How do you go from $9 in your bank account to building and selling a company in just 15 months?

In this episode, Jake Castillo, co-founder of Cal AI, breaks down how they built and scaled one of the fastest-growing calorie-tracking apps using speed, influencer marketing, UGC, and relentless execution.

Instead of relying primarily on paid ads, Cal AI built a massive distribution engine around 300+ influencers, 20+ TikTok accounts, and a high-volume content strategy, eventually leading to the company being acquired by MyFitnessPal.

Jake shares what actually worked, including why giving creators more creative freedom can produce better-performing content, how to scale content across multiple accounts, and how Cal AI used App Store optimization to stand out in a crowded category.

If you're building a consumer app, startup, or brand, or trying to figure out how to make influencer marketing actually work—this episode is packed with practical growth lessons you can apply.

You will discover:

✅ How Cal AI scaled with 300+ influencers

✅ Why speed is becoming a major competitive advantage in the AI era

✅ How Cal AI used 20+ TikTok accounts to expand distribution

✅ Why letting creators control the content can outperform heavily scripted campaigns

✅ How to build a high-volume UGC engine without relying entirely on paid ads

✅ The App Store growth strategy that helped Cal AI stand out

✅ What Jake learned from taking Cal AI from $9 to acquisition in 15 months

Learn More:

Notes from the operator behind Cal AI:

https://operatorsnotebook.beehiiv.com/

🚀 Need help growing your app?

App Masters:

https://www.appmasters.com

You can also watch this video here:

https://youtube.com/live/_uEoWEQV5O0

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SPONSORS

The app growth playbook is changing fast.

AppsFlyer’s State of eCommerce App Marketing Report 2026 breaks down the latest trends, benchmarks, fraud insights, and market-by-market data every app marketer should know before planning Q4.

Download it free from the link below:

https://bit.ly/4uvoHGM

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Follow us:

YouTube: ⁠AppMasters.com/YouTube⁠
Instagram: ⁠@App Masters
Twitter: ⁠@App Masters
TikTok: ⁠@stevepyoung⁠
Facebook: ⁠App Masters⁠

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Join the App Founders Community:

https://appfounders.co/

Nicole Cheung took her first app to 1 MILLION users in just 6 months, and it wasn't luck.

In this video, she breaks down the exact viral app idea framework she uses to find viral app ideas before writing a single line of code.

You'll discover:

✅ Why "I'd use this app" is the WORST reason to build it

✅ How to find an unsaturated niche on TikTok/Instagram (her cooking app example)

✅ How to test if a feature will go viral BEFORE you build it, using Figma

✅ Why validating in the market beats validating in your head every time

This is a video from my full conversation with Nicole Cheung, who's scaled multiple apps to over $300K MRR and 300-400M monthly social views, without spending a dollar on paid ads.

🎥 Watch the FULL episode here:

https://youtube.com/live/SdqUZGJM384?feature=share

📘 Grab Nicole's FREE 60-page growth playbook:

https://tally.so/r/BzZpA4

🐦 Connect with Nicole:

https://x.com/madebycol

🚀 Need help growing your app?

App Masters:

https://www.appmasters.com

You can also watch this video here:

https://youtu.be/oUsDFRm3W-s

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SPONSORS

The app growth playbook is changing fast.

AppsFlyer’s State of eCommerce App Marketing Report 2026 breaks down the latest trends, benchmarks, fraud insights, and market-by-market data every app marketer should know before planning Q4.

Download it free from the link below:

https://bit.ly/4uvoHGM

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Tired of handing 30% of every in-game sale to iOS and Android billing systems? Appcharge is the DTC monetization platform trusted by King, Huuuge, Tripledot, and SciPlay – giving studios a direct line to their players, and up to 95% of every transaction.

Web stores, payment links, and a full Merchant of Record service covering taxes, compliance, and global payments – all in one platform.

Learn more:

https://www.appcharge.com/

*********************************************

Follow us:

YouTube: ⁠AppMasters.com/YouTube⁠
Instagram: ⁠@App Masters
Twitter: ⁠@App Masters
TikTok: ⁠@stevepyoung⁠
Facebook: ⁠App Masters⁠

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What happens when Steve puts a real app under the microscope?

