A fortuitous decade as an indie software developer

Jeff Johnson reflects on his unpredictable decade as an indie software developer, a journey that began with an impulsive career change and navigated through financial hardship before an unexpected technological shift brought sustained success. He details the emotional and financial tolls, along with the specific events that shaped his unlikely path.

• Johnson abruptly quit his job in August 2016, embarking on an indie developer career without a solidified plan.
• For five years, he struggled financially, exhausting his savings and facing demoralizing job interview rejections due to being a middle-aged developer without a CS degree and with 'outmoded skills' like native Mac app development.
• His first app, Underpass, a peer-to-peer encrypted chat, was a commercial failure with less than $3000 in lifetime revenue, despite personal utility.
• Johnson initially distributed via the App Store out of necessity for iOS and a lack of confidence that his business would succeed, seeing it as a resume builder.
• His second app, StopTheMadness, a Safari extension, launched in 2018 and gained some traction but wasn't enough to cover living expenses.
• The release of iOS 15 in September 2021, enabling web browser extensions for mobile Safari, acted as a 'deus ex machina,' transforming StopTheMadness into a viable and highly profitable business.
• StopTheMadness, in its various forms, now accounts for over 93% of his lifetime App Store proceeds, making him a self-described 'one-hit wonder.'
• He adopts a flexible, 'surfer' approach to his business, riding waves of opportunity rather than relying on rigid long-term plans.

Johnson's candid retrospective provides a valuable, unvarnished look into the often-romanticized world of indie development, underscoring that while passion is crucial, resilience, adaptability, and a timely stroke of luck can be equally vital for survival and success.