90: Teleprompter Pro – Joe Allen

On the podcast: Joe Allen has been building Teleprompter Pro for 15 years — and he'll be the first to tell you he's not sure how much of that growth he actually caused. He talks about why he waited 5 years after the app could sustain him before finally going full-time, how a simple email list became his safety net through the transition to subscriptions, and the two weeks he spent battling App Store Review to get his new app Captions approved — including the phone call that finally cracked it. Top Takeaways: 🛠️ Build for the itch you already have The best indie apps start as tools their creators needed, not market opportunities they spotted. 🌱 Let the App Store river carry you Sometimes organic growth comes from being in the right place at the right time, and the healthiest approach is to accept you don't control every drop of water. 📈 Don't rush the full-time leap It's okay to let a side project sustain itself for years before making it your sole source of income. 🤝 Support is a feature, not a chore Treating customer support as a core part of the product builds loyalty and reveals the actual features users are looking for. 📧 An email list is your only real safety net Having a direct line to your customers is the single most important asset when platform algorithms change or business models shift. About Joe Allen: 🚀 Indie Developer and Creator of Teleprompter Pro, an app designed to make content creation easier by providing a portable teleprompter solution, and Captions, a tool designed to add dynamic captions to videos, enhancing accessibility and engagement. 👋 LinkedIn 🌐 Learn more about Teleprompter Pro 🌐 Learn more about Captions Follow us on X: Charlie Chapman - @_chuckyc RevenueCat - @RevenueCat Launched - @LaunchedFM Episode Highlights: [0:00] Introduction to Joe Allen and Teleprompter Pro [2:00] Joe’s Background: From Media Studies to Indie Development [5:10] The Birth of Teleprompter Pro: Turning Freelance Work into an App [7:30] Transitioning from Side Project to Full-Time Indie Developer [10:00] Overcoming the Challenges of Indie Development: Learning on the Go [12:45] Growing Teleprompter Pro: Building a Product for Creators [15:00] Pricing and Business Strategy: Moving to a Subscription Model [17:30] Navigating User Feedback and Iterating on Teleprompter Pro [20:00] Lessons from Building Teleprompter Pro and Going Full-Time [23:00] Customer Support: Balancing Personal Engagement with Growth [26:00] Developing Captions: A New Tool for Content Creators [29:00] Monetizing Teleprompter Pro and Building Long-Term Sustainability [32:00] Moving Beyond the App: Joe’s Approach to Scaling and Growing [35:00] The Role of Email Marketing and Customer Relationships in Indie Development [38:30] The Emotional Side of Indie Development: Success, Challenges, and Growth [41:00] Expanding the Team: How Hiring Help Changed Joe’s Workflow [44:00] Reflecting on the Journey: What Joe Learned as an Indie Developer [47:30] Closing Thoughts: The Future of Teleprompter Pro and Captions