Podcast
Launched by RevenueCat
Hosted by Charlie Chapman · EN
Host Charlie Chapman interviews app developers and other creators about their experiences releasing their creations out into the world.
17episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
96: Plinky — Joe Fabisevich
2d ago01:09:21Tap to summarizeOn the podcast: Joe Fabisevich shares how he went from Twitter's health and safety team to building Plinky, a link-saving app born of trading memes with his wife. He talks about why he treats every beta like a production launch, how his wife's pro marketing playbook — lookback calendars, email campaigns, and press outreach — shaped his entire go-to-market strategy, why he regrets starting with a generous freemium tier, and how a scrappy 19-day ChatGPT wrapper went viral off one email to John Gruber.Top Takeaways:🛒 You should charge people — and you should charge them soonerSettling on a generous freemium tier feels kind, but it quietly kills your ability to learn who converts, why they convert, and when they drop off.📅 A lookback calendar turns launch chaos into a systemWork backwards from your launch date and assign every single day a strategic task — teasers, emails, press pitches — so nothing happens ad hoc the night before.📧 Email is the single best revenue lever for indie appsRun three emails per sale (launch day, a few days out, 24 hours left), segment by open behavior, and don't panic if the first two are quiet — the last one drives the most conversions.🧪 Treat your beta like a production launchBuilding export systems, handling migrations, and collecting real feedback during a TestFlight isn't wasted effort — it pays dividends when you ship for real and already have the infrastructure.🧠 AI is superhuman, but it's not a mind readerIf your prompt wouldn't be enough for a human engineer to build from, it's not enough for AI either — most people are one lightbulb moment away from building real things.About Joe Fabisevich:🚀 Indie iOS developer and founder of Plinky, a thoughtfully designed link-saving app. Previously an engineer at Twitter, he also builds open-source developer tools and writes about AI, product development, and software craftsmanship.👋 LinkedIn 🌐 Learn more about PlinkyFollow us on X: Charlie Chapman - @_chuckycRevenueCat - @RevenueCatLaunched - @LaunchedFM Episode Highlights:[00:00] Introducing Plinky and designing apps with care[03:16] What Plinky does and why it exists[04:34] Growing up in Queens and discovering programming[07:21] Early iOS development and first jobs[10:20] Lessons from working at Twitter[16:15] The personal story behind Plinky[19:51] From side project to indie business[23:00] Building in public and earning trust[27:26] Delaying the launch to build Boutique[30:29] Why TestFlight should feel like production[32:25] Finding the right product and pricing strategy[35:17] Launch planning and go-to-market strategy[39:17] Press outreach and launch momentum[41:20] The Short Circuit AI app[46:01] Launching Plinky and product philosophy[47:32] Subscriptions, pricing, and paywalls[50:42] Growing through email and seasonal sales[56:55] Teaching developers to build with AI[01:00:43] Embracing AI instead of fearing it[01:04:41] Red Panda Club and creative inspiration
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95: !Boring Software — Andy Allen
2w ago01:24:19Tap to summarizeOn the podcast: Andy Allen shares how he went from designing the never-shipped Microsoft Courier tablet and co-founding the Apple Design Award-winning drawing app Paper to starting !Boring Software (Not Boring Software) — a deliberately tiny, 2-person studio built around one rule: never make boring software again. He talks about why staying small on purpose protects you from getting trapped in a business you hate, how a "patron plan" with no extra features outsold expectations, why sound design and haptics are the most underused tools in app development, and how 3 years of false starts led to Not Boring Camera — an app that strips out all of Apple's photo processing so you can take expressive photos instead of technically perfect ones.Top Takeaways:🎨 Design can be the entire value proposition — not just a nice-to-have People pay premiums for notebooks, furniture, and cars based on aesthetics, yet the software industry still assumes you need feature differentiation to charge money.🔒 The biggest risk isn't failure — it's getting trapped in a business you don't want to run Structure your company, your incentives, and your product roadmap around the work you actually want to do, not the work that seems most scalable.🎭 Doing the uncool thing often has the most staying power The projects that resonate most tend to be the ones nobody else wanted to do — starting an app business when everyone else was chasing SaaS turned out to be the right move.