From One to Two
It hit me one day, the biggest problem every indie developer has is very simple. You need to go from one to two as quickly as possible. i.e. stop being "indie" of just a team of one. It simply doesn't work.
Just like starting a band, you need that 2nd member or you're not _really_ a band. Sure, I know, I've been doing teams of one for many years. I get the appeal. But what is it that I like so much about it? I don't have to get _any_ buy in from anyone. I'm this free agent that can just code code code like an artist and bring whatever I want to life.
And how's that working out for ya?
Not good. I work very hard on the project, get to MVP, release it, and get depressed at how hard it is to market. Why am I trying to get buy in AFTER doing all the work? Just because I'm too impatient and scared* to get the buy in FIRST.
* yeah, fear, fear of doing this:
This is a new app I'm making to fix this problem. I call it from122.
First you name your project...
We are going to use your camera for some high tech face recognition...
That's right. Goto starbuck and get over your fear.
iOS Face Recognition will find faces and "match" you with just the right person.
Now go, you have 3 mins. Sell this person on your idea. Ask them if they want to be recorded of course, be polite, some people will say no.
This demo project now has 1 recorded session. Do 10 more.
Terrible right? I hate everything about this. I really don't want to go to starbucks and do this. I hate accosting strangers. But something tells me doing this over and over until I have an idea with buy in is the way.
I'll probably even get a few people to give me their email address, ready to beta test the app. And probably one of those beta testers will be more enthusiastic than all the others. And that person makes a team of two.
Um, yeah let me know if you want to beta test from122 app.