In this episode, Steve did a live app teardown across different app categories, broke down what’s working, what’s not, and where there are opportunities to improve growth and monetization.

From ASO and App Store screenshots to onboarding, paywalls, pricing, and conversion, Steve analyzes the key parts of the app experience and shares practical strategies developers can apply to their own apps.

You’ll see the same frameworks Steve uses to evaluate apps and identify opportunities to increase downloads, conversions, and revenue.

You will discover:

✅ ASO opportunities and keyword strategy

✅ App Store screenshot improvements

✅ Onboarding optimization

✅ Paywall and pricing analysis

✅ Growth and monetization ideas

Learn More:

Join the App Founder’s Community:

https://appfounders.co/

🚀 Need help growing your app?

App Masters:

https://www.appmasters.com

You can also watch this video here:

https://youtube.com/live/FnMoJ2oKZZo

*********************************************

SPONSORS

The app growth playbook is changing fast.

AppsFlyer’s State of eCommerce App Marketing Report 2026 breaks down the latest trends, benchmarks, fraud insights, and market-by-market data every app marketer should know before planning Q4.

Download it free from the link below:

https://bit.ly/4uvoHGM

*********************************************

Tired of handing 30% of every in-game sale to iOS and Android billing systems? Appcharge is the DTC monetization platform trusted by King, Huuuge, Tripledot, and SciPlay – giving studios a direct line to their players, and up to 95% of every transaction.

Web stores, payment links, and a full Merchant of Record service covering taxes, compliance, and global payments – all in one platform.

Learn more:

https://www.appcharge.com/

*********************************************

Follow us:

YouTube: ⁠AppMasters.com/YouTube⁠
Instagram: ⁠@App Masters
Twitter: ⁠@App Masters
TikTok: ⁠@stevepyoung⁠
Facebook: ⁠App Masters⁠

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Join the App Founders Community:

https://appfounders.co/

What happens when you show users 2 paywalls instead of 1?

In this video, I break down a real-world paywall test that helped triple trial starts, from roughly 3% to 7.7%, without a major increase in downloads.

You’ll see how the strategy works, why different users respond to different offers, and how adding a second paywall can give both ready-to-pay users and trial-driven users a path to subscribe.

I’ll also break down the pricing strategy, social proof, weekly vs. yearly plans, and the number of paywall views you should aim for before diminishing returns set in.

You’ll learn:

✅ Why 2 paywalls can outperform 1

✅ How the first and second paywalls were structured

✅ Why social proof matters on your paywall

✅ How paywall views can impact revenue

✅ The 8 paywall views benchmark for diminishing returns

✅ How to think about paywall strategy and user psychology

If you're working on app monetization, subscriptions, onboarding, or paywall optimization, this test is worth understanding.

🚀 Need help growing your app?

App Masters:

https://www.appmasters.com

You can also watch this video here:

https://youtu.be/hs_hZS__hvA

*********************************************

SPONSORS

The app growth playbook is changing fast.

AppsFlyer’s State of eCommerce App Marketing Report 2026 breaks down the latest trends, benchmarks, fraud insights, and market-by-market data every app marketer should know before planning Q4.

Download it free from the link below:

https://bit.ly/4uvoHGM

*********************************************

Tired of handing 30% of every in-game sale to iOS and Android billing systems? Appcharge is the DTC monetization platform trusted by King, Huuuge, Tripledot, and SciPlay – giving studios a direct line to their players, and up to 95% of every transaction.

Web stores, payment links, and a full Merchant of Record service covering taxes, compliance, and global payments – all in one platform.

Learn more:

https://www.appcharge.com/

*********************************************

Follow us:

YouTube: ⁠AppMasters.com/YouTube⁠
Instagram: ⁠@App Masters
Twitter: ⁠@App Masters
TikTok: ⁠@stevepyoung⁠
Facebook: ⁠App Masters⁠

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What if you could build and launch an app without spending months worrying about retention, features, or a perfect product?

In this episode, we’re joined by Chris Bick, founder of Bickster, who has built and launched 20+ apps, including an app generating $800K ARR by syncing Fitbit data with Apple Health.