💰 Patronage works when your mission resonates If people see you fighting a battle they believe in, they'll pay significantly more than the value of the features they unlock — they're funding the effort, not buying a product.🔊 Sound design is the most underused tool in app development One sound file repeated is grating; a dozen slightly different versions of the same click — borrowed from game audio — makes software feel alive without adding real complexity.📷 Default camera apps ensure you never take a bad photo — but you can never take a great oneStripping out computational processing and putting expressive tools into the moment of capture makes people want to go outside and take photos of random things again.🧱 Ship complete products and move on Committing to "this is the app we made" — no V3 feature bloat, no chatbot in the corner — forces you onto the more creatively interesting path of making something new every year.About Andy Allen:🚀 Founder and designer behind !Boring Software (Not Boring Software), an app studio creating expressive, design-led utility apps including Not Boring Weather, Calculator, Timer, Habits, Vibes, and Camera.👋 LinkedIn🌐 Learn more about Not Boring SoftwareFollow us on X: Charlie Chapman - @_chuckycRevenueCat - @RevenueCatLaunched - @LaunchedFM Episode Highlights:[00:00] The fear of building the wrong business[00:45] WWDC, Apple Design Awards, and Not Boring Camera merch[04:27] Growing up in a remote Alaskan fishing village[06:09] Studying visual communication design[08:51] Early interaction design work at Ziba[13:37] Moving to Microsoft and working on Courier[17:48] Designing tools for creativity instead of consumption[22:03] Building Paper for iPad[28:15] Raising VC and selling FiftyThree[30:05] The origin of Not Boring Software[35:28] Building a small business on purpose[37:39] Testing whether design can be enough[45:51] Subscriptions, skins, and patronage[50:28] Why customers support the mission[53:03] Avoiding a business you do not want to run[55:47] Sound design, haptics, and game-inspired software[01:03:15] Performance trade-offs with 3D app design[01:06:06] Building Not Boring Camera[01:12:13] Super RAW, LUTs, and expressive photography[01:17:11] Why the moment of creation matters[01:20:33] Andy’s creative inspirations
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94: Shot Pattern — Eric Duffett
Jun 1701:10:01Tap to summarizeOn the podcast: Eric Duffett shares how he built Shot Pattern — a golf GPS app that brings "moneyball" thinking to the course — as a side project while teaching high school full-time. He talks about his first failed app, why automating an existing community workflow created instant product-market fit, turning down a 75K acquisition offer, cracking Meta ads with a scrappy zero-budget screen recording, and growing to one million dollars in total sales without ever leaving the classroom.Top Takeaways:⛳ Find people already doing it the hard way If a community is solving a problem with spreadsheets, Google Maps, or shared workarounds, you don't need to convince them they have a problem — you just need to make the solution easier.🚫 Don't rebuild your entire app for one person's feedback Overweighting the first piece of feedback you get, especially when it requires a massive pivot like adding a new platform, is one of the most common traps for first-time developers.📉 Intellectually knowing and emotionally knowing are different things You can predict a seasonal downturn or a slow period, but the anxiety of watching revenue drop to zero still hits differently when you're living through it.🎬 Market before you build The difference between a hobby that nobody finds and a business that grows from day one can be as simple as sharing screenshots and talking about what you're making while you're still making it.💸 Your LTV has to work before you spend a dollar on ads Paid acquisition only becomes a money printer when your conversion and retention numbers are already strong from organic users — otherwise you're just paying to lose money faster.🎥 The scrappy creative wins A raw, unpolished screen recording made by the founder can outperform expensive influencer content because it speaks directly to the audience in their own language.