From Marine to Mobile: Michael Jones' Journey to App Development
Jakob here 🖐
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Michael Jones' story isn't about getting rich quick through mobile apps. It's a tale of his love for adventure, exploration, and facing challenges head-on. This passion led him to launch "Don’t Forget The Spoon," a backpacking and hiking planner app.
His coding journey started at the United States Naval Academy, where he also trained to become an officer in the Marine Corps. His first app, "Beer Portfolio," stemmed from his fondness for hoppy India Pale Ales, a nod to the Marine Corps' origins in a bar. However, after deployment with a Marine Expeditionary Unit, he had to pause his app development.
The urge to create never left him; Michael began blogging about his outdoor adventures on "Ten Digit Grid," which unexpectedly grew, bringing in some income through ads and affiliate links. His real entrepreneurial venture began when he met Rachel, an electrical engineer. Together, during the downtime of the COVID period, they returned to coding.
A Yosemite trip in 2022 was pivotal, not just for the adventure but for forgetting spoons, which sparked the idea for "Don’t Forget The Spoon." Launched in November 2022, the app has been growing, thanks to his blog's audience, strategic Reddit comments, and direct outreach to YouTube influencers in the niche.
Currently, Michael's app generates just under $100 in monthly recurring revenue, with total income slightly higher when one-time purchases are included. His blog, built on Flarum, sees about 55k active users monthly, and "Don’t Forget The Spoon" has nearly 2,000 downloads on Android. It's a slow journey, but one Michael enjoys, providing value to those who share his outdoor passion.
Read the full story
https://www.fakemayo.com/p/building-and-marketing-a-backpacking-and-hiking-planner-app
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