Running a Mobile App Dev Business: The Complete Guide from Udemy

The mobile app development industry is growing at a blazing 43% per year and shows no signs of slowing down. This represents a huge opportunity for you - bigger than it's ever been before. Whether you want to code or not, you can capitalize on the over 16 billion dollars of money spent per year on mobile app development services. Part-time or full-time, you can build an awesome portfolio and an even better income taking on mobile app development projects.

Over the last four years I've personally overseen the launch of over 100 apps from concept to deployment. I've grown my business from one small client to over 100. Today, we make apps for big name brands such as Walmart, GNC, Dick's Sporting Goods, and other Fortune 500 companies.

I created this course to teach you how you can hit the ground running by starting a mobile app development business - no coding necessary. I see a lot of people floundering to start or grow their mobile businesses because they don't have the mentorship or the guidance to do it right. This course is my answer for all of you who have reached out for help. I've piled everything I know and everything that has made my business successful into this course. I'm going to show you how to jumpstart your business, grow it quickly, and manage your business like a professional - all from the comfort of your laptop.

What's inside

Syllabus

Introduction (26 minutes)

Course Overview

Join our community on Slack!

7 reasons to start a mobile app development business

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Offers strategies for email outreach, adjacent service offerings, and discount programs, which can help new businesses acquire clients

Provides insights into managing clients, including setting expectations, communicating effectively, and understanding client budgets, which are crucial for long-term success

Explores the startup timeline, iOS versus Android, native versus hybrid approaches, and build versus contract decisions, which are essential for making informed choices

Covers best practices such as under-promising and over-delivering, agile methodologies, and pricing strategies, which can help businesses avoid common pitfalls

Recommends using Elance, Upwork, and Freelancer, which may not reflect the current landscape of available platforms for finding subcontractors

Includes templates for NDAs and development contracts, which can save time and money for startups that may not have legal resources

Reviews summary

Build a mobile app dev business

According to learners, this course provides a practical guide and solid framework for starting and running a mobile app development business, particularly useful for those with little to no prior business experience. Students frequently highlight the real-world strategies and valuable documents provided, like contract templates, as highly beneficial. While many appreciate the step-by-step approach and find it motivating, some reviewers note that certain strategies may feel outdated or require adaptation, and the depth on specific business nuances could be expanded. Overall, it's considered a strong foundation, especially for non-programmers entering the service industry.

Guidance on outsourcing development work.

"The sections on finding and vetting subcontractors on platforms like Upwork were helpful."

"Finding good, reliable developers was presented as easier than it actually is in practice."

"The tips for working with remote teams and managing outsourced projects are valuable."

"I appreciate the advice on building long-term relationships with partners."

Strategies for finding and securing clients are covered.

"The course gives several actionable strategies for finding your first clients."

"Some of the client outreach methods seem a bit aggressive or potentially outdated in today's market."

"I found the different strategies for landing clients to be creative and potentially effective."

"While some strategies were useful, others felt less relevant to my specific niche or location."

Templates like contracts and NDAs are provided.

"The provided contract template and NDA alone are worth the price of the course."

"Having access to these documents saved me a lot of time and potential legal fees."

"The free resources and templates are incredibly useful for getting started quickly."

"I really appreciate the ready-to-use legal documents; they give me confidence when dealing with clients."

Focuses on the 'how' of running the business.

"This course doesn't teach you coding, it teaches you the business side, which is exactly what I needed."

"The step-by-step approach to setting up the business structure and finding clients is incredibly practical."

"It provided me with a clear roadmap on how to actually start generating income, not just build apps."

"I learned how to use practical tools and strategies that I could apply immediately to my work."

Some content may need updating or lacks depth.

"Parts of the course feel a bit dated, especially regarding specific platforms or pricing models."

"Could use more in-depth coverage on complex topics like scaling or financial management."

"While a good intro, it doesn't delve deep enough into the potential legal complexities of running this type of business."

