Launch Stories Rarely Look Like Pitch Decks
We thought we’d build fast, launch clean, and scale confidently. The truth? It was messy, uncertain, and full of pivots. But it was real.
This is the unfiltered journey of how we launched our app — a productivity tool designed for freelancers and indie builders — over 9 intense weeks.
If you’re building something similar or preparing your own launch, here’s everything we got right, wrong, and learned along the way.
Week 1–2: From Problem to Prototype
We started with a Notion board full of assumptions:
- Freelancers need more than a task list — they need a system to stay accountable.
- Most existing tools are too bloated or too boring.
We ran 10 interviews. The verdict? They wanted:
- Something visual
- Something fast
- Something they could trust with their day
So we hacked together a basic wireframe in Figma and tested it with 4 users. Two gave us the same feedback:
“Feels like this could be my home tab every morning.”
That was the green light.
Week 3–5: Building While Listening
Our MVP stack:
- Frontend: Flutter (for iOS + Android)
- Backend: Firebase
- Feedback: Typeform + Intercom popups in-app
We didn’t build features. We built flows:
- Daily Planner → done ✅
- Weekly Review → pending 🟡
- Monthly Dashboard → testing 🧪
Every Sunday, we shipped 2–3 iterations based on user usage heatmaps.
One of our core wins:
We added a “nudge” notification at 9am — and engagement jumped 34%.
Week 6–7: Prepping the Launch Flywheel
Instead of a Product Hunt blast, we:
- Sent pre-launch access to 87 waitlist users
- Shared daily BTS on LinkedIn (reached 22K impressions)
- Recorded a founder story video (2 min)
Our “founder log” format worked:
Day 43: We’re nervous. Our crash loop just got fixed at 2am. Day 46: First paying user. This is real now.
This built trust — and kept us accountable.
Week 8–9: Going Live (and Not Breaking)
Launch Day:
- Platform: Our website + direct DM outreach
- CTA: “Get your focus system for ₹199/month”
- Support: WhatsApp group + Notion-based help center
First 5 days:
- 1,240 app sessions
- 82 paid signups
- 17 video testimonials
We didn’t go viral. But we got validated.
What We’d Do Differently
- Start email collection earlier (missed 200+ cold traffic visitors)
- Test billing integrations more deeply (2 failed payments hurt early revenue)
- Add walkthroughs inside app from day 1
What Worked
- Building in public
- Honest storytelling
- Serving 1 persona deeply (indie creators)
Final Word: Every Launch Is a Leap
We didn’t just launch an app. We built confidence, community, and a repeatable playbook.
If you’re launching soon:
- Talk to users weekly
- Ship before you’re ready
- Share as you go
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Disclaimer
This content is AI-altered, based on generic insights and publicly available resources. It is not copied. Please verify independently before taking action. If you believe any content needs review, kindly raise a request — we’ll address it promptly to avoid any concerns.
