Here at Appifany, we hear hundreds if not thousands of startup ideas each year, and all of the most common startup mistakes that come along with them. Unlike other app development companies, we really take the time to investigate whether a startup idea will work out and how feasible it is.
Often people have great big app ideas but don't have enough finances or funding, the time to commit to the project, and some app ideas may not be feasible for a range of reasons. Even though you may have spent a lot of time coming up with the next big app idea, sometimes founders are too close to the project to see the flaws and know how to fix them.
We want to share our experience with you, so here's a list of the 5 most common startup mistakes.
1. Jumping to Conclusions
You obviously don't need a software or tech background to form an app idea and a startup, that's what you've got Appifany for. However, not having these skills means that you will need outside help and you need to be able to understand your own limitations and be willing to listen to others in areas you might not have much experience.
Another important thing to note, is if the tech side of it all isn't your area of expertise, don't blindly follow everything you read on the internet about what you app will need to be or how it will work. Just like me, the people writing these articles don't know exactly what your app is and all the extra technicalities that will need to go into making it. Yes, we can all give general advice online, but don't necessarily think it will all apply to your app in particular.
At Appifany, we pride ourselves on our good reputation and reliability, however there are a lot of sources on the internet that are less reliable. Until you explain your app idea to an app developer in person, you may not be getting all the correct information you need.
In order to not jump to conclusions about how to develop your app, how it will work, the features it needs, etc, you should validate your idea, build an MVP (minimum viable product), and get as much feedback as you can. Make sure to challenge your assumptions and ideas in order to give your app idea the best possible chance of taking off.
2. Outsourcing App Development
If you've had experience with app developers you probably know how much some companies will overcharge for barely any work or never end up delivering anything at all. And now you probably have the assumption that to develop an app costs a ridiculous and mammoth amount of money. That's just not true. Yes, creating an app can be an expensive task, especially when building a whole business around it too. But you shouldn't be left with no money and a half built app at the end of your relationship with an app developer.
A common reason why this happens is because people try to outsource their own app development. Trying to communicate directly with a developer can be very tricky, especially if you don't have experience on that side of things, which is how they can drain you of your money and you never receive a completed app you're happy with. Your best bet is to approach local app development in Australia, rather than trying to outsource and contact developers directly yourself. We have the knowledge, experience and relationships to get your project done better and faster than you may be able to on your own.
At Appifany we pride ourselves on building businesses, not just apps. We care about your livelihood and the ideas you're trying to transform into reality. We are here to help you, not charge you a flight to the moon and back, and give you an end product you're delighted with.
Another useful article we recently wrote that will give you a bit more information on this topic is our Appifany Guide: Hiring App Developers. Give it a read if you'd like to learn more on app developers.
3. Being inflexible
As I noted earlier in the article, if the tech and software side of things isn't where you have experience or knowledge, then know your limitations and be willing to accept help from others that don't possess those same limitations. You might think you want a simple button and that's it, whereas someone who's built other apps will know that to create that certain button includes five other things to make it work. There are so many minute technicalities that go into building an app, that you need to be flexible when it comes to making little changes in order for the software to work as seamlessly as it should.
This common startup mistake applies to not only the tech side of building an app, but to the rest of building a business too. Forming any kind of business requires moving with change and sometimes following the direction the market is naturally taking your product. Great, long-lasting businesses are adaptive and flexible so keep this in mind when building yours.
4. Rushing the Timeline
Yes, we know this is exciting and you want it to all happen as soon as possible. Unfortunately, like anything that involves lots of coding, it takes time. That's not to say it should take years to build or that you should be chasing developers up about when the project will be finishing. It means that although you might be extremely eager to get this app out into the world, be a little patient with all that goes into making that happen.
In the phase of your app being built, you also have a lot of other things to think about post the creation of your app. Trust me, once the app development begins you'll feel like you won't have enough time to get all the other business things done before the app is set to be complete. You should thinking about how you'll be launching the app, releasing it to the market, marketing and sales, etc, etc, etc, There's really a lot to think about, particularly if along with this app you're starting a whole new business. At Appifany, we can help you with a lot of those things as we look beyond just building an app for you, but also want to see it succeed as a business.
For a little more information on this topic, read our previous article on How Long Should My App Take to Build?
5. Not Building the Business
Yes, your app is the focus but don't forget that you need a business along with it too. This is a big journey you're about to embark on and the app is just one part. This is a common startup mistake when building an app, both on the creator's part and app development companies.
Unlike us here at Appifany, app development companies generally just build your app and then wave goodbye. They aren't there to help you wiht the rest of it, leaving their clients with an app but no idea what to do with it or how to grow the rest of the business around it. At Appifany, we care about making you the best app we can and helping you grow your business around it. What's the point of us as a company building an app that may never get seen because we didn't care to help you with the business side of things too. Think about building your business as well as just the app and you'll be setting yourself up for success. And if you need a hand with any of it, give us a call on 1300 ANY APP (1300 269 277).
There you have it, the five most common startup mistakes and how to avoid them. Another important thing to watch as a startup is how much cash you're spending, so check out our article on How To Watch Your Burn Rate as a Startup for some more tips.