"I felt some parts could be expanded upon to give a more comprehensive view of the challenges."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Running a Mobile App Dev Business: The Complete Guide with these activities:

Review Mobile App Development Fundamentals

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Reviewing mobile app development fundamentals will help you better understand the technical aspects discussed in the course, even if you're not a coder. This will allow you to communicate more effectively with subcontractors and clients.

Browse courses on Mobile App Development

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Research the different mobile platforms (iOS, Android).
Learn about native vs. hybrid app development.
Understand the basics of UI/UX design for mobile apps.

Read 'The Lean Startup'

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Reading 'The Lean Startup' will provide a solid foundation for building a successful and sustainable mobile app development business by emphasizing validated learning and customer feedback.

View The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use... on Amazon

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Obtain a copy of 'The Lean Startup'.
Read the book and take notes on key concepts.
Reflect on how these concepts apply to your mobile app development business.

Create a Sample Proposal

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Creating a sample proposal will allow you to practice the techniques taught in the course and refine your ability to estimate costs and present your services effectively to potential clients.

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Identify a hypothetical client and their needs.
Research the costs associated with developing the app.
Write a detailed proposal outlining the project scope, timeline, and cost.

Four other activities

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Build a Basic Website

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Building a basic website will give you hands-on experience with setting up your online presence, as discussed in the course. This will allow you to showcase your services and attract potential clients.

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Choose a domain name and hosting provider.
Select a website template or theme.
Customize the website with your company information and portfolio.
Publish the website online.

Attend Local Tech Meetups

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Attending local tech meetups will allow you to network with other professionals in the industry, learn about new technologies, and potentially find subcontractors or clients.

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Search for tech meetups in your area.
Attend the meetups and introduce yourself to other attendees.
Exchange contact information and follow up with interesting connections.

Read 'Never Split the Difference'

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Reading 'Never Split the Difference' will improve your negotiation skills, which are crucial for managing clients and subcontractors effectively.

View Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If... on Amazon

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Obtain a copy of 'Never Split the Difference'.
Read the book and take notes on key negotiation techniques.
Practice applying these techniques in real-world scenarios.

Create a Client Onboarding Document

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Creating a client onboarding document will help you streamline the process of bringing on new clients and ensure that they have a clear understanding of your services and expectations.

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Outline the key information that new clients need to know.
Create a document template that can be customized for each client.
Include information about your services, pricing, and communication protocols.

Career center

Learners who complete Running a Mobile App Dev Business: The Complete Guide will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Mobile Application Entrepreneur

A mobile application entrepreneur creates and launches their own mobile app startup. This involves identifying a market need, developing an app concept, and managing the entire development and marketing process. The course is perfectly suited for entrepreneurs looking to start a mobile app development business. It details how to jumpstart a business, grow it quickly, and manage it like a professional. It can help entrepreneurs with growing a portfolio and getting clients, which are essential to the success of a business.

See salaries and explore the career path for Mobile Application Entrepreneur

Mobile Application Project Manager

A mobile application project manager oversees the planning, execution, and delivery of mobile app development projects. This role requires strong organizational and communication skills to coordinate developers, designers, and clients, ensuring projects are completed on time and within budget. This course provides valuable insights into managing mobile app projects from inception to deployment and guides one towards building proposals and managing clients. The course can help a project manager understand timelines as well as how to manage the relationship with the client.

See salaries and explore the career path for Mobile Application Project Manager

IT Project Manager

An IT project manager plans, organizes, and oversees the completion of specific IT projects ensuring they are completed on time, within budget, and to the required standards. This is similar to the mobile application project manager role. This individual can also use this course to build relationships with clients and manage relationships with subcontractors. This course can help those who wish to transition into a mobile application project manager role.

See salaries and explore the career path for IT Project Manager

Business Development Manager

A business development manager identifies and pursues new business opportunities for a mobile app development company. This includes market research, lead generation, and building relationships with potential clients. The course can help a business development manager understand how to find clients and build a portfolio. This role also would incorporate building relationships with clients and generating leads. The strategies on email scraping, offering adjacent services, and using affiliations are particularly helpful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Development Manager

Mobile App Consultant

A mobile app consultant advises businesses on the best mobile strategies and solutions to meet their needs. This includes assessing business requirements, recommending app features, and overseeing the development process. This course may be helpful to consultants who wish to offer advice on mobile app development, how to find subcontractors, and ways to build a portfolio. The course provides an overview of the mobile app landscape and helps a consultant understand the factors that contribute to a successful mobile app development business.

See salaries and explore the career path for Mobile App Consultant

Freelance Mobile App Developer

A freelance mobile app developer works on mobile app projects for various clients on a contract basis. This role requires technical skills in mobile app development as well as business acumen to manage projects and clients. This course may be useful for freelance developers who wish to improve their business skills. It offers instruction in building proposals, managing clients, and best practices. Moreover, the course includes a discussion on finding subcontractors and negotiating with clients.

See salaries and explore the career path for Freelance Mobile App Developer

Software Development Manager

A software development manager leads a team of software developers in creating mobile and other applications. They are responsible for project planning, resource allocation, and ensuring the quality of the software. This course provides insights into the mobile app development process, including team management best practices and client relations. The software development manager may find the material on internal management and workflow to be quite helpful when organizing the team. The manager may find that the course's advice on best practices is particularly helpful in improving team efficiency.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Development Manager

Technology Sales

Technology sales professionals focus on selling software development services to clients. They need to understand the technology and business aspects of mobile app development. This course helps sales professionals understand costs, construct proposals, and successfully manage clients. A technology sales professional can use the material in the course to help build their understanding of the sales process. The professional can improve their ability to explain the details to clients by leveraging the knowledge gained.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technology Sales

Digital Strategist

Digital strategists help businesses use digital technologies to achieve their goals. They may formulate marketing campaigns. The digital strategist can leverage this course to build mobile apps for clients. This course can help them discover new strategies to help a business achieve its goals and to advise their clients appropriately.

See salaries and explore the career path for Digital Strategist

Information Technology Consultant

An information technology consultant provides expert advice and guidance to businesses on how to effectively use technology to achieve their goals. This includes assessing their current technology infrastructure, identifying areas for improvement, and recommending and implementing solutions. The course's focus on the mobile app development industry and ways to find clients and build portfolios may be useful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Technology Consultant

Software Engineer

Software engineers design, develop, test, and maintain software applications. They apply principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis to create solutions for various needs. The course's focus on the mobile app development industry and ways to find clients and build portfolios may be useful. This would be most helpful for Software Engineers interested in freelancing opportunities.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

Chief Technical Officer

A chief technical officer oversees all technical aspects of a company, including mobile app development. This role requires a strong understanding of technology, business strategy, and team management. This course provides insight into the mobile app development business, client management, internal management, and best practices. The course's discussion of best practices is helpful in improving the company's competitive advantage.

See salaries and explore the career path for Chief Technical Officer

Digital Marketing Manager

A digital marketing manager develops and implements digital marketing strategies to promote mobile apps and attract users. This includes app store optimization, social media marketing, and paid advertising. This course features numerous business strategies for finding clients and constructing business relationships. The strategies related to portfolio building, sales, and client management can be very helpful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Digital Marketing Manager

Product Manager

A product manager is responsible for the strategy, roadmap, and feature definition of a mobile app. This requires a deep understanding of user needs, market trends, and technical feasibility. This course may be useful for product managers who work with organizations that have mobile app development divisions. The frameworks for client management, product development, and navigating the market are all present in this course.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager

Application Architect

The application architect designs the structure of applications. The architect must select appropriate architectural patterns, frameworks, and technologies. This course may be useful for learning the fundamentals of creating proposals for clients. Additionally, they can learn about the process of mobile application development. The application architect must possess strong abstract reasoning abilities.

See salaries and explore the career path for Application Architect

Running a Mobile App Dev Business

The Complete Guide

What's inside

Syllabus

Traffic lights

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Reviews summary

Build a mobile app dev business

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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