“So why do you wanna do computer science?”

“Because I want to create something. Something of my own.”

Ten years ago, I were to make a decision on what I’d like to learn after school. I didn’t think twice before answering this question. I always wanted to create something of my own and that was enough of a reason for me to pursue computer science.

But as I entered college and then job, I kinda lost track of why I learnt to code in the first place. It became more about weekly assignments and shipping features before the deadline than the joy of coding. Even after I quit my job, thinking that things will improve, nothing quite changed. Every project I worked on, there was no creativity, my opinions didn’t matter. I was just a tool who could code and write for them. There was no joy, just struggle to make the ends meet and ship on time.

Things change now. I’m transitioning to the next chapter. I am going to create something of my own, finally! It’s an app for serious writers and is called Ingenuity.

I will build Ingenuity from the ground up and I’ll work on every aspect of the product:

1. Ideation

2. Design

3. Marketing

4. Copywriting

5. UI/UX

6. Programming

7. Product management

8. Sales

9. Customer support

10. Community building

…to name a few.

That’s the beauty of building something from scratch, you get to do so much and learn so much! For example, just yesterday I learned to design a logo. Check it out!

I like parts of it but not 100% satisfied. Still, I am very very happy that I could design it on my own. And that’s the plan, building everything slowly, organically, on my own, so that I can learn a variety of skills during the process. Most importantly, just want to have fun doing it!

That’s why, I am not seeing Ingenuity as a startup. I don’t see it as a hobby or side project either. I am not making this to pass time, and I do not want to seek Venture Capitalists for investment.

I want to treat Ingenuity as a product with the potential to organically grow into a business and company over time. I want to keep things small and work at a natural pace. No intentions to move fast and break things. No intentions to put a dent in the universe. Just want to create a helpful product for writers and a meaningful business for myself.

Do I sound unambitious, lazy, boring? Okay, let me also share with you my vision for the next 10, 15, 20 years, if everything goes as I imagine. This is wild, dreamy, completely unrealistic, but you never know!

• Thousands of writers adopt Ingenuity as their go-to writing app and it becomes a brand in this niche

• We can then leverage the brand value and grow in the writers space, both online and offline

• Online, we run community channels where writers come, interact, publish their work, and seek feedback/critique

• Offline, host retreats in remote locations for people to come, indulge in the new place, and write and network with others

• Launch a range of tangible products like stationery (beautiful notebooks and pens), merchandise, and accessories

• Start a chain of writer-focused cafes — a wall full of books, soft music, good coffee and just coffee

How does that sound? XD The idea is to enter a niche and then expand horizontally than vertically. Don’t just build upon software but contribute to other areas of the customer’s lifestyle and sell to them again and again.

Anyways, that’s super far fetched and the focus right now is the app. But it’s good to start from the ultimate goal and move your way back to present to set the right foundations for market placement and branding. For example, this made me realize that I don’t want to market it as a tech-heavy feature-packed product (even though it will be). I’d like to market it as an elegant writing environment that makes you feel like home.

Why now though? Why did I never think of it before? Has something changed? Is the situation more ideal now? Nope, everything is exactly the same. I do not know why I am doing this now and not before.

It’s not an intentional, calculated decision. It’s very spontaneous. I had a stroke of inspiration, an idea was injected in my head and I accepted it. I can’t quite make out when I got this idea. I just know that this is what I am going to work on and that I’m the only one who can build this.

I am nervous, yes. I do not know how things will unfold. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to pull it off the way I want. But I feel happy that once again, I have the clarity of 15 year old Aachman — “I want to create this!”.

🤔 Makes me wonder

Just a little something from Brianna…

You might be wondering, “I read a thousand words and still don’t know what this app does exactly”. Well, you gotta wait for a little while before I jot down every last detail of Ingenuity in a document. Hopefully I’ll share it next week.

Let’s see how far we’re able to go with this. Wish me luck :)

I’ll catch you in the next one,
Aachman