You need to put yourself in your target markets shoes. You have to close your eyes, visualize their day, visualize their life, and see how it ties into your application and whether your application truly solves their problem.
Or go talk them and not guess what their day is like or whether your code solves their problems.
Asking people if they would use your app is pointless since there is no prototype
I first want to know what their actual problems are, not what I naively assume them to be. And I would not discuss a potential program in the abstract, but get feedback on something concrete.
Find an idea, see what problem is solves, and fly with it. Better yet, just try to solve your own problems, don't think about whether it will make you a billionaire. Worst case scenario is you have a cool project you were passionate about and can add to your portfolio.
Thanks, but I did that. It was fun, I learned a lot. Didn't pay my bills. I have a lot of fun projects to keep me busy. What I want is an income.
"Follow your bliss" and the endless variations of that are trite.
Passion may be necessary, it's certainly a goal, but it isn't sufficient.
Or go talk them and not guess what their day is like or whether your code solves their problems.
Yes that too, but in a broader sense.
And I would not discuss a potential program in the abstract, but get feedback on something concrete.
Good.
"Follow your bliss" and the endless variations of that are trite.
If you want an income, develop iOS apps. My cousin started writing really simple apps that cost 99c and he's been making a steady 4k a month. Use that money to buy you time to work on your stuff.
When I was talking about 'worst case scnario', I meant it will add to your portfolio, help you become a better developer, and help you land a job.
OK, but now we're far away from just pursuing passion. Now it's do some work for the money so you can afford to do the things you really care about. Which is fine. I suspect that's how it works for most people.
I'm curious, though, how _you_ managed to achieve a successful business. Did you have to work on things you didn't care about in order to fund what ultimately became a self-sustaining company?
Did you manage to create a successful product by imagining the problems of others and offering a solution?
Do you have recurring revenue, or is it one-time sales of a product?
I made money through a lot of sketchy black hat SEO endeavors. Things like content farms, making specific product pages from Amazon categories and working off referrals. Affiliate marketing. Legitimate SEO work.
All of that shit crashed. It was too much to maintain, but it was fun while it lasted.
Right now I saved up money from my job, quit it, and I'm working on my business. I live off of $600/mo total. $350 for tiny room in a place with roommates, $150 for food, rest for transportation.
I have not achieved anything remotely close to a successful business. If I ever need money for rent or food, I'll do a freelance gig or two.
Or go talk them and not guess what their day is like or whether your code solves their problems.
Asking people if they would use your app is pointless since there is no prototype
I first want to know what their actual problems are, not what I naively assume them to be. And I would not discuss a potential program in the abstract, but get feedback on something concrete.
Find an idea, see what problem is solves, and fly with it. Better yet, just try to solve your own problems, don't think about whether it will make you a billionaire. Worst case scenario is you have a cool project you were passionate about and can add to your portfolio.
Thanks, but I did that. It was fun, I learned a lot. Didn't pay my bills. I have a lot of fun projects to keep me busy. What I want is an income.
"Follow your bliss" and the endless variations of that are trite.
Passion may be necessary, it's certainly a goal, but it isn't sufficient.