I must be crazy • Hacker News Board

Re: I must be crazy

#61

Post by revorad » Wed, Jun 06, 2012, 3:16 PM UTC

jerf wrote: post #53

revorad wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I see your point about the black box. But, I have this feeling that maybe the sheer numbers of people that enter the mobile app funnel at all far outweigh those on the web. It seems like the difference between having a big shop on a quiet backstreet and having a tiny shack on a busy high street. You can watch every move of every visitor with a dozen CCTV cameras in your backstreet shop, but the footfall is all on the…

"But, I have this feeling that maybe the sheer numbers of people that enter the mobile app funnel at all far outweigh those on the web." But you just heard from someone who said that even when their app shows up in the What's Hot list, they still don't get a lot of sales. Which also implies it doesn't take very many sales to get there. Speculation about how truth may not be true is not very productive. It really does…

I said nothing about conversion. My guess was about the top of the funnel. He said he hasn't tried selling his web app yet, so the comparison remains to be tested.

At least I qualified my speculations as a feeling. If you're going to misread, at least don't be so snipy.

Anyway, I say all of this as a web app developer myself. I prefer the high street to the mall.

Re: I must be crazy

#62

Post by jpzeni » Wed, Jun 06, 2012, 3:17 PM UTC

Good luck bro! Never look back.

Re: I must be crazy

#63

Post by knes » Wed, Jun 06, 2012, 3:18 PM UTC

Good luck my friend. Just made the switch 3 months ago and couldn't be any happier. :)

Re: I must be crazy

#64

Post by kaiwetzel » Wed, Jun 06, 2012, 3:21 PM UTC

chubs wrote: post #25

jere wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you already have a side project that is generating revenue? I'm sure he'll chime in, but Patrick was making more from BCC than he was from his job by the time he quit. http://diycomputerscience.com/blog/post/2011/07/01/create-a-... In all seriousness, good luck!

Yes, i'm earning $100-150 daily from existing apps. So it's not a complete leap of faith. I admire those who can persevere at their dayjob whilst building up a side business, i really wish i could do that without going insane. Patrick must be made of sterner stuff than I ;)

Good luck to you! I find it very encouraging to hear from cases like yours, hoping to enter the app store later this year as well.

Have you experimented with in-app purchases? (E.g. looking at the impromptu presenter and the fertility app)

Your icons look a little bland, though (maybe it's just my taste) :)

Re: I must be crazy

#65

Post by shad0wfax » Wed, Jun 06, 2012, 3:26 PM UTC

Good luck! I think you can add the intangible element of "being happy doing what you want" to the list of reasons.

I think you will love it every day.

Re: I must be crazy

#66

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Jun 06, 2012, 3:29 PM UTC

chubs wrote: post #16

bhousel wrote: post #5

>I’m going to make, market, and hustle my iPhone apps like my life depends on it Why can't I find a link or description to them anywhere in your post? I’m the breadwinner with a wife and daughter to support, My wife is due to have our second child in 8 weeks, We’re currently building a house, and the builder’s bills will soon arrive I may be the only person to say it, but I don't think quitting your day job at this t…

You're totally right. And also, some have pointed out (quite correctly) that amy and patrick recommend starting out on the side, so let me explain further: * I have enough savings to last a few months if i sell my motorbike * I'm reasonably well connected and, if all goes badly, getting an ios contract/job in a few months time won't be hard * I already have a dozen apps on the app store, bringing in between $100-$150…

[deleted]

Re: I must be crazy

#67

Post by cageface » Wed, Jun 06, 2012, 3:30 PM UTC

patio11 wrote: post #60

cageface wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Like every other software market, outsourcing firms are eating up the bottom end of the iOS development market at rates far below that. But I imagine if you can cultivate the right kind of local clients you can do well. Since you mention it, if anybody needs some freelance help with an app I'm available. As a self-outsourced American currently living in Vietnam I can significantly undercut $150/hr. ;)

Can you explain exactly what about the service delivered is different with you living in Vietnam versus you living in, I don't know, Central Japan? Or, for that matter, living in whatever "One town too far to come into the office in San Francisco" is? I mean, sure, you have a cost of living which will let you attempt to compete on price for the worst projects from the worst customers, but why not just deliver desirab…

I figure the awkward time zone difference for most U.S. clients has to count for some kind of haircut.

But your point is well taken. If I do decide to shift my focus from my own products to consulting I'm not going to do it at too high a discount.

Re: I must be crazy

#68

Post by clarky07 » Wed, Jun 06, 2012, 3:30 PM UTC

Congrats man. I did exactly this a year ago and it was the best decision I've ever made. If you're interested I wrote up my story a few weeks ago here - http://www.entrelife.com/2012/05/how-i-went-from-0-to-50k-on...

Good Luck!

Re: I must be crazy

#69

Post by megablast » Wed, Jun 06, 2012, 3:33 PM UTC

chubs wrote: post #23

jmitcheson wrote: post #12

Where in Australia are you? There are some good meetups for startup guys. Join one of them; it will make it easier for you socially I think. I'm going along to Silicon Beach Melbourne tomorrow night.

Sydney. I go to cocoaheads, and am thinking about hitting up silicon beach sydney (i used to go, years ago) and maybe RORO and SydJS. Can you recommend anything else i should check out?

Mobile Mondays can be good as well. That is Australia wide too, even in Adelaide!

Re: I must be crazy

#70

Post by LanceJones » Wed, Jun 06, 2012, 3:35 PM UTC

patio11 wrote: post #60

cageface wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Like every other software market, outsourcing firms are eating up the bottom end of the iOS development market at rates far below that. But I imagine if you can cultivate the right kind of local clients you can do well. Since you mention it, if anybody needs some freelance help with an app I'm available. As a self-outsourced American currently living in Vietnam I can significantly undercut $150/hr. ;)

Can you explain exactly what about the service delivered is different with you living in Vietnam versus you living in, I don't know, Central Japan? Or, for that matter, living in whatever "One town too far to come into the office in San Francisco" is? I mean, sure, you have a cost of living which will let you attempt to compete on price for the worst projects from the worst customers, but why not just deliver desirab…

When you don't know how to sell yourself, freelancers (and businesses!) compete based on price. It's the "obvious" choice but it wrongly assumes that's how potential customers make their purchase decisions. EDIT (additional context):

When my wife quit her job at Intuit to start Copy Hackers, she also had to figure out how much to charge for her freelance copywriting work. After some investigation, she found that there are writers on eLance who charge $10 for an entire blog post and $20 for a press release. In addition, I make a very comfortable living working for a large software company -- enough that she could easily compete with the inexpensive off-shore writers because we have no real need for the extra money. However, none of that was factored into her decision, because she priced her services based on the value they would generate for her consulting clients -- and has moved her rates up twice in the past year from $50/hr to $150/hr. She has plenty of work at that rate, too...