Building Astropad

It's tough to be a hiring manager right now. It's even harder when you're a bootstrapped company up against VC-backed startups and Big Tech companies with seemingly endless pockets.  Listen in to hear what we're doing to compete.Other resourcesMatt Ronge on Twitter

Do you want to build a product but don't know what to make? Yea, I know the pain. On this episode, I discuss the 3 main ways we come up with product ideas at Astropad.Other resourcesMatt Ronge on Twitter

We're adding more managers to the Astropad team, and that got me thinking about the resources I suggest for new managers. It's not an easy transition from an individual contributor to a people manager.  If you read these books, you'll be way ahead of the vast majority of managers out there.Tune in to hear why I recommend these 3 books:- The Making of Manager- Radical Candor- High Output ManagementOther resourcesMatt Ronge on Twitter

The week I recorded this episode, a popular iPad app made the switch to subscriptions and totally screwed it up. Drawing on that example and our own experience, I give suggestions on switching an existing app to subscriptions. Tune in to hear my 3 lessons for making the switch without blowing up your business.On this episode, you'll learn: Why you should be extra generous with existing customers Why you shouldn't take away features How to structure your communications And why more apps should switch to subscriptions Other resources Matt Ronge on Twitter My Twitter thread on app subscriptions A followup blog post that goes into more detail

Earlier this summer, we were feeling pretty stuck. We had been working on Luna Display for Windows going on 2 years and we still hadn't shipped. So we put together a plan, picked a ship date, and committed to a final sprint. The result was...... our second biggest launch of all time!

Earlier this summer, we were feeling pretty stuck. We had been working on Luna Display for Windows going on 2 years and we still hadn't shipped. So we put together a plan, picked a ship date, and committed to a final sprint. The result was...... our second biggest launch of all time!

Love it or hate it writing marketing copy is necessary for all businesses. That's why I chat with Mark Lambert, a long-time copywriter, about his work with us and how he got started. We talk about the two main schools of thought in copywriting: the old school approach and the new storybrand method. We discuss how to pick a writing approach and resources to get started. We also talk about the importance of storytelling and how to improve at it.Links Matt Ronge on Twitter Mark Lambert on Twitter Mark's website Resources for learning copywriting Old school approach: Copywriting Secrets by Jim Edwards Storybrand: Building a Storybrand by Donald Miller For good writing: Elements of Style by Strunk Great storytelling: MrBallen

I recently tweeted that I think the market for beautifully built, bespoke Mac apps is all but gone. Many people found this to be quite controversial, so on this episode, I break down why I think Mac apps are no longer a viable business model.Tune in to hear why I believe the App Store, the web, Apple, and the shift to mobile have forever changed the Mac app market.Links Matt Ronge on Twitter My controversial tweet

On this episode, Matt summarizes what's happened with regulators closing in on Apple's App Store and where he believes this is headed.ALOT has happened in the past month: South Korea just passed a new law requiring alternate in-app payment methods Japan settled an antitrust inquiry and now "reader" apps can "special" link  The EU, UK, Russia and India have activate investigations And a class-action lawsuit was just settled with US App Store developers And we can't forget the biggest of all:The new Open App Markets Act backed by Sen. Blumenthal, Blackburn, and Klobuchar..which Matt believes is the most exciting development. So tune in to catch up on the latest App Store anti-trust news.LinksMatt Ronge on Twitter

On this episode, Matt talks about why every company eventually needs to pivot and how it's not a sign of failure. He shares Astropad's story of pivoting and his lessons from that experience. Also hear examples from famous companies that had to pivot like Intel, Netflix, Nintendo, and even Apple. Links Matt Ronge on Twitter We've been sherlocked by Apple, now what? | Ep. 1 Only the Paranoid Survive by Andy Grove

After a year of podcasting, Matt shares what he's learned and where he's taking the podcast next. Tune in to hear why he thinks podcasting is easier than blogging, what has worked to grow listeners, his suggestions for anyone starting a podcast, and what's in store for the future!LinksMatt Ronge on Twitter

