How One Validated App Idea Turned Into a $70K/Month App

Most founders quit after their first failed product. Vadim failed three apps before finally building one that worked.Vadim is the founder of KBMH, a kettlebell workouts app that grew from a simple MVP built for himself into a fast-growing fitness app generating $80K+ per month.After years of failed ideas, bad product decisions, and zero traction, everything changed when Vadim focused on validating ideas faster, testing onboarding and monetization aggressively, and building a personal brand that now reaches 400K+ followers on social media.In this episode, Vadim shares the real story behind the growth of KBMH, from launching fast with landing pages to running nonstop monetization experiments and even how a mistake in his cancellation flow generated a $40K revenue spike.If you're building an app, validating a new idea, or trying to scale revenue, this conversation is packed with real lessons from the trenches.You will discover:✅ The landing page strategy he uses to validate app ideas before building✅ Onboarding and monetization experiments that drove 15% trial-to-paid conversion✅ The accidental $40K revenue spike caused by a cancellation flow mistake✅ Why simple ad creatives outperform polished adsLearn More:Explore the KBMH Apphttps://kbmh.app Follow Vadim on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/vadim.kettlebell/You can also watch this video here: https://youtube.com/live/eZGIcL-IvWY*********************************************SPONSORSStill designing, resizing, and uploading screenshots manually? AppScreens lets you pick from hundreds of high-converting templates, generate for every device size and language in minutes, and upload automatically to directly to App Store Connect and Google Play Console. Trusted by more than 100K developers and ASO experts worldwide.Try it free: https://appscreens.com/?via=am*********************************************Want to know what ads your competitors are running right now?SocialPeta gives you access to real ad creatives and market insights across apps, games, and emerging content formats, so you can stay ahead without endless trial and error.Check it out at https://www.socialpeta.com/*********************************************Ready to take action? Start exploring AppsFlyer's deep linking suite -  coming soon as a standalone solution, independent of their measurement packages → ⁠https://bit.ly/46O7Wgd*********************************************Follow us:YouTube: ⁠AppMasters.com/YouTube⁠Instagram: ⁠@App MastersTwitter: ⁠@App MastersTikTok: ⁠@stevepyoung⁠Facebook: ⁠App Masters⁠*********************************************

App Store Connect shows a lot of data, but it’s not always easy to understand.In this video, Steve P. Young demos AppSignals, a new app analytics dashboard built specifically for indie app developers and small app teams.AppSignals simplifies your App Store analytics and shows the most important app growth metrics in one clear dashboard.Instead of digging through complicated reports, you can instantly see some important app metrics. If you're building or scaling an app and want a clear view of your installs, conversions, and revenue, this tool is designed to make app analytics much easier.Try it here 👇🏻Use code EARLYBIRD to unlock the Lifetime Growth Plan for just $49 (normally $199), perfect if you want early access and to share feedback:⁠https://appsignals.io?utm_source=podcastYou can also watch this video here: https://youtu.be/9IkraI0u4hE*********************************************SPONSORSStill designing, resizing, and uploading screenshots manually? AppScreens lets you pick from hundreds of high-converting templates, generate for every device size and language in minutes, and upload automatically to directly to App Store Connect and Google Play Console. Trusted by more than 100K developers and ASO experts worldwide.Try it free: https://appscreens.com/?via=am*********************************************Thinking about your next great app? This is the best time to make it! Contact Chaim at b7dev.com and get your idea started! Delivery times are super short; you'll be surprised by the cost to develop! B7dev.com*********************************************Ready to take action? Start exploring AppsFlyer's deep linking suite -  coming soon as a standalone solution, independent of their measurement packages → ⁠https://bit.ly/46O7Wgd*********************************************Follow us:YouTube: ⁠AppMasters.com/YouTube⁠Instagram: ⁠@App MastersTwitter: ⁠@App MastersTikTok: ⁠@stevepyoung⁠Facebook: ⁠App Masters⁠*********************************************