Chris shares his approach to building profitable apps: start with a simple MVP, launch quickly, learn from real users, and optimize what matters most: onboarding, paywalls, pricing, and distribution.

We’ll also discuss how he approaches app ideas, why developers shouldn’t overthink retention too early, and how his experience across multiple apps, including a successful Bible app, has shaped his product and growth philosophy.

You will discover :✅ How to validate and launch an app as quickly as possible✅ Why your MVP should be simpler than you think✅ How to approach onboarding and paywall optimization✅ Pricing strategies that can increase app revenue✅ How the Fitbit → Apple Health app reached $800K ARR✅ Lessons from building and launching 20+ apps

Learn More:Bickster:

https://www.bickster.com/

App Store:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/fitbit-to-apple-health-sync/id1134998522

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cbick/

🚀 Need help growing your app?

App Masters:

https://www.appmasters.com

You can also watch this video here:

https://youtube.com/live/g8K_Y_zboNA

*********************************************

SPONSORS

The app growth playbook is changing fast.

AppsFlyer’s State of eCommerce App Marketing Report 2026 breaks down the latest trends, benchmarks, fraud insights, and market-by-market data every app marketer should know before planning Q4.

Download it free from the link below:

https://bit.ly/4uvoHGM

*********************************************

Tired of handing 30% of every in-game sale to iOS and Android billing systems? Appcharge is the DTC monetization platform trusted by King, Huuuge, Tripledot, and SciPlay – giving studios a direct line to their players, and up to 95% of every transaction.

Web stores, payment links, and a full Merchant of Record service covering taxes, compliance, and global payments – all in one platform.

Learn more:

https://www.appcharge.com/

*********************************************

Follow us:

YouTube: ⁠AppMasters.com/YouTube⁠
Instagram: ⁠@App Masters
Twitter: ⁠@App Masters
TikTok: ⁠@stevepyoung⁠
Facebook: ⁠App Masters⁠

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Before you spend money on paid social media marketing, make sure your creative is ready to convert.

In this video, Steve P. Young breaks down the most important step to take before launching paid ads on Meta, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube: creative research and testing.

You’ll learn:

✅ Why your ad creative can make or break a paid campaign

✅ The key metrics to watch, including hook rate and hold rate

✅ How to use SocialPeta for competitor ad research

✅ How to find trending ad creatives and study winning campaigns

✅ How to analyze competitors’ ad spend across Meta, YouTube, and other channels

✅ How to turn successful ad patterns into new creative ideas

If you're building an app or game and planning to scale with paid ads, this is a framework you can use to research, test, and improve your campaigns before wasting thousands on ads that never had a chance.

Have a question about running paid social media campaigns? Leave it in the comments.

Planning to scale your app or game globally?

SocialPeta provides deep insights into global advertising trends, localized creatives, and competitive strategies, helping growth teams expand into new markets with confidence.

Start your data-driven expansion at:

https://socialpeta.com/en?utm_source=appmasters&utm_medium=partner-0825

🚀 Need help growing your app?

App Masters:

https://www.appmasters.com

You can also watch this video here:

https://youtu.be/WaOrPQVLz08

*********************************************

SPONSORS

The app growth playbook is changing fast.

AppsFlyer’s State of eCommerce App Marketing Report 2026 breaks down the latest trends, benchmarks, fraud insights, and market-by-market data every app marketer should know before planning Q4.

Download it free from the link below:

https://bit.ly/4uvoHGM

*********************************************

Tired of handing 30% of every in-game sale to iOS and Android billing systems? Appcharge is the DTC monetization platform trusted by King, Huuuge, Tripledot, and SciPlay – giving studios a direct line to their players, and up to 95% of every transaction.

Web stores, payment links, and a full Merchant of Record service covering taxes, compliance, and global payments – all in one platform.

Learn more:

https://www.appcharge.com/

*********************************************

Follow us:

YouTube: ⁠AppMasters.com/YouTube⁠
Instagram: ⁠@App Masters
Twitter: ⁠@App Masters
TikTok: ⁠@stevepyoung⁠
Facebook: ⁠App Masters⁠

*********************************************

What if your biggest growth opportunity isn’t another ad campaign, but an entirely different distribution channel?

