Start small, code big
Creating an app as a solo developer can be highly rewarding, but it can also be a huge undertaking.
Frederik Riedel helps people spend less time on social media with his app OneSec. His friend Leo Mehlig created the daily planner Structured to ensure he took enough breaks. And former lawyer Kai Koch changed gears to become co-founder of the emotions coach Ahead.
We talked to all three about how they become app developers — and the lessons they‘ve shared with others along the way.
Lesson 1: Start as early as you like
Mehlig: I started coding when I was 14 years old, and met Frederick shortly after. We were both WWDC Scholarship winners (the precursor to the Swift Student Challenge), so I was meeting Apple engineers and other developers. I wanted to be part of that community.
Riedel: I'd always thought of creating apps as a hobby or a side project. Meeting professional developers motivated me to continue on that path.
Lesson 2: Find big power in small teams
Koch: I went into app development because you can build very large products — both in terms of impact and revenue — with very small teams.
Mehlig: I did everything in the beginning: design, coding, customer support, and marketing. It took me almost three years to have my first employee.
Riedel: The biggest struggle when you work on your own is when something doesn’t work and you can’t figure out why. I always try to build apps that are somehow related to myself, so they either solve a problem or are related to a hobby that I have. It helps to have a relationship with your project.
Lesson 3: Focus on what matters
Mehlig: A great challenge for an indie developer is the limited amount of time, especially if you’re working on your own or with a small team. You have to focus on what’s important. The product becomes more focused, which in the case of consumer apps is usually a good thing.
Koch: The beauty and the crux of a small team is that you have to focus on the things that have the highest impact.
Lesson 4: Beware of burnout
Mehlig: I’ve built an app that reminds you that you have a limited amount of energy. When I’m not focused, I try to stop working and go outside. I like going for a run, then coming back to fix a bug.
Lesson 5: Learn to deal with frustration
Riedel: You have to be very honest with yourself. If you notice that something doesn’t make sense or you’re not able to build something useful, you have to cut the ropes and start something new.
Mehlig: If something doesn’t work, it doesn’t mean that you did something wrong or you’re a bad developer. Failure can be good — as long as you learn something from it.
Originally published June 9, 2025
