Apple Rejected His Breakthrough App, But Couldn't Break His Entrepreneurial Determination

This week, Monday Morning Radio celebrates its 700th episode of providing weekly, all-you-can-eat business wisdom. Since its debut in June 2012, the podcast has become a trusted resource for entrepreneurs, executives, and business owners seeking actionable advice rather than theory. In October 2025, the podcast surpassed one million downloads, a testament to its growing audience and enduring appeal.] Serial entrepreneur Colin Hodge, president, founder, and owner of DOWN — one of the top ten dating apps in the United States — knows firsthand that rapid business growth begins with understanding why customers think, choose, and behave as they do. He is the author of Outrageous Startup Growth: Uncovering the Secrets of User Psychology to Scale Your Success. Colin has built his career by applying practical insights from user psychology to improve marketing, strengthen customer loyalty, and make better strategic decisions through continual experimentation rather than guesswork. As he shares this week, that mindset proved essential after his early breakout dating and hookup app, Bang With Friends, was abruptly pulled from Apple's app store, forcing him to rethink his business and start over. Today, Colin's company is back on Apple — facilitating honest dating and interesting conversations with over 17 million users — demonstrating that setbacks can become the springboard to even greater success. Monday Morning Radio, now in its 15th season,  is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Colin HodgePosted: July 13, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time: 56:36 Episode: 15.4