In this live session, we’re joined by Jason Mathew, Founder & CEO of LeadMeNot, a digital wellness platform helping people build healthier relationships with technology.

Jason will share how LeadMeNot is expanding beyond traditional B2C app growth by selling licenses to universities, colleges, churches, therapists, and other organizations, turning institutional partnerships into a powerful acquisition and distribution channel.

We’ll discuss the journey of building LeadMeNot, the challenges of B2C growth, and how B2B sales and institutional purchases can help apps reach hundreds or even thousands of users through a single partnership.

You will discover:

✅ How to build a unique distribution channel for app growth

✅ How institutional purchases can drive app adoption

✅ How to approach B2B sales as a consumer app founder

✅ Strategies for expanding an app beyond traditional paid acquisition

Learn More:

Check out: https://www.leadmenot.org/

Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/leadmenotapp/

🚀 Need help growing your app?

App Masters:

https://www.appmasters.com

You can also watch this video here:

https://youtube.com/live/AKWkaV88B38

*********************************************

SPONSORS

The app growth playbook is changing fast.

AppsFlyer’s State of eCommerce App Marketing Report 2026 breaks down the latest trends, benchmarks, fraud insights, and market-by-market data every app marketer should know before planning Q4.

Download it free from the link below:

https://bit.ly/4uvoHGM

*********************************************

Tired of handing 30% of every in-game sale to iOS and Android billing systems? Appcharge is the DTC monetization platform trusted by King, Huuuge, Tripledot, and SciPlay – giving studios a direct line to their players, and up to 95% of every transaction.

Web stores, payment links, and a full Merchant of Record service covering taxes, compliance, and global payments – all in one platform.

Learn more:

https://www.appcharge.com/

*********************************************

Follow us:

YouTube: ⁠AppMasters.com/YouTube⁠
Instagram: ⁠@App Masters
Twitter: ⁠@App Masters
TikTok: ⁠@stevepyoung⁠
Facebook: ⁠App Masters⁠

*********************************************

Try AstroASO:

https://tryastro.app?aff=nWj08

Which ASO tool actually has the most accurate keyword data?

In this video, Steve P. Young compares Mobile Action, AppTweak, App Radar, and Astro using real data from a newly launched app to assess their keyword popularity, difficulty, and ranking scores.

You’ll also see the exact ASO workflow we use at App Masters, from finding keywords with ASO Mobile, validating traffic and competition, choosing keywords for your title and subtitle, and ultimately targeting the keywords most likely to drive downloads and revenue.

You’ll discover:

✅ Which ASO tool has the most accurate data

✅ How Mobile Action, AppTweak, App Radar, and Astro compare

✅ How to identify low-competition keywords

✅ How to choose keywords for your App Store title and subtitle

✅ Why ranking #1 matters for downloads and sales

✅ The ASO workflow App Masters uses for its own apps

If you're serious about App Store Optimization (ASO) and growing your app organically, this video will help you choose the right tools and build a more data-driven keyword strategy.

Join the App Founders Community:

https://appfounders.co/

🚀 Need help growing your app?

App Masters:

https://www.appmasters.com

You can also watch this video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rd0CKrP2H4c

*********************************************

SPONSORS

The app growth playbook is changing fast.

AppsFlyer’s State of eCommerce App Marketing Report 2026 breaks down the latest trends, benchmarks, fraud insights, and market-by-market data every app marketer should know before planning Q4.

Download it free from the link below:

https://bit.ly/4uvoHGM

*********************************************

Tired of handing 30% of every in-game sale to iOS and Android billing systems? Appcharge is the DTC monetization platform trusted by King, Huuuge, Tripledot, and SciPlay – giving studios a direct line to their players, and up to 95% of every transaction.

Web stores, payment links, and a full Merchant of Record service covering taxes, compliance, and global payments – all in one platform.

Learn more:

https://www.appcharge.com/

*********************************************

Follow us:

YouTube: ⁠AppMasters.com/YouTube⁠
Instagram: ⁠@App Masters
Twitter: ⁠@App Masters
TikTok: ⁠@stevepyoung⁠
Facebook: ⁠App Masters⁠

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What if the best app idea isn’t in your head, but hidden in the App Store?

