Early Paid Ads Experience and Mistakes

On the podcast, I talk with Jordan about the power of seasonal business cycles, why refining your ad strategy can unlock growth, and how passion-driven apps can still find market fit without a huge marketing budget.

Top Takeaways:

🎯 Understand Your Seasonal Business Cycles
 Jordan's app, Elite Hoops, thrives during basketball season, with the bulk of revenue generated from October to March. Recognizing and aligning your business to seasonal trends is key to maximizing growth during peak times.

💡 Optimize Your Ads for Success
After spending $16K on ads with little success, Jordan realized his strategy needed an overhaul. With help from a marketing agency, he’s now refining his approach with stronger creatives, proper attribution, and new tools like the Facebook SDK to drive more effective, scalable campaigns.

🛠 Reinvest in Your Business to Fuel Growth
 With Elite Hoops generating consistent revenue, Jordan plans to reinvest in marketing and development to accelerate growth and maximize the business’s potential. Treat your business as a growing asset and reinvest in it to reach new heights.

🎨 Craft Apps You’re Proud Of
Jordan’s approach with apps like Elite Hoops and Alyx is a mix of business focus and creative fulfillment. Whether it's solving a real-world problem or building an app for personal enjoyment, passion and craftsmanship always shine through.

🌍 Don’t Overlook the Power of Organic Growth
Elite Hoops grew without a large marketing budget or paid ads, relying heavily on word of mouth within the coaching community. Focus on delivering a product that resonates with your users, and let them help you grow your brand naturally.

About Jordan Morgan:

🎤 Indie App Developer & Developer Advocate

📱 Jordan Morgan is a seasoned indie app developer and product builder known for creating thoughtfully crafted apps like Elite Hoops and Alyx. With a deep appreciation for design, platform-native experiences, and long-term sustainability, Jordan blends craftsmanship with business pragmatism. After years of building, selling, and reacquiring apps—and working as a developer advocate—he continues to explore what it means to build software that lasts, balancing growth, seasonality, and joy in the creative process.

👋 LinkedIn

💭 Follow Jordan on X - @JordanMorgan10

Follow us on X: 

• Charlie Chapman - @_chuckyc
• RevenueCat - @RevenueCat
• Launched - @LaunchedFM 

Episode Highlights:
[0:00] Jordan’s transition from indie app development to developer advocate.

[3:20] The creation of Elite Hoops and its focus on helping basketball coaches.

[7:05] The challenges of marketing niche apps and refining paid ad strategies.

[12:30] Understanding seasonal revenue cycles and how they impact app growth.

[17:10] Working with a marketing agency to improve ad creatives and attribution.

[22:45] The emotional journey of reacquiring Spint Stack after selling it.

[28:00] Balancing passion projects with sustainable business growth.

[33:30] The importance of craftsmanship and solving real problems in app development.

[40:15] How word-of-mouth and organic growth fueled Elite Hoops’ success.

[45:50] The technical challenges of scaling an indie app with limited resources.

[50:25] Staying motivated and focused on building apps users genuinely appreciate.

[55:00] What’s next for Jordan’s apps and his future in indie development.