How Sebastian Röhl built HabitKit by sticking with what worked (and starting over when it didn’t)

Sebastian Röhl's journey as an indie app developer is a testament to persistence and the gradual accumulation of momentum rather than overnight success. After leaving a stable enterprise software job in Germany, he gave himself a year to succeed in the app development world, initially creating LiftBear, a workout tracker that experienced limited growth and ultimately served as a learning experience. His breakthrough came with HabitKit, a habit tracker with a visually appealing GitHub-style grid, which gained traction through early public sharing and eventually ranked well in app stores, leading to significant growth. Although he had to return to a part-time job temporarily, Sebastian's commitment to his apps never wavered, and HabitKit's success allowed him to refocus on app development full-time. To maintain his motivation and creativity, he ventured into developing FocusKit, a minimalist Pomodoro timer, which, although modest in revenue, fulfilled his desire to explore new technologies and keep his spirit engaged. Sebastian's story underscores the importance of focusing on fundamentals, iterating persistently, and allowing growth to compound over time.