Weekly Update 🎉: A Pivotal Shift in How We Work
TL;DR:
- Reorganized the dev team: one senior engineer now owns front and back end
- Brought on a strategic engineering lead to ensure quality and vision alignment
- App is feeling more cohesive and stable with multiple fixes shipped
- Waitlist is now unified: ~260 people and aiming for 300+ by launch
- Pushing hard to start user testing as early as this week
Hi Everyone,
Quick update today, but a meaningful one. We’ve made real progress and I’m excited to share where things stand.
Development Update
After missing our original launch date, we regrouped and made a key change: instead of splitting responsibilities across two people, we now have a single senior developer owning both front and back end. That split had been creating disconnects and slowing us down. Now, with one person accountable for every bug and improvement, the app is progressing more smoothly and consistently.
We also brought in a strategic engineering leader to help oversee the project, keep us aligned to the original vision, and ensure we’re building something that meets the quality bar we set out to hit.
Since making those changes, the team has pushed multiple updates and the app is starting to feel more connected and aligned with the experience I originally envisioned. There’s still work ahead before we’re ready for user testing or launch, but this past week was a turning point in how we’re working together to get there.
Growth Update
Some of you pointed out confusion about the waitlist. Technically, I’ve been tracking two lists:
- The public waitlist: people who signed up to be notified when the app launches (currently at 130).
- This email list: all of you reading this (also around 130).
Since 70%-80% of you are opening these emails every week, I’m going to start treating both lists as one. That puts our collective waitlist at just under 260 people, and we’re aiming to hit 300+ by launch. Our bigger goal is 1,000 downloads in the first three months, and this early community is a critical part of making that happen.
Focus This Week
We’re focused on getting as many bugs and improvements handled as possible. Our aggressive goal is to be ready for user testing by Friday, but since every fix tends to reveal new issues, I’m realistically aiming for next week. I can’t wait to hear what some of you think once you get your hands on it.
Looking Ahead
This past week reminded me that building a business isn’t supposed to be smooth sailing. Delays and stress are part of the deal. The important thing is to stay focused on the outcome and keep momentum going, even when it’s hard.
I’ve been impressed with how the team responded to the last few setbacks and excited about the rhythm we’re finding now. This is my first time building an app from scratch, and it continues to be one of the most valuable learning experiences of my career.
With each piece that comes together, I get more optimistic about the impact Nabb can have, both at launch and in the months to follow as more people come on board.
Thanks for being here and cheering us on.
Pat