I am software developer, with years of experience. Over the years I have started multiple projects but I have always been afraid to release the apps for fear of failure and also considering the fact that I don’t know anything outside development.
Last year I made myself a promise to release one app, so I got to work and so far so good.
I have lost hope along the way and regained it , I have push through all negative thoughts and pushed this app further than any. I have progressed as far as running beta testing with external users ( all with positive comments )and fixed all bugs.
Now I am back to the same fear again and at the top of my fear list are:
- What if people don’t like it ?
- If is fails and I lose all the money I have invested in it
- How do I market it
- I don’t know much about running a business where do I begin with the launch and running this
- I am so introvert I don’t even have friends to test the app , I had to pay external testers.
Any direction, suggestion or helpful answers on how to go about this would be most appreciated.
Congrats on making it to this point! :D
Here’s where the fun begins. There’s a chance that folks will love what you built right out of the box. If that happens, you are part of a very small but esteemed group.
Most likely, you’ll get little to no folks interested at first. This is absolutely normal. You’re at the startling line, not the finish line here. Right now you are about to embark on the gloried hunt for product-market fit.
Have you read The Lean Startup by Eric Ries? One of the best programmers I know recommended it to me when I wanted to be an entrepreneur. It’s like a bible for many folks in Silicon Valley, and it will introduce you to how this can work, including the role of marketing.
If you don’t want to deal with launching, talking to customers, marketing, and all, find a non-technical cofounder who shares your values. There are many of them out there looking for what you have to offer.
Good luck!