RevenueCat

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Channel • 2 Shows

Technology

Technology

Twice monthly
Technology

Technology

Every two weeks

6 May

91: Focus Friend - Bria Sullivan

On 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 Story Follow 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

6 May

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1hr 19min
20 hr ago

95: !Boring Software — Andy Allen

On 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 one Stripping 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 Software Follow 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

20 hr ago

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1hr 24min
17 Jun

94: Shot Pattern — Eric Duffett

On 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 Pattern Episode 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

17 Jun

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1hr 10min
24 Jun

How Simply Finally Cracked Facebook Ads with Web Funnels – Yoav Sharon, Simply

On the podcast: reaching brand-new audiences through web funnels, how they created their own ‘Big Mac index’ for global pricing, and why monthly plans can beat annual for LTV. Top Takeaways:🌐 Web funnels unlock audiences that app stores can't reach Moving users from a lean-back social scrolling mindset to an active download requires an intermediate web flow to build intent and explain value. 🍔 Global pricing requires more than currency conversion Building a custom purchasing power index for international markets can dramatically increase conversion, but impact can be further improved by combining it with deep, culturally aware localization. 🗓️ Monthly plans create a faster feedback loop for product value While annual plans offer better upfront cash flow, monthly subscriptions provide the undeniable truth about usage and retention. With strong retention, monthly plans can generate much higher lifetime value. 🎨 Delightful product moments are the best ad creatives Features that create genuine emotional reactions—like bringing a child's drawing to life—naturally become high-performing marketing assets because they clearly demonstrate the product's core value. 🤝 Treating platforms as partners yields strategic advantages Sharing roadmaps, challenges, and user insights with Apple and Google unlocks beta access and design partnerships that adversarial approaches miss. About Yoav Sharon:🎹 Head of Growth and Product at Simply, the company behind Simply Piano, Simply Guitar, Simply Sing, and Simply Draw, which are apps used by millions of learners across more than 180 countries. 👋 LinkedIn 💪 X Follow us on X: David Barnard - @drbarnardJacob Eiting - @jeitingRevenueCat - @RevenueCatSubClub - @SubClubHQEpisode Highlights:[2:57] Dreams into habits: Helping people learn creative skills through smaller steps. [7:10] The portfolio playbook: How Simply expanded into different instruments. [10:05] Avoiding cannibalization: Measuring interactions between apps and channels across a multi-product business. [15:15] Family first: Why multi-profile and multi-app households become the strongest retention segment. [18:02] Beyond attribution: How web funnels unlocked new audiences and new growth channels. [21:11] From lean-back to action: Using onboarding flows to move users from passive browsing into active intent. [24:24] Web as audience expansion: Why Simply views web funnels as a growth engine, not a fee-reduction strategy. [26:26] Partners, not platforms: Building close relationships with Apple and Google. [32:54] The future of learning: Why immersive platforms could transform skill development. [37:52] The case for monthly plans: How faster renewal cycles improve product learning and LTV. [44:24] The truth about pricing: Balancing annual discounts with long-term customer value. [50:54] The localization advantage: Building a pricing model inspired by the Big Mac Index. [56:01] Japan surprise: The localization lesson that completely changed a paywall strategy. [59:11] AI and visible value: Bringing children's drawings to life and increasing willingness to pay.

24 Jun

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1hr 7min
6 Mar

How To Repurpose Offline Events Into Millions Of Online Impressions – Larissa Morimoto, PhotoRoom

On the podcast: breaking free from the paid acquisition treadmill, how to repurpose offline events into millions of online impressions, and why a celebrity partnership can go viral but still completely flop. This conversation is shorter than usual and will be featured in RevenueCat’s State of Subscription Apps report. Each episode in this series will explore one crucial topic and share actionable insights from top subscription app operators. Top Takeaways:🎯 Measure brand campaigns by search uplift, not cost per installComparing offline and other brand campaign CPAs to paid acquisition CPAs kills creativity before it starts. Track branded search lift and run awareness surveys instead. 📹Design every offline moment for online distributionBring ad creatives to your events and plan for UGC from the start. An in-person activation that reached 15,000 people generated over 4 million impressions once repurposed across ads, social, and even LinkedIn. ⚠️Celebrity reach without audience fit is wasted spendA famous partner whose audience doesn't overlap with your ICP will move zero needles. Calm's LeBron James partnership was their most expensive and worst-performing campaign because his fans care about basketball, not better sleep. About Larissa Morimoto: 🚀 Senior Growth Manager (Special Projects) at PhotoRoom, the best AI photo and design platform for e-commerce. 👋 LinkedIn Follow us on X: David Barnard - @drbarnardJacob Eiting - @jeitingRevenueCat - @RevenueCatSubClub - @SubClubHQEpisode Highlights:[0:00] Introduction to Larissa Morimoto, Senior Growth Manager at PhotoRoom[1:10] Why PhotoRoom is turning to offline marketing for growth[2:35] How offline experiences create real human connections with users[3:50] The importance of building brand love over chasing growth metrics[5:10] Turning offline interactions into user-generated content (UGC)[6:25] Why UGC is a key driver of PhotoRoom's digital strategy[7:40] The success of PhotoRoom’s London campaign and key learnings[9:05] How PhotoRoom uses creative campaigns to amplify brand awareness[10:20] The role of brand awareness in scaling beyond paid acquisition[12:15] Balancing offline and online efforts to maximize ROI[13:05] How PhotoRoom’s focus on emotional connections leads to long-term growth[13:45] The impact of celebrity partnerships and influencer marketing on brand perception[15:01] PhotoRoom’s strategy for turning offline events into online assets[16:20] Why PhotoRoom believes in repurposing content from offline campaigns for digital platforms[17:05] The importance of testing and experimenting with new marketing strategies[18:02] PhotoRoom’s creative offline campaigns[19:29] Larissa shares upcoming initiatives and job openings at PhotoRoom

