Indie App Devs #19
Weekly tips for indie app developers.
Hello! 👋
Today we have Andrei Ilnitskii.
He’s building a solo iOS business and helping indie developers grow apps that fund their freedom through his IndieUp.me Space Skool community for just $1 a month!
Let’s dive in!
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The Indie Path: My 5-Layer Framework
“Apple is cracking down on AI-generated apps” “ASO is dead” “How do I validate an idea?” “How much of a runway do I need to go indie?” - fears, fears, and more fears.
The other day, a chart went viral on Twitter showing a massive surge of new apps in the App Store, all thanks to AI assistants. The flood of junk is rising, and so is the frustration for those just starting out.
People ask me about these things all the time while watching my journey. And even though I have less coding experience than many “Seniors,” these topics never felt like a real barrier for me.
Here is why.
My Background: SaaS in the Intercom Era
To understand where my ideas come from, you should know that I’ve been an entrepreneur my entire life. In my third year of university, I simply dropped out and started my own business.
In the early 2000s, I ran a service company for building intercom systems. Back then, I implemented a monthly subscription model - what’s now trendy to call SaaS, but in an offline format. It took me two years to see any real money.
No one believed in me; people thought the idea was bullshit and that “no one would pay for this every month.” A few years later, I had about 10,000 paying subscribers.
After that, I had a trading business, a napkin manufacturing plant, and since 2014, I’ve been running a medical clinic with about 30 doctors.
This is the baggage I brought with me into indie development.
My approach is built on a 5-layer structure and the principle of deep focus. People don’t usually talk about these things; they aren’t “trendy,” and they don’t promise a Lamborghini in a week. But I believe that without them, building a sustainable product becomes a matter of luck.
Layer 1: MINDSET
The biggest problem right now is social media. It clouds people’s minds so much that without a solid entrepreneurial background, it’s impossible to spot the trap.
The indie path is 100% the path of an individual entrepreneur. Coding skills are far from being the most important factor here.
Most people’s attention is glued to a small handful of developers on Twitter who pump out products one after another, and every single one “takes off like a rocket.” Naturally, everyone wants to replicate that.
But here’s the catch: their products take off because they have tens or hundreds of thousands of followers, not because they’ve built something truly great. All they have to do is lift a finger, and they get 10,000 likes and a flood of reposts.
Being a talented influencer and being a product creator are two very different things. Trying to copy that path rarely works.
As Oleg Tinkov once said: “You can’t become an entrepreneur; you have to be born one.”
Before looking at the “stars,” ask yourself these questions, not Google:
Am I comfortable with all the bullshit that lies ahead?
Am I ready for total responsibility for every single micro-step?
In a corporation, you can delegate. In the indie world, everything is on you.
If you find yourself constantly stuck on questions like “where do I get an idea” or “how do I validate it,” this path might not be the right fit - and that’s okay.
I never had those questions. I had an idea and a desperate hunger to make it happen- and when you have that, the means and methods find you.
For me, it all comes down to a strong desire for freedom and belief in what I’m doing. Everything else feels secondary.
As Richard Branson said: “Screw it, let’s do it!”
Layer 2: BUILD
Where do ideas come from?
I believe the strongest path for an indie developer is to build from their own competence.
Pick any niche, look at the top apps - there is money everywhere. If you don’t have a wild imagination for something “space-age,” just look at what you are already a pro at.
The world doesn’t need novelty for the sake of novelty. It needs tools from those who have walked the path themselves and know the audience’s pain points from the inside.
Real-life examples that inspire me:
Jiro Ono (Jiro Dreams of Sushi): A man who has been making sushi for 70 years. To get a seat at his bar, people wait in line for 3 months. He didn’t “validate the niche” on Twitter - he became a master. And his product (sushi) is the physical manifestation of that mastery.
Alexander Bebris: An English teacher with 3 million YouTube subscribers. His app, English Galaxy, isn’t just code; it’s his methodology, proven on millions of students. He is a master of teaching, and the app is simply a convenient way to scale that skill.
Max Trukhanavets: A calisthenics legend (700k on Instagram). He is a developer himself and created True Trainer. This app works because his personal experience in body mastery stands behind every single button.
Yes, these are “extreme” examples that take a long time to reach. But is it any easier to break through on Twitter by pumping out empty, one-day apps? Hardly.
A deep product, however, provides a foundation.
My algorithm for choosing an idea:
What do you love in life? What would you want to do for the rest of your life without regretting the years spent?
What do you already know? What is your skill - running, making desserts, fishing, playing the piano, etc.?
Narrow your focus: Once you’ve picked a niche, narrow your idea down to a specific audience.
Choose your stack: Select the technologies you will use to build the app.
My technical filter:
To avoid getting bogged down in operations and risks, I’ve developed my own rules for building a product:
Only native Apple frameworks: This means stability and predictability.
No high risk: I avoid niches with heavy legal or government regulation.
Simple interface: This is better for me as the creator and better for the user. Less noise - more value.
Independence: I avoid ideas where I am strictly tied to a third-party API. If a third-party service crashes or hikes its prices, my business must not collapse.
Layer 3: GROW
When your app is an organic extension of your life, you don’t need to put on a show or follow cringe trends.
In my view, organic growth is about documenting reality. You share cases, mistakes, and real-life situations without a teleprompter or studio lighting.
If you are an expert in your niche, people won’t doubt that your product is solid. You simply show how you live and how your tool helps you in that life. This is the most honest and cost-effective way to market.
People don’t buy features – they buy trust in an author who is actually “in the game.”
Layer 4: EARN
It’s simple: there is nothing new in this world and there never will be. The formula is the same - either you create real value, or you try to cheat the system.
I recently saw a post by a popular developer claiming: “One-time sales bring in the most revenue.” He presented it as an insight, but in reality, he admitted his product is “scammy.” He wants to grab the money now because he knows there won’t be a second chance tomorrow - the user won’t come back.
No one will ever be truly wealthy by thinking only about fast cash. C’est la vie.
This article isn’t about “piles of money”; it’s about being wealthy in every sense without losing yourself.
Jobs walked around barefoot and built a product, not a revenue chart.
If an activity generates value, a financial result is inevitable.
Layer 5: BALANCE
Where to find the strength for this marathon?
Recently, an influencer with a hundred thousand followers boldly claimed: “Yeah, I drink wine, I do whatever I want, and I don’t care - I’m still successful.” That is self-deception.
Balance exists in this world, and it is the same for everyone; it doesn’t depend on how many likes you have.
If you want a healthy brain - develop it. If you want a healthy body - eat right and train. If you want an app that people will love - pour your entire self into it.
I have big ambitions, and I have made my choice. This isn’t about forcing myself; it’s a conscious investment in the “hardware” (myself).
My rules are simple:
A healthy diet: No fast food, no food fried in oil, no dairy, and no heavy meat. My medical background confirms it - this works.
Movement: A minimum of 10 km (about 6.2 miles) of running or walking every day.
Yoga: 30–60 minutes daily.
Zero alcohol.
It’s incredibly hard to build something sustainable and clear-headed when your brain is foggy and your body is struggling.
There is no need to romanticize the “struggling artist” or “burnt-out founder” trope. The path of clarity and discipline I’m writing about is simply more effective for the long run.
The Bottom Line
Balance in all five layers and focus. Don’t scatter yourself across hundreds of hollow ideas. Become a master, like Jiro, Bebris, or Trukhanavets, and let your app become a natural extension of your mastery.
Want to learn more? 👇
Follow him on X/Twitter & LinkedIn and join his community!