In this episode, we break down the 2026 State of Subscription Apps report from RevenueCat, one of the largest analyses of subscription app performance ever conducted.We’re joined by David Barnard, Growth Advocate at RevenueCat, to unpack the key insights from the report.The study analyzes 75,000+ apps and more than $11B in revenue across over a billion transactions, revealing what’s actually working in today’s subscription economy.One of the most surprising findings: apps launched before 2020 still generate nearly 70% of all subscription revenue, even though thousands of new apps are launched every month.If you’re building or growing a subscription app, these benchmarks will help you understand where you stand and which levers can truly move revenue. You will discover:✅ Why the top 25% of apps grew 80%+ while the bottom quartile shrank✅ Why hard paywalls convert 5× better than freemium✅ The surprising truth about AI apps: higher revenue but worse retention✅ The growing importance of web-to-app funnels and web revenue✅ Benchmark metrics like conversion rates, RPI, and retentionLearn More:Connect with David:https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbarnard/State of Subscription Apps 2026:https://www.revenuecat.com/state-of-subscription-apps/?utm_source=appmasters&utm_medium=youtubeYou can also watch this video here: ⁠⁠https://youtube.com/live/8Tk_EHQUeaY*********************************************SPONSORSStill designing, resizing, and uploading screenshots manually? AppScreens lets you pick from hundreds of high-converting templates, generate for every device size and language in minutes, and upload automatically to directly to App Store Connect and Google Play Console. Trusted by more than 100K developers and ASO experts worldwide.Try it free: https://appscreens.com/?via=am*********************************************Got tons of freemium users who won’t upgrade? Encore turns free users into paying customers and reduces churn by adding smart, curated affiliate offers at key user moments. Everyone wins with Encore.Learn more at ⁠https://encorekit.com/*********************************************Ready to take action? Start exploring AppsFlyer's deep linking suite -  coming soon as a standalone solution, independent of their measurement packages → https://bit.ly/46O7Wgd*********************************************Follow us:YouTube: ⁠AppMasters.com/YouTube⁠Instagram: ⁠@App MastersTwitter: ⁠@App MastersTikTok: ⁠@stevepyoung⁠Facebook: ⁠App Masters⁠*********************************************

Most brands are quietly losing revenue because their web-to-app journey is broken.In this video, Steve P. Young (Founder of App Masters) breaks down:✅ Why ecommerce apps convert 3X higher than mobile web✅ How poor deep linking kills installs and revenue✅ Smart banner mistakes even big brands make✅ How Nike and Sephora handle web-to-app differently✅ How to fix your mobile growth funnel todayIf you're a growth marketer, lifecycle marketer, CRM manager, or ecommerce brand, this is one of the simplest levers you can pull to:✅ Increase app installs✅ Improve onboarding conversions✅ Reduce cart abandonment✅ Boost in-app revenue✅ Create seamless deep linking experiencesWe review real examples from Nike and Sephora to show what works, and where even billion-dollar brands leave money on the table.You’ll also learn how smart deep linking solutions (like AppsFlyer’s deep linking platform) can help you combine:✅ Direct app install from smart banners✅ Seamless product-level deep linking✅ Reduced friction from web to app✅ Better attribution and analyticsIf you’re investing in paid traffic, CRM, email, or SMS but ignoring your web-to-app flow, you’re likely losing significant revenue.Fix the funnel. Improve the journey. Increase app revenue.Ready to take action? Start exploring AppsFlyer's deep linking suite - coming soon as a standalone solution, independent of their measurement packages → https://bit.ly/46O7WgdYou can also watch this video here: ⁠⁠https://youtu.be/3PopKGfRj10

In this episode, we are joined by Zakhar Azatian, a bootstrapped technical solo founder based in San Francisco and the creator of BeHard, a gamified accountability app built around lifestyle challenges.He’s a two-time founder with one successful exit and has grown B2C mobile products to over 1 million users, without a big team or massive funding.In this session, Zakhar breaks down how he generates and tests hundreds of ad creatives per month, the gamification mechanics that dramatically increased retention and referrals, and how he treats App Store search like a technical optimization problem, not just marketing.If you're building a consumer app and want practical growth tactics, this episode is packed with real execution frameworks.You will discover:✅ How to generate and test hundreds of ad creatives per month with a tiny team✅ How to treat App Store search like a code optimization problem✅ Paid growth insights from Meta, TikTok & influencer marketing Learn More:Explore Be Hard👉 https://www.behard.co/Connect with Zakhar on LinkedIn👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/zakhar-azatian/You can also watch this video here: https://youtube.com/live/TpH3xu-DjqU*********************************************SPONSORSStill designing, resizing, and uploading screenshots manually? AppScreens lets you pick from hundreds of high-converting templates, generate for every device size and language in minutes, and upload automatically to directly to App Store Connect and Google Play Console. Trusted by more than 100K developers and ASO experts worldwide.Try it free: https://appscreens.com/?via=am*********************************************Thinking about your next great app? This is the best time to make it! Contact Chaim at b7dev.com and get your idea started! Delivery times are super short; you'll be surprised by the cost to develop! B7dev.com*********************************************If you’re advertising your growing mobile app, you need a measurement partner you can actually rely on — and that’s where AppsFlyer comes in.It gives you a clear view of your entire funnel — from the first impression all the way to the install, in-app events, and user LTV. You’ll know what’s driving real results, and what’s just noise.What teams love about it? It’s stable, accurate, and built to handle everything the mobile world throws at you — privacy changes, creative optimization, you name it.And when you need help? Their global support team is there 24/7 — not just to fix things, but to help you grow.If you’re ready to level up your mobile marketing and make smarter decisions, check out AppsFlyer.com *********************************************Follow us:YouTube: ⁠AppMasters.com/YouTube⁠Instagram: ⁠@App MastersTwitter: ⁠@App MastersTikTok: ⁠@stevepyoung⁠Facebook: ⁠App Masters⁠*********************************************