🏋️ Grit without product-market fit is just suffering Resilience is a necessary skill, but grinding on something nobody wants for years doesn't make you a better entrepreneur — it just delays the moment you find the thing that actually works.About Eric Duffet:🚀 Indie Developer and creator of Shot Pattern, a specialized golf GPS and course management app designed to help golfers lower their scores by visualizing their personal "shot cone" directly over satellite maps of the golf course👋 LinkedIn🌐 Learn more about Shot PatternEpisode Highlights:[00:00] Introduction to Shot Pattern: “Moneyball for golf”[02:14] Eric’s background: teaching, finance, and early app development[03:40] Golf experience and coaching background[05:58] First app: meditation for athletes and lessons learned[10:47] Rookie mistakes: Android pivot and early marketing missteps[13:08] Design insights from working with UI/UX students[17:00] Understanding product-market fit through a simple school app[20:07] Starting Shot Pattern as a personal side project[21:46] Early app features: measuring arcs and dispersion on Apple Maps[25:17] Early marketing and organic growth via Twitter[29:35] Investing in golf course data to enhance the app[33:04] Prototype simulations and early community feedback[35:10] Declining $75K acquisition offer to continue independently[38:14] Facing seasonal slowdowns and sustaining motivation[42:04] Running Meta ads and achieving high LTV[46:50] Effective ad creative targeting the right golfers[49:58] Balancing development, business, and family[56:32] Hiring a contractor for marketing and operational support[01:00:23] Future plans: delivering more value through analytics and AI reports[01:02:31] Competition and validation in the golf app space
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93: Stuff — Austin Blake
Jun 301:06:16Tap to summarizeOn the podcast: Austin Blake shares his journey from film student and Apple superfan to the creator of Stuff, a task management app built for people who care deeply about design and productivity. He explains the challenge of competing in crowded markets, building software that “feels right,” and what it’s like getting featured by Apple.Top Takeaways:🛠️ Out-persist the crowded market You do not need to reinvent the wheel to succeed; you can stand out in a saturated space simply by committing to continuous development and polishing the user experience over several years.🤖 Let AI agents review each other When learning a new platform, you can accelerate development by using AI to generate code and setting up multiple AI agents to review and refine each other's plans before you inspect the final code.⏱️ Shorten your trial to find the magic number A month-long free trial is often too much time for users to feel the urgency to upgrade; reducing your trial to seven days can significantly increase your trial-to-paid conversion rate.📦 Rethink native paradigms from scratchPorting an app to a new platform requires more than stretching the UI; you must implement the platform-specific interactions, like keyboard navigation and native undo states, that users subconsciously expect.⏳ Always triple your launch buffer for new platforms App Store review guidelines are highly inconsistent across platforms; even if your app's core features are already approved on mobile, expect unexpected rejections and budget at least three weeks for a desktop launch.About Austin Blake:🚀 Indie Developer and creator of Stuff, a task management app focused on combining simplicity, beauty, and powerful productivity workflows. Former Apple contractor and incoming Developer Advocate at RevenueCat.👋 LinkedIn🌐 Learn more about StuffFollow us on X: Charlie Chapman - @_chuckycRevenueCat - @RevenueCatLaunched - @LaunchedFM Episode Highlights:[00:00] Why Austin built “another” to-do list app[00:42] Meeting at WWDC and joining RevenueCat[03:22] From film school to advertising to coding[04:55] Growing up as an Apple superfan[07:11] Learning to code after getting ignored by Evernote[08:35] Building MightyNote and Achievements[11:58] Early lessons about onboarding and subscriptions[14:03] Quitting his job to go all-in on indie development[16:24] Working at Apple while building Stuff on the side[18:55] Why Austin chose task management as his focus[20:40] Competing in crowded app categories[22:22] The magic and inspiration behind Wunderlist[25:39] Designing apps that “feel right”[26:47] Building task dependencies into Stuff[28:09] Launching Stuff through pre-orders and community feedback[31:33] The pros and cons of large TestFlight betas[38:14] Launching the Mac version of Stuff[40:04] Getting featured by Apple for AI-powered features[42:12] Pricing strategy, subscriptions, and free trials[45:01] Building trust through dev logs and transparency[50:14] Designing for macOS vs iPhone and iPad[56:22] The realities of App Store review for Mac apps[59:12] Austin’s favorite creators, apps, and inspirations
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92: Cascable Studio - Daniel Kennett
