Building An Award Winning App Through Design and Non-Addictive Play with Melissa Cash of Pok Pok

In this week's episode, Matt talks to Melissa Cash, Co-Founder and CEO of Pok Pok. She shares her story of creating an award-winning kids' app. Melissa explains how her time at Disney and working with Snowman helped shape Pok Pok, and the challenges they faced in starting the company.

Melissa talks about where the idea for Pok Pok came from and the key principles behind its design. She focuses on making the app fun and educational while keeping it safe and low-stimulation for kids. She also discusses the impact of winning big awards like the Apple Design Award and the App Store Award, which helped the company grow and attract investors, especially women.

Melissa also shares her thoughts on the future of educational technology for kids, how they measure success at Pok Pok, and her hopes for the app's legacy.

About Melissa Cash:Melissa Cash is the co-founder and CEO of Pok Pok, an award-winning company focused on fostering creativity and learning in children through digital play. Since its launch in May 2021, Pok Pok has received the Apple Design Award in 2021 and the App Store Award in 2023. The company's main app, Pok Pok Playroom, is known for its innovative, non-addictive approach to screen time.

Before starting Pok Pok, Melissa was the Director of Operations at Snowman from February 2019 to May 2021, where she contributed to the success of the Alto series games. Her prior roles include Marketing Manager at Thriver and Product Designer for baby and toddler products at The Walt Disney Company.

Melissa holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from York University and participated in an exchange program at the University of Helsinki for a Master's in Communication.

In this episode, we discuss:

(01:26) Melissa's journey from marketing and PR to entrepreneurship.

(02:49) Melissa explains the serendipitous creation of Pok Pok.

(04:07) Inspiration for educational and engaging digital experiences.

(06:51) Design principles focusing on non-addictive play

(08:59) Initial incubation within Snowman and learning the app business

(10:14) Insights into consumer behavior and market differentiation

(16:00) Collaboration with therapists and educators for app development

(20:00) Winning the Apple Design Award and its impact on visibility and culture

(22:00) Fundraising challenges in securing diverse investment.

(31:00) Melissa's approach to balancing professional and personal life

(33:52) Future of Education and Technology

(41:15) Hopes for Pok Pok's lasting impact and high-quality experience

(43:23) Origin of Pok Pok's Name

Melissa's Fast Favorites

🎙 Favorite Podcast: "We Can Do Hard Things"

📰 Favorite Newsletter or Blog: "Why We Buy"

📲 Favorite Tech Gadget: iPhone

📈 Favorite New Trend: Democratization of AI

📚 Favorite Book: