Rapid App Launches

I led the team to launch four successful apps, including RWND, which gained instant traction in Asia. Our rapid development process, focused on weekly releases, stabilized the app and drove user engagement. RWND’s popularity was so strong that Facebook copied our core feature and logo with Boomerang.

Project URL: https://rwndapp.com/
Client: Startup Team

Building a Viral Social Media App

In early 2014, before TikTok was even an idea, I joined a startup team with a mission: to build the next viral social media app. Our CEO had a vision for an app centered around real-time live video and an enhanced social media experience. The challenge? The app was big, complex, and full of bugs.

We met at SXSW, and I knew I could help turn things around.

Rapid Development and Market Fit

The goal was clear: find market fit fast. Within months, we launched four distinct applications, each gaining traction and users. One of these, RWND, was so addictive that Facebook later copied our core feature and even adopted a similar logo.

The RWND app was beautiful, clean, and before its time! The app we built (in a month) provided a fun looping effect, so a 4 second video felt perpetual. We believed tracking “loops” would give us an indication about what was attractive to users. We were right! This app had a social media element with followers, likes, and viral indexing. This short video above showcases the user experience.

Building a High-Performance Tech Team

In April 2014, I met three key team members: a designer in tune with next-gen pop culture, a backend developer who could build robust frameworks quickly, and a frontend developer skilled in navigating Apple’s iOS ecosystem. Despite a massive backlog, I immediately focused on cutting any features that didn’t align with our core value proposition.

Within a week, we stabilized the app, and users loved it.

Creating a Process for Fast Results

Stability was just the beginning. We needed to deliver results quickly, so we adopted a “ship on Friday” mantra. Every week, we shipped something new to production. This approach kept us competitive and on track.

One of our standout projects was a Cricket tournament time tracker that helped fans worldwide find games in their time zones. But our biggest success was RWND, an app that gained instant traction in Asia.

The Rise of RWND and Lessons Learned

At the time, TikTok’s precursor, Musically, was just launching. Our team’s idea to create short, viral videos with fun filters was groundbreaking. Facebook’s release of Boomerang, which mimicked our feature, was a testament to our innovation.

Facebook copied RWND — The viral app was a hit in Asia, and we knew that was a good signal, so did Facebook

But my story isn’t about missed investment opportunities. It’s about leading a tech team to achieve exponential creativity and output in just a few months. It’s about delivering results, even in the face of competition.

PS: The mobile app developer that turned a set of mockups into a native iOS application on a new language (Swift) in 3 weeks is still working with me today. That’s the kinds of relationships I like to develop in tech. We’re in this together!