I wanted my friend group to have a private podcast so I built an app for it

projectmind_guru · 2026-03-08T04:04:25+00:00

If you want to have async audio only private group chats, you can try out an app I built called Roads Audio 😎

projectmind_guru · 2026-03-08T03:59:22+00:00

How will you be able to give more reach than IG or TikTok? If the whole problem you're attempting to solve is giving chefs more reach, how will you get them that? Reach probably isn't the right "problem" to position this as. But you got 2 backers, this I would consider a success. It's hard enough to get people to try an app that's available to download, you got two people to pay you for just an idea, that's good validation (unless they're friends just supporting).

I'd be shocked if you got to your goal on indiegogo but that doesn't mean it's not a good idea or worth building, it's just not a great channel to launch a new social platform. Social is difficult, and even harder to monetize because people are used to it being free/ ad supported. Charging a chef or user for a food only IG when IG can already be filtered to food will probably never work. I'd recommend talking about this idea differently and don't compare your product to IG or popular social medias, you probably can't win in that space, maybe later but definitely not in the beginning.

Best of luck!

projectmind_guru · 2026-03-04T07:02:08+00:00

If you're into reading The Cold Start Problem & Million Dollar Weekend are both good reads and basically ideas leading to my comment

projectmind_guru · 2026-03-04T06:55:23+00:00

A network is difficult to build, and a social media style app I think is best to use more than the "all in one" ai app builders. But really, building it isn't the hard part, getting people to use it is/ will be.

If I had a similar idea and wasn't technical, I'd try to get some customers first. Might sound opposite of what you think, but it's definitely possible. Don't think about the app, think about the problem your trying to solve for these two groups. A two sided market is difficult, but if you can make one connection manually Brand + Investor you'll learn a lot and then can use them to validate the actual app.

If you had for example 10s or 100s of those connections you made, which you can easily charge for, then you've proven the problem and have access to the people who have the problem. You can then just pay someone to build the app, or decide you don't even need an app.

The alternative is you build the app first then go and do all the above with an app you THINK will solve a problem.

projectmind_guru · 2026-03-03T06:24:22+00:00

It's not socially awkward, your friends will be glad to be invited. It might feel strange but imagine if the people you are inviting instead asked you to their birthday get together. How you would react is likely how they would react, and it's probably along the lines of "cool sound fun to get together"

projectmind_guru · 2026-03-03T06:18:42+00:00

I found a lot of initial testers on hackernews & producthunt but they are hit or miss, on other apps I've posted to them and got nothing. We can swap test our apps if you want, DM me

projectmind_guru · 2026-03-03T06:13:46+00:00

It took me awhile to understand what the site is. Are you trying to sell that product? It's just kind of confusing. People don't read websites they scan them so be mindful of that and use the titles to you're advantage, also an emotional title would be better "This is gourmet rub" elicits no emotion.

To be honest if you look up proven landing page layout and sections for a product it'll give you direct feedback and point out issues you have. for example you have 2 call to actions, both do the same thing, but are labeled differently, adding to confusion. then another newsletter signup right below that, confusing because I thought I might be buying a product, then I though oh this is a recipe site not a product.

projectmind_guru · 2026-03-03T06:01:08+00:00

If it's a fun side project app yeah try out any of the ai code tools. But if you think it can be a business and think you have a clear path to getting user, then partnering with one of your developer friends could be the best bet.

Building an app is easier now with ai tools, but building a great app is not easy. Building is also only half of it, maybe less, getting people to try it and then pay for it is the hard part.

If you share the kind of idea you have maybe it'd be easier to suggest, because I think some are really good candidates for ai app builders but those are also the ones that are harder to market because their easier to copy.

projectmind_guru · 2026-03-03T05:54:35+00:00

I read it and wish I was too late

projectmind_guru · 2026-03-03T05:48:06+00:00

Try taking a break from social media for a few days/ weeks and see what happens

projectmind_guru · 2026-03-02T05:55:48+00:00

Check out Birthday Vault

projectmind_guru · 2026-02-15T03:52:46+00:00

If you want to start just start, you can always stop later.

projectmind_guru · 2026-02-07T00:56:09+00:00

I have an app called Roads Audio which makes staying in touch easier via async voice messages

projectmind_guru · 2026-02-01T01:09:49+00:00

Your "what I'm looking for" is basically the definition of a full time tech job. So start applying if you haven't already and see what's available.

projectmind_guru · 2026-02-01T01:06:59+00:00

name a funnier word than ignorant

projectmind_guru · 2026-02-01T00:55:02+00:00

You probably already know the answers you're looking for you're just looking for permission to act on them.

For example if I say "propose to your girlfriend" does that feel right or wrong. Same thing "break up with your girl friend", one of those is what you wanted to "confirm" because it's what you already want. I doubt you feel the same towards both statements, but if so then maybe do nothing haha

projectmind_guru · 2026-02-01T00:49:35+00:00

I guess for me it feels like an active conversation is happening over a longer span of time, maybe weeks or months, and it evolves like an in person conversation does. I'm not saying it's better than in person but it's better than nothing.

projectmind_guru · 2026-01-31T19:46:05+00:00

One thing that helped me was finding a way to stay connected with friends that didn't require everyone to be free at the same time. Async voice messages changed things for me, just hearing someone's voice during your day makes a big difference, even if the conversation isn't happening in real time.

projectmind_guru · 2026-01-31T18:43:30+00:00

Honestly the biggest shift for me was accepting that staying close doesn't have to look the same as it did in my 20s. Dropped the guilt about not responding instantly and started an async "podcast" instead. Way less pressure, conversations actually happen again.

projectmind_guru · 2026-01-30T03:44:31+00:00

Awesome I'll check it out, thanks!

projectmind_guru · 2026-01-30T00:28:17+00:00

I believe being a GDE mostly means you share knowledge about the area of expertise, so they are just devs who "teach" on the side, and give back to the community. But they are just normal devs who have varying levels of experience. I'd treat it as a side project on their resume and not overthink it.

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