's where my delulu peaked: I genuinely thought we'd hit good MRR right after launch. Like, immediately profitable, Forbes 30 Under 30, buy-my-mum-a-house type vibes. Of course, I know startups aren't a get-rich scheme, but I expected users to swipe their card immediately to show us love, haha. 

We're pre-revenue. 

But you know what? Delusion is part of the startup package. It's in the terms and conditions nobody reads. 

Q3 2025: The Final Boss Level 

This quarter has been... a lot. And by "a lot," I mean the kind of chaos that sounds made up: 

Some days I wake up and wonder if I'm living life or if life is living me.
 
The People Who Keep Me Sane (And Delusional)

But here's the thing about rock bottom: you find out who's ready to help you build the ladder back up.

To the Modatongue team—Xorse, Liv, the 2 Edems, John—y'all are insane for believing in this with me. To our amazing tutors who make the content magic happen. To my mum and sister, who answer my panic calls at ungodly hours. To my friends who check in even when I'm terrible at replying. Shout out to "THE BOARD MEMBERS"—you're wondering if that's for my startup, nope, it's a group of close friends that we catch up with every 2 weeks on Sundays to share adult life updates and talk about welfare and investment. Those Sundays are my therapy, together with the everyday music therapies that I do on my own.

And Charles Adom and Sam K? You two went above and beyond. The extra mile isn't enough to describe it. More like the extra marathon.

The Point of This Post (Yes, There Is One)
I'm writing this at probably the toughest point of my adult life so far. Broke, tired, stressed, and running on faith and instant coffee.

But I'm also writing this surrounded—digitally and otherwise—by people who believe in me. Who see the vision even when I'm squinting at it. Who remind me that community isn't just a buzzword; it's the thing that keeps you going when your bank account and your spirits are both low.

So if you're building something— a startup, a career, a new life in a new country, and it feels impossible? You're probably right. It is impossible. Until suddenly, somehow, it isn't.

Here's to the believers, the delusional, and everyone in between.

Modatongue is still here. I'm still here. We're still building.

And honestly? That's the win.

Love and light (and fiscal responsibility, hopefully),
Derrick ❤️

P.S. If you're reading this and you stuck around—thank you. If you want to try Modatongue and turn my delulu into reality, [sign up here: modatongue.com] 😅

P.P.S. If you see me in person, I accept hugs and discreetly folded 50-euro notes. 😂