6 Mar

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18 min
22 Apr

90: Teleprompter Pro – Joe Allen

On 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 Captions Follow 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

22 Apr

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1hr 20min
15 Jun

WWDC 2026: What Subscription Apps Need To Know

Every year, Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference introduces updates that ripple through the App Store economy for years to come. In this special post-WWDC edition of Sub Club Live, host David Barnard sits down with RevenueCat developer advocate Charlie Chapman and world-renowned growth expert Thomas Petit to cut through the keynote hype. Together, they analyze the technical realities and strategic implications of the biggest announcements coming out of Apple Park. Rather than offering a generic recap of consumer features, the panel focuses entirely on the practical mechanics that impact subscription app growth, retention, and monetization. From the deprecation of SiriKit in favor of mandatory App Intents to the introduction of App Store Creative Assets and new subscription bundling options, this session provides a clear roadmap of what subscription businesses should test immediately, adopt eventually, or safely ignore. More content from the RevenueCat family:👉 Launched – Our sister show that features indie app developers and solo creators about what it really takes to ship something new into the world: https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchedFM👉 StartApp School – Practical courses on monetization, growth, acquisition, and everything else that turns an app into a business. Completely free: https://www.startapp.school/👉 RevenueCat blog: Mobile Paywalls: The Ultimate Guide for Subscription Apps: https://www.revenuecat.com/blog/growth/guide-to-mobile-paywalls-subscription-apps/👉 Subscription App Churn: Why Users Cancel and How to Fix It: https://www.revenuecat.com/blog/growth/subscription-app-churn-reasons-how-to-fix/👉 App Trial Conversion Rate: Benchmarks and Insights: https://www.revenuecat.com/blog/growth/app-trial-conversion-rate-insights/👉 Apple Search Ads: The Complete Guide for App Marketers: https://www.revenuecat.com/blog/growth/apple-search-ads-guide/📆 Subscribe to the Sub Club livestream calendar: https://rev.cat/subclubcalendar 🔔 Subscribe to the Sub Club YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SubClubPodcast?sub_confirmation=1 Follow us on X: David Barnard - @drbarnardJacob Eiting - @jeitingRevenueCat - @RevenueCatSubClub - @SubClubHQ Episode Highlights:00:00 Intro01:11 Welcome to Sub Club Live WWDC 2026 Special Edition02:00 Upcoming Events: UGC Marketing & Meta Ads Masterclass03:02 Meet the Panel: Charlie Chapman & Thomas Petit04:47 Is Apple Competing for Payments? The "Carrot Era" of the App Store08:45 Why Apple Omitted Hardware Announcements This Year10:33 Keynote Vibes: A Return to a More Authentic, Humble Apple17:07 The Siri Overhaul: Hands-On Beta Impressions of iOS 27 Speed24:22 App Intents: The Mandatory Shift That Could Make Your App Invisible|01:21:54 App Store Creative Assets: Images & Videos in Search Results01:31:51 Custom Product Pages: A Workaround for Testing Header Images01:35:06 The App Store Cleanup: Why Apple Is Cracking Down on Limited Utility Apps01:38:42 The Ad Attribution Stalemate: Why Apple Didn't Update SKAdNetwork01:13:11 Seat-Based Licensing & Group Pricing: Supporting Prosumer & B2B Apps01:05:05 Subscription Bundles & Suites: New Packaging and Retention Strategies01:45:57 Live Q&A: Resetting Trial Eligibility & App Store Cancellation APIs01:49:38 Outro & Wrap Up

15 Jun

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1hr 50min
20 May

92: Cascable Studio - Daniel Kennett

On 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 Website Follow 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

20 May

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1hr 9min
3 Jun

93: Stuff — Austin Blake

On 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 Stuff Follow 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

3 Jun

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1hr 6min
8 Apr

89: one sec - Frederik Riedel

On 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 sec Follow 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

8 Apr

•

1hr 5min

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