May 2001:09:02Tap to summarizeOn the podcast: Daniel Kennett shares his journey from indie developer to creating Cascable Studio. He tells the story of the challenges of building his app that supports over 250 cameras, the process of reverse-engineering hardware, and why his background in indie development shaped his approach to the business. Top Takeaways:🏗️ The framework doesn't matter — the app doesUsers don't care whether you used SwiftUI or RealBasic; they care whether the app is polished and fits the platform.💸 If they can afford a $4,000 camera, charge accordingly Pricing for a professional audience means resisting the race to the bottom; your users' willingness to pay reflects the value of the tools they already own.📈 Slow, steady growth is still growth A consistently rising line over five years, even without a single breakout moment, can eventually replace a full salary — if you don't panic and quit.🔄 Multiple revenue streams are a survival strategy, not a luxury An SDK licensing business and a webcam app built on existing infrastructure turned a COVID revenue crash into a three-week turnaround.🧱 Architecture decisions you make early can pay off years later Pulling camera connection logic into a standalone framework was an accidental decision that later became both a licensing product and the foundation for a pivot app.💍 The people closest to you live through your failures too Having a partner who saw the worst of it and still supported the next attempt — with sensible goals and financial guardrails — made the difference between a reckless gamble and a calculated bet.🎯 Subscription-only can alienate a professional audience When Adobe went subscription-only, it angered the entire photography industry overnight; offering both subscription and one-time purchase options lets customers choose their relationship with your app.About Daniel Kennett:🚀Senior macOS and iOS developer, currently running an independent software company, Cascable AB, that ships professional photography tools like Cascable Studio, a professional camera control app that empowers photographers with advanced features for non-iPhone cameras. 👋 LinkedIn🌐 Learn more about Cascable🌐 Daniel’s WebsiteFollow us on X: Charlie Chapman - @_chuckycRevenueCat - @RevenueCatLaunched - @LaunchedFM Episode Highlights:[0:00] Introduction to Daniel Kennett and Cascable Studio[1:00] Daniel’s background: From a self-taught coder to indie developer[5:00] The story behind Cascable Studio[8:30] The early days of indie development: Challenges and successes[12:00] Reverse engineering and building a tool for photographers[15:30] How adding camera support transformed the app's growth[18:00] Learning from failures and the importance of not giving up[20:30] Why a niche market can lead to success: Focusing on non-iPhone cameras[24:00] Managing financial challenges and building a sustainable indie business[27:00] The role of simplicity in app design and user experience[30:00] Expanding into new markets: Licensing SDKs for other developers[32:30] Why Daniel prefers to build with minimal outside funding[35:00] Lessons from working with hardware manufacturers and building partnerships[37:30] What's next for Cascable Studio and future goals for indie development [40:00] Daniel’s advice for future indie developers: Focus, perseverance, and learning
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91: Focus Friend - Bria Sullivan
May 601:18:54Tap to summarizeOn the podcast: Bria Sullivan shares her journey as an indie developer to creating Focus Friend, a focus timer app that quickly gained traction with the help of Hank Green. She discusses the foundation of Focus Friend, the challenges of balancing her business and personal life, and the wonderful experience working with Hank Green.Top Takeaways:📱 Success isn't just about coding The most successful indie developers rely more on product instinct and marketing intuition than raw engineering talent.🧪 Validate with your target audience early Real-time feedback loops, like live-streaming development choices to followers, can pinpoint exactly what users want before you build the wrong thing.📈 There's a formula for the Top 100 Getting to $50k-$120k a year in indie app revenue relies more on systematic execution of known frameworks than pure luck.🎭 Working with creators requires boundary settingInfluencers have immense reach but often suggest features that don't make good standalone products; you have to guide the product vision.🕵️ Privacy is a feature, not just compliance When your app is tied to a beloved public figure, users scrutinize data collection heavily; sometimes you have to sacrifice ad tracking to protect the brand's trust.About Bria Sullivan:🚀 Indie Developer and Creator of Focus Friend, a gamified focus timer app designed to help users stay focused with a cute “bean” character. Also the creator of Boba Story, a game where players run a boba shop.