TLDR;
This video features a conversation with Yoni, a software engineer, app builder, and content creator, who shares his experiences and strategies for building and marketing apps while working a full-time job. He discusses building a personal brand through daily video content, the development and launch of his app "Brain Rot," and his philosophy on balancing a day job with entrepreneurial pursuits. The conversation also touches on the tech stack he used, the importance of founder marketing, and the mindset needed to succeed in a crowded app market.
- Building a personal brand through daily video content.
- Development and launch of "Brain Rot" app.
- Balancing a day job with entrepreneurial pursuits.
- Importance of founder marketing and standing out in a crowded app market.
Introduction and Yoni's Background [0:00]
The video introduces Yoni, a software engineer and content creator known for posting daily short-form videos documenting his life as an entrepreneur. He shares that he started by posting daily videos on Instagram, which helped him build a following. He then launched a consumer mobile app called Brain Rot, which has seen decent success.
Building a Personal Brand on Social Media [4:25]
Yoni explains that he started making daily videos to overcome his fear of being on camera. He was inspired by Peter Levelvels, who has a large Twitter following that he uses to launch his products. Yoni created a new Instagram account and started posting videos without telling anyone, focusing on overcoming the initial "cringe." His first viral video, posted on day 19, was about making an offer on an investment property. Despite the randomness of the algorithm, this video gained significant traction and helped him build an initial following.
Brain Rot App: Inspiration and Marketing [7:35]
Yoni describes Brain Rot as a screen time app that visually represents how much time you spend on your phone by showing a cartoon brain that rots the more you use your phone. He built the app to solve his own problem of being chronically online as a content creator. He spent a couple of months building it using AI coding tools and faced multiple rejections from the App Store. He shared his journey on social media, which helped build hype even before the app launched. The app's launch went well, with a significant boost from being featured in Product Hunt's daily newsletter, resulting in approximately $10,000 in revenue. To date, Brain Rot has generated about $40,000 in revenue.
Tech Stack and Development Choices [11:44]
Yoni chose to build Brain Rot using Swift for iOS native development due to the complexities and bugs associated with the screen time APIs. He avoided using third-party wrappers to minimize potential issues. He also decided against making it cross-platform compatible, focusing solely on iOS due to the higher ROI and the fact that he was primarily solving a problem for himself. He mentions that iOS apps generally generate more revenue compared to Android apps, often in an 80/20 split.
Founder Marketing and Building Hype [14:26]
Yoni emphasizes the importance of founder marketing and building hype before launching an app. He shares how he built anticipation by posting about the app development process, including the rejections from the App Store. He notes that even with a smaller following, developers can generate interest and sign-ups by documenting their journey. Yoni's follower count doubled during the app development process, from 80,000 to 160,000.
Balancing a Day Job with Entrepreneurship [16:16]
Yoni shares his belief in working on entrepreneurial projects while maintaining a full-time job. He argues that a job is not the primary obstacle to achieving one's goals and that many valuable lessons can be learned while building a business on the side. He acknowledges that while some may advocate for burning bridges and going all-in, this approach isn't practical for everyone, especially those with financial responsibilities. He also cautions against "cosplaying" as a founder without genuine ambition to grow and scale an app.
Building Something That Already Exists [21:37]
Yoni discusses the strategy of building apps in crowded spaces, arguing that there is enough room for multiple players in the market. He emphasizes that distribution through social platforms allows you to reach users who may not be actively comparing your app to alternatives. He also highlights that in the current landscape, where the cost of code is decreasing, differentiation can come from the personal connection users feel with the founder. He advises aspiring app builders to clone or take inspiration from existing apps to gain experience and build momentum.