How do you successfully sell your app, prepare for a business exit, or structure a SaaS acquisition deal? In this episode, Steve P. Young, Founder of App Masters, on Exit Podcast by Flippa, shares real-world lessons from building, selling, and nearly exiting multiple app businesses, plus what founders must know before attempting a 7-figure exit.You'll learn:✅ How to sell apps on Flippa✅ Common mistakes founders make during exits✅ When it’s the right time to sell your startup✅ Why distribution matters more than productSteve also explains how he scaled App Masters from a side hustle into a 30+ person global team, and why he shifted from selling businesses to acquiring them.If you’re a startup founder, SaaS operator, app developer, or entrepreneur thinking about selling your company, this episode breaks down the exit process step by step.🚀 #1 Platform to Buy & Sell Online Business:https://referral.flippa.com/j7zo8so2ql98🚀 Join the App Founders Community:www.appfounders.coWork with us to grow your apps faster & cheaper:http://www.appmasters.com/You can also watch this video here: ⁠⁠https://youtu.be/Zh1E8ewIddo*********************************************SPONSORSStill designing, resizing, and uploading screenshots manually? AppScreens lets you pick from hundreds of high-converting templates, generate for every device size and language in minutes, and upload automatically to directly to App Store Connect and Google Play Console. Trusted by more than 100K developers and ASO experts worldwide.Try it free: https://appscreens.com/?via=am*********************************************Got tons of freemium users who won’t upgrade? Encore turns free users into paying customers and reduces churn by adding smart, curated affiliate offers at key user moments. Everyone wins with Encore.Learn more at ⁠https://encorekit.com/*********************************************If you’re advertising your growing mobile app, you need a measurement partner you can actually rely on — and that’s where AppsFlyer comes in.It gives you a clear view of your entire funnel — from the first impression all the way to the install, in-app events, and user LTV. You’ll know what’s driving real results, and what’s just noise.What teams love about it? It’s stable, accurate, and built to handle everything the mobile world throws at you — privacy changes, creative optimization, you name it.And when you need help? Their global support team is there 24/7 — not just to fix things, but to help you grow.If you’re ready to level up your mobile marketing and make smarter decisions, check out AppsFlyer.com *********************************************Follow us:YouTube: ⁠AppMasters.com/YouTube⁠Instagram: ⁠@App MastersTwitter: ⁠@App MastersTikTok: ⁠@stevepyoung⁠Facebook: ⁠App Masters⁠*********************************************

