Taking the Plunge
It has been years since I released my first iOS app, Notecards. I developed it in-between classes and homework while in college as a personal tool to improve my studying. I decided to try my hand at releasing it onto the app store. Once released I contacted a few reviewers and was able to get some press on it, most notably from Macworld Magazine. I made minor enhancements in the first 6 months and this was enough to support a mildly successful next few years.
Notecards never made enough money to tempt me into pursuing it full time. I also tried to release a game, Redirect, that turned out to be a flop. Slightly disheartened I decided to instead go out into industry to gain some experience.
Notecards and my app business were always in the back of my mind and I continued to try to support them in my free time but sadly I let them languish. I wanted to make a major new version of Notecards but I was never able to bring a new version to completion. In fact, I wrote two new versions from scratch over the last few years but something always got in the way and the code wasted away on my computer never to see the light of day.
The reality is, that I don't have the mental energy to maintain a day job as well as give a true effort to my own app business. I sunk all of myself into my day job and when I did find time to work at home I was more interested in toying around with new technologies and various other ideas to see anything through.
All of my long term goals and desires to build up my own business have finally come to a head. I decided to take the leap. I quit my reliable day job to pursue my dream. I lined up some freelance work and I plan to dedicate real work hours and off time to my own apps.
The app store has changed a lot since I first released Notecards in 2009. Apps like Fantastical, Downcast, Partly Cloudy, and Task Paper have pushed app quality to a new level. My first goal is to rengineer Notecards to meet or even exceed this level of quality and also make use of all the skills I have developed over the last few years. I want to bring Notecards into the modern age.
I also look forward to developing my freelance business (website still in development). I am extremely excited to reach out more to the community and connect with other great developers and business people. I am invigorated at the thought of helping others get closer to their own dreams.
I don't know where my future will lead but I have a strong idea of what I would like it to be. I am setting my sights directly on that vision and, regardless of the outcome, I could not be happier to be finally putting all of myself into making it happen.