You build something. You show it to a few people. One of those people shares it, and suddenly your small prototype is everywhere.
That is what happened to me earlier this week, and I was not ready.
The Build
I had been working on a side project: the weightlifting tracker I always wished existed. After trying many lifting apps over the years, I knew exactly where they fell short. So I built my own using Rails and SwiftUI.
Once I had something working, I recorded a quick progress video using the Xcode Simulator, posted it in a few places online, and went to bed.
You can see the original post and video here: https://www.threads.com/@jesse_waites/post/DWxhkgugR7O/
The Morning After
I woke up to my phone nonstop buzzing.
The post had been reshared by a few accounts with large followings, and feedback was starting to roll in. By noon, the official Microsoft Developer account was leaving positive comments about the UI. That was the moment it really sank in. Something I built for myself was resonating with a lot of people!
What I’d Do Differently
Because I originally built the app just for myself, I did not spend much time on a landing page. Since I use Rails, it would have been trivial to add an email signup form and capture interest while the momentum was building.
I did gain a lot of followers from the experience, so the attention was not completely lost. Still, I could have done a much better job collecting emails for launch day.
I added an email signup shortly after. You can see it now on the app homepage: https://wghtlft.com/
The Silver Linings
Going viral with a prototype is chaotic, but it is also an incredible signal. Thousands of people reacted positively and offered thoughtful, pre release feedback. Some of that feedback has already turned into new features.
I learned more about what users actually wanted in 48 hours than I would have in months of building in isolation.
The Takeaway
Share early. But have a plan for what happens if people actually show up.
Because sometimes, they do.
