A few weeks ago I polled the app developer community at large. I was curious to get stats about the indie developer community as I figured a lot of us were going through the same experiences and challenges. I made a lot of mistakes at the beginning. If I had the experience I have now, I could definitely have grown faster, with less drama and have achieved more. Here are the 10 things that people WISHED THEY HAD KNOWN when they started making their first apps.

1. Start with games, ideally reskinning games.

2. At the beginning, make multiple small apps and grow a sustainable business.

3. Learn from people who have already had proven success in your business area.

4. Keep your costs low.

5. Have some knowledge and understanding of all aspects of your business.

6. Know a fair price to pay for outsourced work.

7. How to spend your time wisely and outsource successfully.

8. Have a successful model for marketing and earning revenue.

9. Figure out great app keywords

10. Implement effective team management.

I’ve been lucky enough to spend this weekend with a group of appreneurs in California. They have have all faced these challenges and overcome them, and grown their businesses successfully. The rewards – and not just monetary – can be mind boggling. So have you come across these issues in your business? Did you solve them? Are there any big challenges that we missed? Let me know.