#061 - Shipping Successful AI Apps with Your Average Tech Bro

Rocket Ship

In this conversation, Simon Grimm interviews Dohyun Kim, known as YourAverageTechBro, about his journey as an app developer and content creator. They discuss the challenges and successes in building apps, the importance of marketing, and the technologies used in app development, including React Native, Supabase, and AI tools. Dohyun shares insights on his most successful app, Montee, and the strategies behind its development and marketing, as well as the lessons learned from previous projects. In this conversation, Dohyun discusses the development of his app, Montee, focusing on the use of Next.js and Supabase for differentiation and backend management. He shares insights on API security, handling costs, and user management strategies. The importance of action bias in development is emphasized, along with ideation and keyword research strategies. The discussion also covers social media marketing tactics and preferences between web and mobile app development.

Learn React Native - https://galaxies.dev

Dohyun Kim

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@YourAverageTechBro
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@youraveragetechbro
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/youraveragetechbro
• X: https://x.com/youravgtechbro

Links

• Montee: https://www.montee.ai
• Perfect Interview: https://www.perfectinterview.ai
• Gemini: https://ai.google.dev/

Takeaways

• Dohyun prefers using technologies that allow for rapid development and shipping.
• He believes in copying successful ideas rather than focusing on originality.
• Montee, his AI meeting recorder app, achieved $1,500 in monthly recurring revenue shortly after launch.
• Dohyun discusses the challenges of app growth and the impact of churn on revenue.
• He highlights the importance of effective marketing strategies for app success.
• Dohyun prefers Supabase over Firebase for its relational database capabilities and better documentation.
• He shares insights on the technology stack used for PerfectInterview.ai, including Next.js and Gemini.
• Dohyun believes that app growth is often a series of step functions rather than exponential growth. Copy first and differentiate second is a key strategy.
• API keys should never be exposed in client-side code.
• User requests should always be traceable to prevent abuse.
• Action bias is crucial for shipping apps.
• Keyword research is not the only way to ideate apps.
• Social media marketing can drive app visibility.
• Instagram is currently more explosive for growth than TikTok.
• Web apps allow for faster updates and cash flow management.
• Developers should focus on building value-adding features.
• It's important to distinguish between fun projects and income-generating apps.