#984 What does it really take to turn your creative passion into a tech product? In this episode, host Kirsten Tyrrel chats with artist and illustrator Kate Pitner, the creator of Poppynotes — a boutique mobile e-card app bringing kindness, connection, and fun back to digital communication. Kate shares how her childhood love for designing greeting cards evolved into a full-fledged app business, how she navigated the steep learning curve of app development without coding experience, and what it’s really like to launch and grow on the Apple App Store. From finding a mentor to managing marketing as an introvert, Kate’s story is an inspiring look at creative entrepreneurship in the digital age!

(Original Air Date - 11/6/25)

What we discuss with Kate:

+ Origin story of Poppynotes app

+ Transition from artist to tech entrepreneur

+ Overcoming the learning curve of app development

+ Finding a mentor and learning coding basics

+ Creating a “boutique” e-card experience

+ Building accessibility for non-tech users

+ Monetizing through a freemium subscription model

+ Challenges of marketing as an introvert

+ Apple App Store limitations and user privacy

+ Lessons on patience and long-term growth

Thank you, Kate!

Check out Poppynotes at ⁠Poppynotes.com⁠.

Subscribe to the ⁠Poppynotes newsletter⁠.

Follow Kate on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠, and ⁠Pinterest⁠.

Get a free month of the ⁠Poppynotes app⁠ with code POPPYMILLION (expires 4/29/26).

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