👋 LinkedIn🌐 Learn more about Focus Friend🌐 Learn more about Boba StoryFollow us on X: Charlie Chapman - @_chuckycRevenueCat - @RevenueCatLaunched - @LaunchedFM Episode Highlights:[0:00] Introduction to Bria Sullivan and Focus Friend[1:00] Bria’s background: From self-taught coder to indie developer[5:30] The story behind Focus Friend: Creating a productivity app for Hank Green’s audience[10:00] Balancing indie app development with personal life challenges[12:30] Marketing through TikTok: Building an audience before launch[15:00] The struggles and success of Boba Story[17:30] The evolution of Focus Friend: Iterating and listening to feedback[20:00] Collaborating with influencers: How Bria worked with Hank Green[22:30] The role of design and simplicity in a successful app[26:00] Monetization decisions: Choosing a subscription model without being intrusive[29:30] Overcoming the obstacles of indie development[32:00] Reflections on growing as an indie developer and working with influencers[34:00] Bria’s approach to creating apps that resonate with users[37:00] What’s next for Bria Sullivan and her apps[40:00] Advice for future indie developers and creators
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90: Teleprompter Pro – Joe Allen
Apr 2201:19:56Tap to summarizeOn the podcast: Joe Allen has been building Teleprompter Pro for 15 years — and he'll be the first to tell you he's not sure how much of that growth he actually caused. He talks about why he waited 5 years after the app could sustain him before finally going full-time, how a simple email list became his safety net through the transition to subscriptions, and the two weeks he spent battling App Store Review to get his new app Captions approved — including the phone call that finally cracked it.Top Takeaways:🛠️ Build for the itch you already have The best indie apps start as tools their creators needed, not market opportunities they spotted.🌱 Let the App Store river carry you Sometimes organic growth comes from being in the right place at the right time, and the healthiest approach is to accept you don't control every drop of water.📈 Don't rush the full-time leap It's okay to let a side project sustain itself for years before making it your sole source of income.🤝 Support is a feature, not a chore Treating customer support as a core part of the product builds loyalty and reveals the actual features users are looking for.📧 An email list is your only real safety net Having a direct line to your customers is the single most important asset when platform algorithms change or business models shift.About Joe Allen:🚀 Indie Developer and Creator of Teleprompter Pro, an app designed to make content creation easier by providing a portable teleprompter solution, and Captions, a tool designed to add dynamic captions to videos, enhancing accessibility and engagement.👋 LinkedIn🌐 Learn more about Teleprompter Pro🌐 Learn more about CaptionsFollow us on X: Charlie Chapman - @_chuckycRevenueCat - @RevenueCatLaunched - @LaunchedFM Episode Highlights:[0:00] Introduction to Joe Allen and Teleprompter Pro[2:00] Joe’s Background: From Media Studies to Indie Development[5:10] The Birth of Teleprompter Pro: Turning Freelance Work into an App[7:30] Transitioning from Side Project to Full-Time Indie Developer[10:00] Overcoming the Challenges of Indie Development: Learning on the Go[12:45] Growing Teleprompter Pro: Building a Product for Creators[15:00] Pricing and Business Strategy: Moving to a Subscription Model[17:30] Navigating User Feedback and Iterating on Teleprompter Pro[20:00] Lessons from Building Teleprompter Pro and Going Full-Time[23:00] Customer Support: Balancing Personal Engagement with Growth[26:00] Developing Captions: A New Tool for Content Creators[29:00] Monetizing Teleprompter Pro and Building Long-Term Sustainability[32:00] Moving Beyond the App: Joe’s Approach to Scaling and Growing[35:00] The Role of Email Marketing and Customer Relationships in Indie Development[38:30] The Emotional Side of Indie Development: Success, Challenges, and Growth[41:00] Expanding the Team: How Hiring Help Changed Joe’s Workflow[44:00] Reflecting on the Journey: What Joe Learned as an Indie Developer[47:30] Closing Thoughts: The Future of Teleprompter Pro and Captions
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89: one sec - Frederik Riedel