In this solo episode, Steve P. Young, Founder of App Masters, breaks down the newest and most effective app monetization strategies working right now and some key insights he presented at AppsFlyer’s MAMA San Francisco 2026.With competition increasing across the App Store and Google Play, monetization is no longer just about adding a paywall; it’s about designing the right pricing strategy, structuring trials intelligently, and optimizing every step of the user journey.Steve will share real examples from top-grossing apps and explain how leading subscription apps are increasing revenue without increasing downloads.This session is perfect for founders, product managers, and growth teams looking to improve conversions and maximize subscriber lifetime value.You’ll Learn:✅ How top apps structure paywalls to increase conversions✅ The smartest way to use trial-to-discount and paid intro offers✅ How to recover lost revenue with winback and triggered discount strategies✅ Pricing psychology tactics that increase ARPU without hurting conversionLearn More:Subscribe to the newsletter and get free access to the App Growth Playbook:https://appmasters.com/appgrowth-playbook/ You can also watch this video here: https://youtube.com/live/m-1TYFoA2sU*********************************************SPONSORSStill designing, resizing, and uploading screenshots manually? AppScreens lets you pick from hundreds of high-converting templates, generate for every device size and language in minutes, and upload automatically to directly to App Store Connect and Google Play Console. Trusted by more than 100K developers and ASO experts worldwide.Try it free: https://appscreens.com/?via=am*********************************************Thinking about your next great app? This is the best time to make it! Contact Chaim at b7dev.com and get your idea started! Delivery times are super short; you'll be surprised by the cost to develop! B7dev.com*********************************************If you’re advertising your growing mobile app, you need a measurement partner you can actually rely on — and that’s where AppsFlyer comes in.It gives you a clear view of your entire funnel — from the first impression all the way to the install, in-app events, and user LTV. You’ll know what’s driving real results, and what’s just noise.What teams love about it? It’s stable, accurate, and built to handle everything the mobile world throws at you — privacy changes, creative optimization, you name it.And when you need help? Their global support team is there 24/7 — not just to fix things, but to help you grow.If you’re ready to level up your mobile marketing and make smarter decisions, check out AppsFlyer.com *********************************************Follow us:YouTube: ⁠AppMasters.com/YouTube⁠Instagram: ⁠@App MastersTwitter: ⁠@App MastersTikTok: ⁠@stevepyoung⁠Facebook: ⁠App Masters⁠*********************************************

With AI tools making it easier than ever to launch new apps, competition is exploding. The real competitive advantage today isn’t product — it’s distribution.In this video, I break down the single most important factor in app marketing: channel market fit and the 5 distribution channels you should consider to grow your app faster.If you’re struggling to get downloads, this is the uncomfortable truth about app marketing in 2026.You’ll Learn:✅ The #1 mistake founders make in app marketing✅ Why distribution beats product in 2026✅ How to use ASO for organic growth✅ Why Apple Ads is the best starting point✅ The “get the refund” mindset for growth✅ A controversial lifetime free growth hack (that still works)💡 Key Takeaway:App marketing is about finding your distribution channel first.Features are easy.Traffic is hard.Distribution wins.If you're serious about growing your app downloads in 2026, focus on channel market fit before writing another line of code.Want help with your app marketing strategy?👉 Work with us: https://appmasters.com👉 Join our founder community: https://appfounders.coConnect with Ethan Keiser:https://www.instagram.com/itsethankeiser/You can also watch this video here: ⁠⁠https://youtu.be/4ivLHY6PcD0*********************************************SPONSORSStill designing, resizing, and uploading screenshots manually? AppScreens lets you pick from hundreds of high-converting templates, generate for every device size and language in minutes, and upload automatically to directly to App Store Connect and Google Play Console. Trusted by more than 100K developers and ASO experts worldwide.Try it free: https://appscreens.com/?via=am*********************************************Got tons of freemium users who won’t upgrade? Encore turns free users into paying customers and reduces churn by adding smart, curated affiliate offers at key user moments. Everyone wins with Encore.Learn more at ⁠https://encorekit.com/*********************************************If you’re advertising your growing mobile app, you need a measurement partner you can actually rely on — and that’s where AppsFlyer comes in.It gives you a clear view of your entire funnel — from the first impression all the way to the install, in-app events, and user LTV. You’ll know what’s driving real results, and what’s just noise.What teams love about it? It’s stable, accurate, and built to handle everything the mobile world throws at you — privacy changes, creative optimization, you name it.And when you need help? Their global support team is there 24/7 — not just to fix things, but to help you grow.If you’re ready to level up your mobile marketing and make smarter decisions, check out AppsFlyer.com *********************************************Follow us:YouTube: ⁠AppMasters.com/YouTube⁠Instagram: ⁠@App MastersTwitter: ⁠@App MastersTikTok: ⁠@stevepyoung⁠Facebook: ⁠App Masters⁠*********************************************

