That is the whole thesis. Build a thing narrow enough to complete, host it yourself so there is exactly one deployed version, then licence it to platforms that already have the users, the brand, and the regulatory standing.
The trade is real. You give up the direct customer relationship and a share of the revenue. In exchange you skip acquisition entirely, and one integration can be worth more than a year of paid growth. For a small team that arithmetic is not close.
Hosting it yourself is the part that makes it work. One build, one place to patch, one place to audit. Every additional deployment is a version you will eventually be asked to support.
Held this way, products earn while you build the next one. That is a portfolio, and it is a slower and more durable thing than a launch.