Apr 801:05:02Tap to summarizeOn the podcast: how Frederik Riedel built one sec as a weekend prototype, accidentally triggered it 20 seconds later, and turned it into a research-backed screen time app with a proven 57% reduction. From a viral tweet with 700 followers to partnerships with Stanford, Cambridge, and three national governments — plus why he filed a US patent as an indie dev. Top Takeaways: 🧪 Your weekend prototype might be the one The app that changes everything doesn't always come from a grand plan — sometimes it's just a weekend hack to fix something that's bugging you.🐦 One great tweet can carry you further than you think A single authentic screen recording can generate months of organic growth, especially when it shows a product that instantly clicks with people.📱 Advertise where your users already are (even if it's ironic) If your target audience lives on social media, that's exactly where your ads should be — even if your product is designed to help them use it less.🔬 Research isn't just for credibility — it's a product advantage Partnering with researchers can unlock new features, new audiences, and a trust signal that no amount of five-star reviews can replicate.🧑💻 Ship fast, ship often, and let the market tell you what sticks Building 50-100 apps teaches you more about product-market fit than any amount of planning — the winners reveal themselves.🫣 Hiring doesn't have to mean managing You can grow a team of 18 without a management layer if you hire independent thinkers who use the product and share the mission.🧠 A breathing exercise beats willpower every time Interrupting an autopilot habit with a brief pause is more effective than screen time limits, cold turkey deletion, or guilt — science backs it up at 57%.🛡️ Patents are for indie devs too If your idea is genuinely novel and you're worried about big tech copying it, a patent gives them a reason to talk to you first instead of just shipping their own version.About Frederik Riedel:🚀 Indie Developer and Creator of one sec, the focus app that tackles the problem of unconscious social media use at its root. It is designed to change your habits on a long-term basis.👋 LinkedIn 🌐 Learn more about one secFollow us on X: Charlie Chapman - @_chuckycRevenueCat - @RevenueCatLaunched - @LaunchedFM Episode Highlights:[0:00] Introduction to Frederik Riedel and the one sec Story[2:30] The Origins of one sec: From a Personal Struggle to a Solution[5:10] How one sec Helps People Reclaim Control Over Screen Time[7:45] Frederik's Background in Software Development and Early App Journey[10:15] From Indie Developer to Full-Time Founder: Transitioning to one sec[13:00] The Importance of Intentional Design and User Experience in one sec[15:30] The Growth of one sec: From Concept to Widespread Adoption[18:00] Marketing one sec: Using Personal Connections and Organic Growth[21:15] The Role of Research in one sec’s Credibility and Success[24:00] Monetization Strategy: One-Time Payments to Subscription Models[27:45] Balancing Personal and Professional Life as an Indie Founder[30:30] Building a Team: The First Hire and Growing the one sec Team[33:00] Community Building: How one sec Connects with Users[35:45] Managing Product Development and Customer Support as an Indie Founder[38:30] Navigating the Transition from Indie Developer to Business Owner[41:20] The Future of one sec: Scaling and Expanding Features[44:00] The Importance of Personal Branding and Authenticity in Business[46:45] Lessons Learned from the Indie Developer Journey[49:30] Closing Thoughts: The Balance Between Passion, Productivity, and Sustainability[52:00] Takeaways for Aspiring Indie Developers
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88: SwiftLee – Antoine van der Lee
Mar 2501:12:54Tap to summarizeOn the podcast: Antoine shares how he built RocketSim from an internal tool into a thriving business, the challenges of scaling as an indie developer, and the key marketing insights that drove growth—without relying on traditional ads or influencer campaigns.Top Takeaways:⏱️ Solve time, and they will pay you There are countless solved problems in the world, but if your tool gives developers back their most limited resource—time—the sales pitch writes itself.🧱 Build what your users ask for, and the trials will follow Releasing the number-one voted feature on a public roadmap is the most reliable way to turn dormant users into active trials.🐢 Some problems take years to solve Not every technical hurdle can be Googled; sometimes you have to sit on an open issue for two years until your skills grow enough to crack it.🤝 Embrace your competitors Cross-promoting with competing apps and newsletters actually grows your audience faster than trying to dominate a niche alone.⛓️ Constraints are a feature, not a bug Going full-time indie can actually hurt productivity if you lose the strict prioritization habits that made you effective when time was scarce.About Antoine van der Lee:🚀 Indie Developer and Creator of SwiftLee, a platform for iOS developers, and RocketSim, a tool that streamlines testing and simulating apps in Xcode.