In this livestream, we’re joined by Mohamed Khaled Selim, an Egyptian indie app developer and former professional football player who transitioned from sports to software development.

After building 10 unsuccessful apps, Mohamed discovered a different approach: start with the keyword, not the app idea.

He’ll share how this keyword-first strategy helped him build a $5K MRR app, including how to identify underserved opportunities outside the US market and turn those gaps into profitable app ideas.

We’ll also explore why non-US markets can be overlooked opportunities for indie developers, the advantages and challenges of targeting them, and how to validate an idea before investing months into development.

You will discover:

✅ Why 10 failed apps led to a completely different approach

✅ How the keyword-first strategy works

✅ How to find app opportunities in non-US markets

✅ How to identify gaps in underserved markets

✅ How to validate an app idea before building it

Learn More:

Connect at:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mo-kh-selim/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/mokhselim/

🚀 Need help growing your app?

App Masters:

https://www.appmasters.com

You can also watch this video here:

https://youtube.com/live/wMU3ADlptgo

*********************************************

SPONSORS

The app growth playbook is changing fast.

AppsFlyer’s State of eCommerce App Marketing Report 2026 breaks down the latest trends, benchmarks, fraud insights, and market-by-market data every app marketer should know before planning Q4.

Download it free from the link below:

https://bit.ly/4uvoHGM

*********************************************

Tired of handing 30% of every in-game sale to iOS and Android billing systems? Appcharge is the DTC monetization platform trusted by King, Huuuge, Tripledot, and SciPlay – giving studios a direct line to their players, and up to 95% of every transaction.

Web stores, payment links, and a full Merchant of Record service covering taxes, compliance, and global payments – all in one platform.

Learn more:

https://www.appcharge.com/

*********************************************

Follow us:

YouTube: ⁠AppMasters.com/YouTube⁠
Instagram: ⁠@App Masters
Twitter: ⁠@App Masters
TikTok: ⁠@stevepyoung⁠
Facebook: ⁠App Masters⁠

*********************************************

Join the App Founders Community:

https://appfounders.co/

Nicole Cheung's apps are pulling 300-400 MILLION monthly social views, and her UGC Marketing system is a huge reason why.

In this video, she opens up the entire UGC Marketing Playbook: what she pays, how she finds creators, and how she gets brand-new accounts to actually go viral.

You'll discover:

✅ Her exact base rate + CPM bonus structure ($10-30/post + tiered bonuses)

✅ Where to actually find UGC creators (beyond just posting on UGC platforms)

✅ Why she has creators start on BRAND NEW accounts, not their existing ones

✅ The "warm-up" strategy that trains the algorithm in 3 days

✅ Why you should follow micro accounts, not macro accounts (her Messi example)

🎥 Watch the FULL episode here:

https://youtube.com/live/SdqUZGJM384?feature=share

Grab Nicole's FREE 60-page growth playbook:

https://tally.so/r/BzZpA4

Connect with Nicole:

https://x.com/madebycol

🚀 Need help growing your app?

App Masters:

https://www.appmasters.com

You can also watch this video here:

https://youtu.be/rnNGEmAJWso

*********************************************

SPONSORS

The app growth playbook is changing fast.

AppsFlyer’s State of eCommerce App Marketing Report 2026 breaks down the latest trends, benchmarks, fraud insights, and market-by-market data every app marketer should know before planning Q4.

Download it free from the link below:

https://bit.ly/4uvoHGM

*********************************************

Tired of handing 30% of every in-game sale to iOS and Android billing systems? Appcharge is the DTC monetization platform trusted by King, Huuuge, Tripledot, and SciPlay – giving studios a direct line to their players, and up to 95% of every transaction.

Web stores, payment links, and a full Merchant of Record service covering taxes, compliance, and global payments – all in one platform.

Learn more:

https://www.appcharge.com/

*********************************************

Follow us:

YouTube: ⁠AppMasters.com/YouTube⁠
Instagram: ⁠@App Masters
Twitter: ⁠@App Masters
TikTok: ⁠@stevepyoung⁠
Facebook: ⁠App Masters⁠

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