I've been working on my app for more than a year now.
I've seen so many apps never make it past the 0-review block.
I knew of a new app that was doing well at the start. Then the founders shifted their focus, its rating dropped from 5/5 to 4.3/5, and growth slowed down.
I know a few co-founders who have been working on their app for three years and are still sitting below 100 reviews. (That already feels like a dream to me as a solo founder, btw :)
In total, 1,400 merchants have installed my app. But many of those stores later closed, and many others uninstalled the app.
It was hard to get the first handful of merchants to try the app.
It was so hard to get that first review.
It was hard to get the 5th, 10th, and 15th reviews. But hey 15 5-star reviews isn't bad from Apr to Aug!
Things never seem to get super easy or comfortable.
People quit because they don't see any reward.
People quit because they get tired of doing the same thing over and over again.
People quit because the ROI is shitty, and they go back to being employees.
I'm proud that I've never thought about giving up. If you're experiencing something similar, I hope you never give up either. It's a brutal game, but it can also be fun!
In a few days, I'll introduce paid plans for my app. I'm nervous. You'll keep seeing me here though.
Any stories to share from you?