Have you ever been stuck on the last 10% of a project? Us too. On this episode, Matt and Savannah share their ideas for getting unstuck.It's hard to believe, but we've been working on bringing Astropad and Luna Display to Windows for over 2 years. While we are closer than ever, lately the end has felt far away. To give us that final push, we've shaken things up. Tune in to hear about the new goals and other changes to get us through the final 10% (and why the team likes it!).On this episode, you'll learn: Our current status on Windows projects Why we've gotten stuck Our ideas for giving us an extra push at the end Our big new goals that are motivating the team Other resources Matt Ronge on Twitter Savannah Reising on Twitter

Each year WWDC brings new competition and this year is no different. Earlier this month, Apple introduced fresh competition to our Luna Mac-to-Mac mode with new features in MacOS Monterey. Tune in to hear how we'll navigate this new threat. We are no stranger to being sherlocked by Apple.  Having been through this once before, we share our long-term predictions and why we this second time is so different. We talk about our plan to differentiate ourselves and how we're seizing this as an opportunity. Plus we share our tips for any company dealing with a new competitor. On this episode, you'll learn: How we are dealing with fresh competition from Apple Why not all competition is equal What we think the long term impact will be for Astropad And how we feel about the whole thing Other resources Matt Ronge on Twitter Savannah Reising on Twitter WWDC 2021 Airplay to Mac announcement AirPlay to Mac vs Luna Display Comparison

This week's hot take is for the Apple indie developers out there. Inspired by WWDC, Matt shares a lesson he's learned the hard way: That as developers we often spend too much time on the wrong things.What are the wrong things to be spending time on? You'll have to tune in to find out. Hint: They are fun to work on but don't help the customer solve their problem. Listen to this episode to find out what Matt believes you should be working on instead.LinksMatt Ronge on Twitter

Many of us have creative side projects that if only we could find the time for, we could really turn them into something big, but somehow we never get it done....Today's guest, Tausif Hussain is the exception. Tausif has grown his YouTube channel to 40k subscribers and has been recognized by YouTube as a "Creator on the Rise" – while having a full-time job and family. On this episode, Matt talks with Tausif about how he's done it.They talk through what got Tausif interested in YouTube, his suggestions for picking a topic, how he gets his inspiration, and why being unique is so important. Tausif shares his process for filming, editing, and promoting his videos and how he finds the time – all of this takes ALOT of time. Matt and Tausif also talk about his early days on YouTube, his initial traction, what helped the most for growth, and what he wishes he could tell his old self starting out.PS: Be sure to check out his series on filmmaking where he dives deep into his equipment, process,s and studio! Oh and don't forget to check out his tech videos which are just gorgeous. On this episode, you'll learn: How Tausif got inspired to create a YouTube channel His process for filming, editing, and promoting videos Where he gets his inspiration How he got his initial traction on YouTube And how he's grown it to 40k subscribers Finally, his advice for someone just starting out on YouTube Links Matt Ronge on Twitter Tausif Hussain on Twitter Tausif's YouTube Channel Tausif on Instagram Other creators to check out: Corey Neistat Sam Kolder Peter McKinnon Jonathan Morrison

