Worklog with Shawn Hickman

Shawn Hickman
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Worklog with Shawn Hickman

Building an indie app business is a journey full of challenges, insights, and lessons learned. Worklog is a behind-the-scenes look at my experience designing, developing, and growing Sofa, an iOS app that helps you be more intentional with your downtime. I’m Shawn Hickman—a designer, developer, and indie app creator—sharing my process, what I’m working on, and the hard (and fun) parts of running a solo business. Whether it’s app development, YouTube, marketing, or unexpected lessons along the way, Worklog is an open journal of everything that goes into turning an idea into a sustainable indie business. If you’re an indie maker, aspiring developer, or just curious about the process, tune in—and don’t hesitate to reach out! 👋 https://www.shawnhickman.me/worklog-podcast/

Episodes

  1. FEB 14

    When to Remove Features from Your App

    In this conversation, Shawn Hickman discusses the often-overlooked aspect of app development: the removal of features. He emphasizes that sometimes it's more beneficial to remove features rather than continuously add new ones. Through personal experiences and examples, he outlines the reasons for feature removal, including when features aren't working as expected, are broken, or when the product has evolved. He also shares best practices for effectively communicating these changes to users and managing feedback. Chapters Links Sofa's WebsiteDownload Sofa from the App StoreWorklog Podcast WebsiteShawn's BlogNotion and spreadsheet templatesFollow Me YouTubeThreadsInstagramBlueskyShare Feedback Have feedback? Send me an email: hey@shawnhickman.me

    26 min

  2. JAN 30

    Should You Offer a Free Trial? Here’s Why I Said “No” for My App

    In this video, I’m sharing why I don’t offer a free trial for my app, Sofa. When I first launched the Super Sofa subscription, I struggled with decisions around pricing and whether or not to offer a free trial. Most advice said, “You should offer a free trial because that’s what everyone does.” But that never sat right with me. Now, after a few years of running a subscription app without a free trial, I’ve gained clarity on why I don’t do it — and why Sofa’s freemium model works better without one. I’m not against free trials! They can work great for certain products. But for Sofa, it doesn’t make sense. In this video, I’ll walk through my thought process and explain why. 📺 Watch on YouTube Chapters (00:00) - Intro (00:15) - A little context (02:05) - Camera car mount (03:11) - In the car (03:45) - Purpose of free trials (05:16) - Sofa is a freemium product (09:02) - What I've learned about Sofa (13:09) - Some advice LinksSofa's WebsiteDownload Sofa from the App StoreWorklog Podcast WebsiteShawn's BlogNotion and spreadsheet templatesFollow Me YouTubeThreadsInstagramBlueskyShare Feedback Have feedback? Send me an email: hey@shawnhickman.me

    15 min

  3. JAN 16

    Making an App Is Easy (Well, at First!)

    In this video, I dive into the realities of building an app: why starting is the easy (and fun) part, and why the real challenge lies in growing and maintaining it over time. I’ll talk about the excitement of launching a new project, the hurdles you’ll face when life gets busy or progress feels slow, and how setting the right expectations can make all the difference. I’ll share tips on building sustainable systems, celebrating small wins, and staying motivated when you hit technical, emotional, or mental roadblocks. Whether you’re creating your first app or struggling to keep going, this video is here to remind you to enjoy the process and keep moving forward. 📺 Watch on YouTube Chapters (00:00) - Intro (00:32) - Starting is easy (03:19) - Setting expectations (04:20) - Patience (05:17) - Work nights (08:26) - You're going to hit walls (09:45) - Celebrate the wins (12:05) - Supportive people (13:31) - Have fun (14:52) - Outro LinksSofa's WebsiteDownload Sofa from the App StoreWorklog Podcast WebsiteShawn's BlogNotion and spreadsheet templatesFollow Me YouTubeThreadsInstagramBlueskyShare Feedback Have feedback? Send me an email: hey@shawnhickman.me

    16 min

  4. JAN 9

    What I learned spending $30,000 marketing my indie app

    In this video, I share the lessons I’ve learned after investing $30,000 into marketing my app over the past three years. For an indie app developer, it’s a significant amount, and I dive into why I chose to spend it, where it went, and what came out of it. I discuss the challenges of getting attention in today’s competitive market and why I decided to focus on sponsoring podcasts and YouTube channels in the Apple and tech world. I also explain my goals for this marketing effort—building brand awareness rather than immediate conversions—and the results I’ve seen, including increased sales, recognition from Apple, and turning this into my full-time job. If you’re an indie developer or just curious about the business side of app development, this is for you! 📺 Watch on YouTube Chapters (00:00) - Intro (01:41) - Why spend money for marketing? (03:54) - Where did I market? (04:30) - Why I chose those channels (08:17) - My goals (12:23) - The results (18:06) - Some advice (19:55) - Outro LinksSofa's WebsiteDownload Sofa from the App StoreWorklog Podcast WebsiteShawn's BlogNotion and spreadsheet templatesFollow Me YouTubeThreadsInstagramBlueskyShare Feedback Have feedback? Send me an email: hey@shawnhickman.me

    20 min

  5. JAN 3

    Marketing an Indie App When You’re Starting with Zero Budget

    In this video, I answer a great question I got on YouTube: How did you approach marketing in the beginning of making an app? I’ll share what I did when starting out, how my approach evolved over time, and what I’d do differently if I could go back. Whether you’re just starting your indie app journey or looking to improve your marketing strategy, I hope this video gives you some helpful insights! 📺 Watch on YouTube Chapters (00:00) - Intro (01:32) - What I did in the beginning (06:17) - How it evolved (10:16) - What I would do differently (14:15) - Outro LinksSofa's WebsiteDownload Sofa from the App StoreWorklog Podcast WebsiteShawn's BlogNotion and spreadsheet templatesFollow Me YouTubeThreadsInstagramBlueskyShare Feedback Have feedback? Send me an email:hey@shawnhickman.me

    15 min

  6. 12/31/2024

    Should Indie Developers Start with One App or Multiple Apps?

    When starting out as an indie app developer, should you make one app or multiple apps? While there are many way to answer that question, I think focusing on one app is a better approach when starting out. Watch on YouTube Links Sofa's WebsiteDownload Sofa from the App StoreWorklog Podcast WebsiteShawn's BlogNotion and spreadsheet templatesFollow Me YouTubeThreadsInstagramBlueskyShare Feedback Have feedback? Send me an email: hey@shawnhickman.me

    6 min
  • 6 Episodes

About

Building an indie app business is a journey full of challenges, insights, and lessons learned. Worklog is a behind-the-scenes look at my experience designing, developing, and growing Sofa, an iOS app that helps you be more intentional with your downtime. I’m Shawn Hickman—a designer, developer, and indie app creator—sharing my process, what I’m working on, and the hard (and fun) parts of running a solo business. Whether it’s app development, YouTube, marketing, or unexpected lessons along the way, Worklog is an open journal of everything that goes into turning an idea into a sustainable indie business. If you’re an indie maker, aspiring developer, or just curious about the process, tune in—and don’t hesitate to reach out! 👋 https://www.shawnhickman.me/worklog-podcast/

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