Friends/coworkers tell me my app idea is huge. Now what?

mcdj · Oct 8, 2012

I have an idea for an app. I've done a fair amount of research and the idea is pretty unique, and if executed well, I think it could be pretty big. The people I've discussed with are pretty excited by it. I'm pretty excited by it.

I have the name, logo, the entire concept, and several of the app screens fairly well fleshed out in terms of design...enough to make a pretty compelling presentation.

One problem is, I work as a retoucher in a busy NYC retouching studio. I am surrounded by smart creative people, but they aren't app developers. None of my friends are either. I don't know the first thing about coding, APIs, SDKs, marketing, venture capital, etc. And I'm swamped with retouching work most days, with little to no time for app development.

We're not talking about a flashlight app here. We're talking about something photography related, on the scale of Instagram (no, it's not another filter effects app; there are no filters), meaning Amazon or other data/photo hosting servers, potentially large user databases, security considerations, Facebook/Twitter/Instagram integration, and I'm sure a whole slew of things I haven't even considered.

I'm daunted. I don't want to do this if I can't do it right. I want the app to have a good shot at becoming a success. If I walk into an established app studio and partner with them, I'd lose control. If I try to find an independent app coder, it could be a year before we get it off the ground, and I have no money.

I could try to seek funding, but these VC guys speak their own language. They want business plans, names and skills sets of partners/employees, etc. . I'm just a guy with a catchy idea, a logo, and some screenshots.

I know I'm not the first to ask this, but what does a guy like me do at this point?

jnoxx · Oct 9, 2012

90% of people with a good idea in your situation just lose interest, because they have either no money, no people to develop it or have no clue themselves.
What happens alot is an ROI plan, this means, the developer get's a share of the plan and develops its for free, but only gets % share over xx months. Hope that makes sense (ROI = Return On Investment).

loon3y · Oct 9, 2012

I'd just say get a good programmer and be partners (since u said you cant afford an independent developer on your own),

given that you have your connections for sales and demos, and given that u have knowledge (your ideas) in the said industry to make an app that is user friendly but covers all the basis (or cover all the simple necessities or whatever) of said business.

that's how a colleague of mine handled his situation, and it makes sense. actually he signed the contract saying the software is his, and he can sell it as he pleases, to anyone.

which I'm sure any decent developer you come across would ask something similar of that sort and/or what jnoxx had said

needfx · Oct 9, 2012

mcdj said:
I have an idea for an app. I've done a fair amount of research and the idea is pretty unique, and if executed well, I think it could be pretty big. The people I've discussed with are pretty excited by it. I'm pretty excited by it.

I have the name, logo, the entire concept, and several of the app screens fairly well fleshed out in terms of design...enough to make a pretty compelling presentation.

One problem is, I work as a retoucher in a busy NYC retouching studio. I am surrounded by smart creative people, but they aren't app developers. None of my friends are either. I don't know the first thing about coding, APIs, SDKs, marketing, venture capital, etc. And I'm swamped with retouching work most days, with little to no time for app development.

We're not talking about a flashlight app here. We're talking about something photography related, on the scale of Instagram (no, it's not another filter effects app; there are no filters), meaning Amazon or other data/photo hosting servers, potentially large user databases, security considerations, Facebook/Twitter/Instagram integration, and I'm sure a whole slew of things I haven't even considered.

I'm daunted. I don't want to do this if I can't do it right. I want the app to have a good shot at becoming a success. If I walk into an established app studio and partner with them, I'd lose control. If I try to find an independent app coder, it could be a year before we get it off the ground, and I have no money.

I could try to seek funding, but these VC guys speak their own language. They want business plans, names and skills sets of partners/employees, etc. . I'm just a guy with a catchy idea, a logo, and some screenshots.

I know I'm not the first to ask this, but what does a guy like me do at this point?

story of my life, finding, befriending & collaborating with programmers/coders which I have been unable to do so until now, since in my country (Greece) are far too few.

firewood · Dec 15, 2012

mcdj said:
I have an idea for an app. I've done a fair amount of research and the idea is pretty unique, and if executed well, I think it could be pretty big. The people I've discussed with are pretty excited by it.

Are they excited enough to put their money where their mouth is?

Friends, family and fools seem to be the ones you can excite, thus are your best source of investment in the idea (funding).

They want business plans, names and skills sets of partners/employees, etc. . I'm just a guy with a catchy idea, a logo, and some screenshots.

If you don't have a business plan, you are just stealing your friend's and family's (or some developer's) money. Even if you have a business plan, the vast majority of great sounding iPhone app ideas fail. Thus a skilled developer will likely ask for cash up front, as there is a good chance that their will be zero revenue later to share. Almost every iOS developer I've met has reported getting dozens of great "can't fail" app development propositions with no development money behind them. A dime a dozen.

Most (not all) of them worth less than a dime.

1458279 · Dec 18, 2012

firewood said:
Are they excited enough to put their money where their mouth is?

Friends, family and fools seem to be the ones you can excite, thus are your best source of investment in the idea (funding).

If you don't have a business plan, you are just stealing your friend's and family's (or some developer's) money. Even if you have a business plan, the vast majority of great sounding iPhone app ideas fail. Thus a skilled developer will likely ask for cash up front, as there is a good chance that their will be zero revenue later to share. Almost every iOS developer I've met has reported getting dozens of great "can't fail" app development propositions with no development money behind them. A dime a dozen.

Most (not all) of them worth less than a dime.

+1
I get people telling me all the time that they have a great idea, some think the idea is so valuable that they don't say much about it. The bottom line is that most apps fail and the market if flooded. It's so flooded that good apps don't get noticed.

Apple (iOS) is a side note in China and has lost a drastic amount of the handheld revenue just this year and iOS developers currently have quite a few choices of good jobs.

Taking a job like this on future sales is very risky, if an iOS dev can get 100K/year, taking a pay on future sales doesn't look very tempting.

If you do sub out, use care to find someone with a good rep/track record.

Remember, not all developers are created equal.

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Friends/coworkers tell me my app idea is huge. Now what?

mcdj

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jnoxx

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loon3y

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firewood

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