It's our first ever guest episode, and we're excited to have Joshua Anderton on the podcast! We've shared our journey building Astropad but starting today, we'll also mix in the stories of other bootstrappers and creators.On this episode, Matt talks with Joshua about his background in music and how he get started as a maker dabbling in software, podcasts, video, and more. He shares how started his business Upscribe and how it got initial traction. They dive into where Upscribe is at today, what's been the hardest part, what didn't go as planned, and what he wishes he could tell his younger self.Matt and Joshua also talk about balancing being fathers and founders. Joshua shares the tips that have worked for him to be present with his family while making progress on all the projects he has. Hint: They're both still figuring it out.And last but certainly not least, they talk about mental health and why there shouldn't be a stigma around asking for help. PS: Joshua's Podmelon is also the company that edits our podcasts. So if you need podcasting editing, definitely check them out!On this episode, you'll learn: How Joshua got into podcasting, video editing, and software development How he started and got initial traction with Upscribe How he manages his time and gets (most) everything done How he balances being a father of 2 (soon to be 3) and a founder Why managing your mental health and psychology is key What he wishes he could tell his younger self  Other creators to check out: Justin Jackson Josh Pigford Rob Walling Noah Bragg Val Sopi Other resources Matt Ronge on Twitter Joshua Anderton on Twitter Joshua Anderton's personal site Upscribe - Joshua's email marketing SaaS business Podmelon - Joshua's podcast editing company Manager your own psychology as a founder | Ep. 21

Matt and Giovanni talk through the history of Luna Display and reflect on the messy beginnings of building new products.

Platform risk can be a business killer. Learn what platform risk is and how it's affected Astropad.

You're behind schedule on your Kickstarter and you need to announce a delay. But how? Tune in to hear what's worked for us.

Matt gives an update on our Luna Display for Windows Kickstarter and when you can expect your Lunas.

We've officially launched Project Blue! So what is it? Tune in to hear why this is a big deal for our Windows customers.

Most businesses eventually have to add a second product to grow, but how do you know when it's time?

Matt gives a rundown of the latest antitrust news surrounding Apple and where he thinks it's headed.

When starting a new company, it's easy to get overwhelmed by options. On this episode, hear what Matt would do based on his experience with Astropad.

Learn how we've bootstrapped Astropad and why we thinking it's a better approach for building sustainable companies.

Having a positive outlook is essential for making progress, so how do you stay positive when times are tough?

We talk through 4 ways business school didn't prepare Savannah for a startup and what she wishes she had learned.

Learn how a small team can take a hardware product from concept to market.

Matt gives an update on our successes and upcoming challenges with Luna Display for Windows.

We explore how to balance being a Dad and a startup founder at the same time.

We share our strategies for prioritizing deep work over pesky little tasks from your todo list.

During the early days of Astropad we got kicked off the App Store. Hear how it all went down.

After a $400,000 Kickstarter campaign, we talk about what worked, what didn't, and how we're dealing with feeling burned out.

After getting wrapped up in the antitrust investigation into Apple, we share 5 suggestions for how the App Store should change.

We learned A TON in our first 24 hrs on Kickstarter. We share what marketing strategies worked and what fell flat.

We go over the basics of hardware product development for people with a software background.

Ahead of our Kickstarter launch, we go step-by-step into how we pitch the press and suggest how you can do the same for your projects.

We take a technical deep dive into our process of porting our apps from Mac to Windows and what we've learned in the process.

Astropad cofounders Matt and Giovanni talk about their post-launch blues and how they ultimately turned their business around.

It's crunch time! We discuss designing our Kickstarter page, shooting our Kickstarter video, and the process that has consistently given us fantastic results.

Astropad cofounders Matt and Giovanni talk about their journey building and launching Astropad 1.0.

Launching a Kickstarter campaign can be a nerve-racking experience. In this episode, we discuss our greatest fears launching a Kickstarter campaign and how we are mitigating them.

A pre-launch email list is the most powerful tool for launching on Kickstarter. In this episode we share 5 tactics we are using to build a new list ahead of our next campaign.

We talk about how we launched our first Kickstarter that blew away our wildest expectations. We walk through our launch process and offer suggestions on building a press strategy.

Rachal Duggan shares how she's built an 11,000 person following on Instagram, how the freelance illustration business has been affected by COVID, and how freelancers need to pivot.

It's been one year since Astropad got sherlocked by Apple. We talk about what happened behind the scenes, what we've learned, how we've fought back, and why it's actually been a blessing in disguise.