Ryan is a former product designer who quit his job to finally build his own app. With the help of AI coding tools, the first app he ever built hit $18K/month.
But here's the crazy part… this type of app has been built hundreds of times. Why was his successful?
In this video, we will dive into the simple app he built, how he got his first users, and his advice on how to pick winning app ideas.
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Follow Ryan:
Check out Cat on Chair:
🔔 Follow the Second Channel: @StarterStoryBuild
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Chapters
0:00 – I love niche apps
0:50 – What’s your story?
1:19 – App breakdown and data
2:46 – Ryan’s background
3:20 – Simple apps win
3:54 – Design and AI
4:10 – Build timeline
5:35 – Target customers
6:16 – Tech stack
6:48 – Finding the app idea
8:15 – Why does this app work?
9:47 – Building a hand-crafted app
10:19 – How to build cool, unique apps
11:11 – Cat on Chair Demo
12:33 – Final advice
13:20 – Pat and Gus reflections: building unique apps
This video is an educational case study of this founder’s experience. It is not financial advice and does not guarantee any income or results. Every business is different and your results may vary.
I can tell he’s a cat guy just by looking at his mic 🙂
That was the first thing I noticed at the begining of this video.
Honestly how does one manage that and also why not clean it when it’s so close to your mouth…smh :))
cat on mic
@gabriel.explores It does give him an air of authenticity.
It’s funny….the object to prevent wind on mics it’s called: deadcat!
His app is beautiful
this app is art…not some AI slop
exactly art still wins
@itscooldawgdonteventripyes indeed
totally agree
*has art is code slop
Im certain he use ai but it s still ok
Dude is a Product Designer with n year of exp. Such a cool productive app and so unique. I want a desktop version too.
We are working on Mac version, it should be released in the next couple month.
@RyanQYao but I’ve just downloaded on my Macbook
Now he needs to do a dog on chair app, double his audience….lol…I know dogs are not that popular in some Asian countries due to the cultural differences but Europe and the States will love it!
Agreed. I am asian and I am dog person. Wish they wll launch Dog version one day
hi there! I am also a big dog person! i really have trouble focusing sometimes, and I wanted something similar, so I built my own. it’s called Doggydoro Timer (on ios app store only for now). I just released it last week, would love feedback from fellow dog people! 🙂
@Ebidon-bkk fellow asian dog person here. just made a focus timer app dedicated to my two rescue dogs, Patches and Rosie. let me know if u would like to try it out!
*Our iOS Bootcamp:* https://go.starterstory.com/lp-test-2-ios-bootcamp-pinned
I am not able to open the link 😥
Thanks pat
One of your best episodes yet. This app is sick.
Thank you so much for featuring me! I spent so much time watching this channel, so it’s an honour to be on the channel!
I love the amount of at hair you have on your mic! <3
Some will not get it 😀
@maxkehayov haha, that’s from my friend’s cat. We were babysitting him, and he was very clinging.
oko
@RyanQYao How do you animate the cats and other animation? I mean which tools do you use it?
@farid-game we use procreate dreams for all the animation, we gonna have a new video on Starter Story Build to go over how we build this
I follow this channel last 2 year. one day I’ll come on this channel
The app’s design is beautiful. Founders often don’t realize that a good idea isn’t worth as much without design and marketing! 😄
The fact that anyone would and DOES use this blows my mind – very impressive!
This was an amazing interview
One of the best looking products on this channel for sure.. Well done to Ryan and his girlfriend
honestly the art design here has to be 70% of it’s success. Just looks so unique, yet comforting. Couple def have good eyes for design.
cat hair on the microphone says it all hahaha
Omg. I just downloaded the app. And it’s beyond a typical app. It feels like playing but at the same time, it is not a distraction to focus mode! This is brilliantly designed and also well marketed~
whats interesting is you take a very basic concept which already 100’s of people have already implemented and can still become successful with some unique touch.
It’s the girlfriend’s super art skills! A regular tech bro can’t make this
exactly. Without that excellent art, the app itself is meh. kudos to the girl who didn’t get much mention in the video.
It’s the art style, people love that it is aesthetically pleasing and completes their study set up. I know cause the art style captured me too lol
I’ve been following the girlfriend on red note! She’s a great artist and I bought a cute cat on chair cushion coaster from her ❤️
shout out to the gf , her art style is why this app is so good. would love a dog version like ppl said and im def checking this out. so many timers are BORING.
i realised there wasn’t a dog version anywhere so i built my own! it’s called Doggydoro. totally inspired by what cat on chair did for cat lovers. would love feedback from fellow dog people! 🙂