Dan Hafner never set out to be an entrepreneur, but his winding path through teaching aspirations, software QA, and remote work led him to create Dapper No-Code — a company that helps founders build and launch software without writing code. In this episode, we explore how Dan turned a personal fitness app idea into a full-fledged business, what most people get wrong about no-code, and how white-labeling platforms can fuel your launch.

We also talk about wine making (yes, really), podcasting, dogs, and the future of AI-powered development.

What You’ll Learn

• Why Dan pivoted from helpdesk support to founding a no-code company
• The difference between “having an idea” and building a business
• What people misunderstand about no-code tools in 2025
• Dan’s process for validating app ideas (hint: it started at Planet Fitness)
• The role of white labeling in scaling Dapper No-Code
• How Dan's "Fast Track" offering takes apps from idea to launch in 90 days
• Where AI is supercharging app creation—and where it’s falling short
• The evolution of podcasting and how Dan's show Tech Bytes became a key growth lever
• Dan’s episode with Alex Sanfilippo
• Dan’s journey into winemaking, how he does it at home, and what flavors he’s experimenting with
• The surprising impact of mentorship and what Dan teaches the next generation of no-code developers
• Big thoughts on saturation, technical debt, and what enterprise adoption of no-code could look like

Mentions & Resources

• Dapper No-Code
• Bubble
• Zapier
• PodMatch
• Dan’s episode with Alex Sanfilippo
• Atomic Habits by James Clear
• High Performance Habits by Brendon Burchard
• Backendless

Rapid Fire Favorites

• Favorite quote: “Done is better than perfect.”
• Most gifted book: High Performance Habits
• Favorite investment: “Continually investing in myself”
• Best thing he’s been gifted: A bartered coaching program
• Billboard message: “Your focus determines your reality.”
• Something he changed his mind on recently: The idea of contentment vs constant hustle

Fun Extras

• Dan brews wine in his basement — his latest batch? Peach.
• He has three dogs, including a golden retriever-aussie mix with blue eyes
• Shubho and Dan swap stories on podcasting, dogs, and why “apps aren’t the business”

Follow & Connect

• Dapper No-Code Website
• Dan’s LinkedIn
• Dear Tech on Instagram
• Dear Tech on LinkedIn
• Dear Tech Website