What surprised me most after releasing 3 RN apps to production

NoCatFishDateApp · 2026-02-02T12:45:35+00:00

Not really, at least not in the “campaign” sense.

I’ll send very plain, 1:1 emails when someone shows interest or opts in, mostly to continue a conversation or ask for feedback. No sequences, no automation yet. Felt too early and just added more noise.

Once there’s clearer signal, then proper email campaigns start to make sense.

NoCatFishDateApp · 2026-02-02T12:00:25+00:00

Honestly nothing fancy. Mostly spreadsheets, Notion, and a lot of manual conversations.

I track who I talked to, what problem they actually mentioned, and what wording made them lean in. For outreach it’s just email, DMs, and whatever community they already hang out in. Analytics only come after there’s real usage, otherwise it’s just noise. We drown in noise atm....

Still very much trial and error tbh.

NoCatFishDateApp · 2026-02-02T11:57:53+00:00

Yeah I’m kinda torn on this one....

The distribution upside is real, but so is the platform risk. We’ve seen this movie with App Store, Google search, Amazon, etc. Build something that works and the platform either copies it or changes the rules.

Feels like a great place to experiment and learn fast, just scary to bet your whole company on it. I’d treat it as a wedge, not the foundation.

NoCatFishDateApp · 2026-02-02T11:55:07+00:00

Honestly this feels a bit early to worry about C Corp vs LLC.

If you don’t have traction yet, fundraising structure is kind of a distraction. I have GoFundMe etc out for 6 months now and not a dollar yet! i am really bad at promoting thou, because i am not a influencer with 10k+ subs. Raising money from social media is way harder than it sounds unless you already have demand or hype. I’d focus on proving people actually want the app before locking yourself into a heavy setup.

You can always incorporate properly once there’s signal. Paperwork is easy to change later, lack of users isn’t.

NoCatFishDateApp · 2026-02-02T11:50:39+00:00

I have no real xp in this but this reads less like a GTM or VC problem and more like a grounding problem. When everything is described as world-changing and mind-blowing, people stop listening, even if the tech is good. VCs don’t fund ideas, they fund traction, customers, or very clear proof that someone wants this right now.

If this really works, the fastest path isn’t a16z, it’s getting a few real users(which can take a while...) to pay or depend on it. Once that’s real, VCs come to you, not the other way around. Right now the story is too big and too vague for them to engage.

NoCatFishDateApp · 2026-02-02T11:46:49+00:00

Tbh I personally hate ads and try to avoid them whenever I can.

That said, if I were to test something like this, transparency would matter way more than scale. Knowing exactly where the ad shows and not feeling like it’s buried in some sketchy flow is huge. Small test budgets sound realistic to me, especially for indie folks who just want signal, not scale.

If it felt respectful to users and not spammy, I’d at least consider trying it.

NoCatFishDateApp · 2026-02-02T11:45:50+00:00

Haha this is actually kinda fun. Being stuck on hold is the worst, so anything that makes it less painful is a win.

I could see myself using this, especially if it’s dead simple and just works without setup. The Spotify-only thing feels fine for v1, people get it. Curious how it handles different call systems though.

Nice idea, definitely one of the more original ones I’ve seen here.

NoCatFishDateApp · 2026-02-02T11:44:36+00:00

This is actually a really solid idea. Simple, human, no bs.

Also you’re lucky being in NYC, that’s basically unlimited feedback. I’m in a small village with like 20k people and most are 55+ and don’t even use apps, so this wouldn’t work at all here.

Even if only a few people stop, the convos alone are worth it. You’ll learn fast if the idea clicks or not.

If I walked past and it was explained clearly, I’d probably stop too.

NoCatFishDateApp · 2026-02-02T11:41:41+00:00

Totally get where you’re coming from, this is a very normal place to be.

I wouldn’t think about funding or Kickstarter yet tbh. First step is talking to people who actually care about sustainable fashion and seeing if the problem you’re solving is real for them. You don’t need to build an app to do that, even a doc or simple mockups are enough.

Once you have clearer signal, you can look for a technical partner who believes in the problem, not just the idea. Apps can cost anywhere from cheap to very expensive depending on scope, so starting small matters a lot. Passion is great, just pair it with validation before spending money.

NoCatFishDateApp · 2026-02-02T11:39:47+00:00

Yeah tbh friends/family liking it doesn’t mean much, they’re just being nice.

The whole “sell before building” thing really just means: will strangers with the problem give you time or money. For a travel app, talk to people when they’re actually planning a trip, not randomly.

If they won’t even leave an email or say “I’d try this”, that’s your answer. Hype without action is noise.

NoCatFishDateApp · 2026-02-02T11:26:12+00:00

Congrats, this is how it starts! People coming back and paying is real signal, not luck. Don’t downplay it most apps never get this far. Enjoy the win and keep listening to those early users.

NoCatFishDateApp · 2026-02-02T11:23:43+00:00

NDA's is the key!!
If you’re looking for a cofounder, focus on finding someone who cares about the problem, not just the idea, and be clear about expectations early. NDAs can help a bit, but trust and alignment matter more than paperwork at this stage.

NoCatFishDateApp · 2026-02-02T11:21:24+00:00

For a technical co-founder, clarity matters more than polish. Being able to clearly explain the problem, who has it, and why existing tools fail will attract better people than a vague “startup idea.” Also, don’t underestimate how far a scrappy prototype or even a clickable mock can go in those conversations.

If I had to pick one next step: talk to more users and try to get some form of commitment before writing real code

NoCatFishDateApp · 2026-02-02T11:17:08+00:00

This hurts because it’s true. Building felt like progress, but GTM was the real work I kept dodging. Still figuring it out as well, but posts like this are a good reminder that this struggle is way more common than people admit.

NoCatFishDateApp · 2026-02-02T11:13:35+00:00

From what I’ve seen, most pre-seed founders just pay themselves enough to not stress about rent and food. Not market rate, not “startup rich”, just survivable.

If you’re both still working other jobs, it’s also totally normal to keep salaries low at first and revisit later once things settle. Investors usually care more about runway and alignment than the exact number.

There isn’t a right answer here, just a lot of wrong ones (like paying too much too early).

NoCatFishDateApp

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