Hey Reader,

I'm trying a shorter format for the next couple of issues. Let me know what you think.

Version 1.1 of my app is now out on the App Store. It includes onboarding, so that’s the version I’ll publicize during the public launch:

My wife was at an art fair last weekend, so we took the opportunity to share Minder there too:

Enjoy the read,
Jorge

PS: For everyone who helped test the prototype: I haven’t forgotten you! I'll share a coupon code over the next few weeks 😉

​READ ESSAY ON THE WEB​

🎡 How I’m keeping momentum after shipping my first app

The Shipaton was intense, but it gave space to one of the most creative periods in my life.

After going for two months nonstop, I realized how tired I was. Still, I have heard creators talk about the fear of losing momentum right after hitting a big milestone. I felt that fear too.

Knowing the Shipaton was coming to an end was exciting but also terrifying. It’s the reason many of us procrastinate on shipping: The possibilities are endless when the project lives in your mind. Once it’s out in the world, you’re confronted with limitations and reality.

If anything, I trust I can do it. I can turn my app into a success.

Working at a tech company I admired taught me something: success doesn’t come from the company, but from its people. Every person has a spark, an individual sense of drive and curiosity. Companies don’t have a secret formula, what truly matters is people coming together and figuring things out.

Now as an independent developer I see the same at work. It’s all about learning, experimenting, and sharing your work with the world. We all have it in ourselves!

Launching a mobile app is just the start. Here’s what I am planning to do next to keep the momentum going.

On the surface, I’ll keep what’s working: ship content and code every week.

The new challenge is finding balance between improving the app and expanding its reach.

There’s a whole new set of abilities to learn, one at a time. Incremental learning compounds, and that’s how indie developers I admire have had success with their apps.

What I do next will be guided by instinct and the learnings I get from the Everything but the Code book as I read it.

So here are the next priorities:

• Take a short break
• Implement a public roadmap
• Improve website
• Add support documentation
• Officially launch my app
• Implement analytics
• Improve App Store Optimization (ASO)

I’ll share updates as I keep figuring things out. So far, Minder has 65 active users and 1 subscriber without actually promoting the app.

During the Shipaton I learned to ship before I’m ready and publish consistently. The next step is to find a rhythm for continuous improvement that keeps the momentum alive.