In this episode, we are again joined by Michael Gants, founder and CEO of Encore, a new SDK helping subscription app developers turn churned users into paying subscribers.Michael is a Stanford grad, a Time Magazine “Leader of Tomorrow”, and a seasoned founder with a passion for building sustainable consumer businesses. Michael breaks down how leading apps use lifecycle experimentation, not just acquisition, but to retain and to winback. We’ll go deep into A/B testing across the user journey, smart winback strategies, and the systems top teams use to improve retention, conversions, and subscriber value without relying on more installs.If you’re building or scaling a subscription app, this session will help you think beyond surface-level experiments and focus on what actually moves revenue.You will discover:✅ What lifecycle experiments every subscription app should be running✅ How to structure A/B tests beyond onboarding and paywalls✅ Proven winback strategies that actually bring subscribers back✅ How smart layers and options increase subscriber conversionLearn More:Explore Encorehttps://encorekit.com/You can also watch this video here: https://youtube.com/live/x-JmAZbnD9M⁠⁠*********************************************SPONSORSStill designing, resizing, and uploading screenshots manually? AppScreens lets you pick from hundreds of high-converting templates, generate for every device size and language in minutes, and upload automatically to directly to App Store Connect and Google Play Console. Trusted by more than 100K developers and ASO experts worldwide.Try it free: https://appscreens.com/?via=am*********************************************Thinking about your next great app? This is the best time to make it! Contact Chaim at b7dev.com and get your idea started! Delivery times are super short; you'll be surprised by the cost to develop! B7dev.com*********************************************If you’re advertising your growing mobile app, you need a measurement partner you can actually rely on — and that’s where AppsFlyer comes in.It gives you a clear view of your entire funnel — from the first impression all the way to the install, in-app events, and user LTV. You’ll know what’s driving real results, and what’s just noise.What teams love about it? It’s stable, accurate, and built to handle everything the mobile world throws at you — privacy changes, creative optimization, you name it.And when you need help? Their global support team is there 24/7 — not just to fix things, but to help you grow.If you’re ready to level up your mobile marketing and make smarter decisions, check out AppsFlyer.com *********************************************Follow us:YouTube: ⁠AppMasters.com/YouTube⁠Instagram: ⁠@App MastersTwitter: ⁠@App MastersTikTok: ⁠@stevepyoung⁠Facebook: ⁠App Masters⁠*********************************************

Want to increase your organic downloads without spending money on ads? In this video, I break down our proven app store optimization (ASO) framework for 2026. Whether you are an indie developer or managing a big brand, these strategies will help you rank higher on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.We cover the exact steps we use at App Masters to help clients find success, from keyword research to conversion rate optimization.In this ASO tutorial, you will learn:✅ The most important ASO ranking factors in 2026✅ How to find low-competition keywords that still drive revenue✅ The do's and dont's of selecting keywords✅ Some Real Case Studies:- $1,600 in revenue in the first 22 days from organic search- $3,000/month purely from long-tail ASO strategy- 90+ #1 keyword rankings using low-traffic terms🔗 Resources:✅ ASO Mobile (keyword research tool): http://bit.ly/49y6rEP✅ Work with us: https://appmasters.com✅ Join our App Founders community: https://appfounders.coJoin us LIVE on YouTube every Friday at 9am PST!You can also watch this video here: https://youtu.be/ytAKZDh5eHU⁠⁠*********************************************SPONSORSStill designing, resizing, and uploading screenshots manually? AppScreens lets you pick from hundreds of high-converting templates, generate for every device size and language in minutes, and upload automatically to directly to App Store Connect and Google Play Console. Trusted by more than 100K developers and ASO experts worldwide.Try it free: https://appscreens.com/?via=am*********************************************Got tons of freemium users who won’t upgrade? Encore turns free users into paying customers and reduces churn by adding smart, curated affiliate offers at key user moments. Everyone wins with Encore.Learn more at ⁠https://encorekit.com/*********************************************If you’re advertising your growing mobile app, you need a measurement partner you can actually rely on — and that’s where AppsFlyer comes in.It gives you a clear view of your entire funnel — from the first impression all the way to the install, in-app events, and user LTV. You’ll know what’s driving real results, and what’s just noise.What teams love about it? It’s stable, accurate, and built to handle everything the mobile world throws at you — privacy changes, creative optimization, you name it.And when you need help? Their global support team is there 24/7 — not just to fix things, but to help you grow.If you’re ready to level up your mobile marketing and make smarter decisions, check out AppsFlyer.com *********************************************Follow us:YouTube: ⁠AppMasters.com/YouTube⁠Instagram: ⁠@App MastersTwitter: ⁠@App MastersTikTok: ⁠@stevepyoung⁠Facebook: ⁠App Masters⁠*********************************************