👋 LinkedIn 🌐 Learn more about RocketSim🎧Learn more about the Going Indie Podcast 📖 Read Antoine’s developer blog at SwiftLeeFollow us on X: Charlie Chapman - @_chuckycRevenueCat - @RevenueCatLaunched - @LaunchedFM Episode Highlights:[0:00] Introduction to Antoine van der Lee and the story behind RocketSim[2:15] How Antoine started in iOS development and his early career journey[5:05] The creation of Swiftly: Antoine's approach to writing and sharing knowledge[7:40] The launch of RocketSim: From an internal tool to a public product[10:12] The challenges of developing a useful Xcode simulator tool[12:31] Antoine's approach to growing RocketSim without focusing on traditional marketing[15:22] The evolution of RocketSim: Expanding features and listening to users[18:05] How Antoine used his blog and newsletter to support RocketSim's growth[21:40] The balance between RocketSim as a product and maintaining a sustainable indie business[24:25] The impact of the App Store: Sales model and challenges[27:11] RocketSim’s transition into enterprise sales and selling to teams[30:03] Hiring for RocketSim: Bringing in the right people to scale without losing focus[33:20] The evolution of the RocketSim website and customer experience improvements[36:05] Antoine's experience with creating a full-time indie business alongside a family[39:00] Dealing with the growth of RocketSim and managing multiple projects at once[42:10] Insights into Antoine’s shift from a full-time job to an indie developer[45:35] The role of personal branding and community connections in RocketSim's success[48:10] The value of networking and connecting with others in the iOS community[51:05] Moving from product development to managing a business[54:01] Reflection on growth, work-life balance, and achieving indie success[56:22] Key takeaways for indie founders and AI product builders today
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87: Pediapal & Auralog – Adrian Eves
Mar 1101:04:26Tap to summarizeOn the podcast: Adrian Eves about his path from Apple’s accessibility team to indie app development, building Pediapal and Auralog from personal health challenges. We cover lessons from launching, redesigning with Liquid Glass, navigating App Store features, and how community—from iOS Dev Happy Hour to Swift Sonic—has fueled his growth.Top Takeaways:🤝 Your community is your safety net If you get laid off, it's the people you've supported who will support you right back, creating a crucial buffer during uncertain times.😠 Turn frustration into features The most compelling app ideas often come from solving your own, real-life problems, giving you an authentic perspective on what users truly need.🚀 Ship it, then ship it again Your first version won’t be perfect, and that's the point. The real work, and the best learning, starts after you hit publish and begin iterating.🎤 You don’t need permission to build If you have an idea that you're passionate about, just start building. Don't wait for the perfect time or an external green light.💡 Spite can be a great motivator A little bit of friendly competition or a desire to prove something can be the exact push you need to finally ship your app.About Adrian Eves:🚀 Indie App Developer and Creator of Pediapal, an app that makes it simple for families to track their child's health, & Auralog, a migraine tracker to help you take control of your migraines and headache history.👋LinkedIn🌐Learn more about CommunityKit🎵Learn more about Swiftsonic Follow us on X: Charlie Chapman - @_chuckycRevenueCat - @RevenueCatLaunched - @LaunchedFM Episode Highlights:[0:00] Introduction to Adrian Eves: From Apple’s accessibility team to indie app developer[3:30] The power of community: iOS Dev Happy Hour and how relationships opened unexpected doors[8:45] Landing at Apple: Accessibility work and designing technology that truly helps people[14:20] The layoff pivot: Turning uncertainty into motivation to finally ship an indie app[18:10] Building Pediapal: Solving the real-world problem of tracking kids’ health[24:00] Launch day lessons: Why shipping is emotional—and what happens after the high fades[28:30] WWDC as an indie: Experiencing Dub Dub differently when you have your own app[32:40] The Liquid Glass redesign: Rebuilding Pediapal from scratch and chasing an App Store feature[38:15] Marketing reality check: Why a local TV appearance outperformed App Store hopes[42:50] Spite-driven development: Building Auralog in under a month to solve chronic migraines[47:10] Focus and traction: Why Auralog’s narrow, search-driven use case gained momentum[52:30] Monetization strategy: Freemium models, paywalls, and learning ASO from other indies[57:45] CommunityKit: Creating a physical hub for developers during WWDC week[1:02:30] Swift Sonic: Designing a music-inspired conference with built-in mentorship[1:07:15] Final reflections: Building for real people, leaning on community, and growing through each iteration
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