Neil Jhaveri, the developer behind the Mac email client Mimestream, discusses the challenges and costs of building an email app, the significance of a reliable email client, transitioning from consulting to Apple, and the pros and cons of bootstrapping versus seeking venture capital for a business.
MimeStream focused on delivering a reliable and feature-rich email experience, prioritizing user needs over trends.
The beta period for MimeStream lasted three years, ensuring the app met users' needs and addressing any issues.
MimeStream struggled with finding the right monetization strategy for a consumer software product, considering price sensitivity and building a sustainable business model.
MimeStream found inspiration in companies like Flexibits and Panic, showcasing the possibility of sustaining an indie software company while continuously improving and delivering excellent tools.
Deep dives
Building MimeStream as an Independent Email App
The speaker shares their journey of building MimeStream, an independent email app. They discuss how they started casually developing the app, shared it with friends, and received positive feedback. Despite facing challenges and uncertainty about monetization, they continued building and refining the app.
The Long Beta Period and Monetization Considerations
The speaker explains that the beta period for MimeStream lasted for three years. They wanted to ensure the app met users' needs and addressed any issues, which led to a delay in monetization. They also struggled with finding the right monetization strategy for a consumer software product like an email app, considering price sensitivity and the challenge of building a sustainable business model.
The Importance of Name and Product Philosophy
The speaker acknowledges that MimeStream may not be the most captivating name, but emphasizes that the focus is on delivering a reliable and feature-rich email experience. They believe that the app's value proposition lies in addressing common user needs, rather than being the trendiest or flashiest email client. Sustainability and long-term commitment to building a reliable service drive the company's mission.
Transitioning from Beta to Official Launch
The speaker discusses their decision to transition from the beta period to an official launch. They aimed to provide a reliable and full-featured email experience for users. Finally, in May 2023, they felt confident in the app's stability and were ready to launch after several years of refining and addressing user feedback.
MimeStream's inspiration from Flexibits
MimeStream found inspiration in Flexibits, a company that built a prosumer version of a productivity app, showing that it is possible to sustain an indie software company while continuously investing in and improving a product.
Inspiration from Panic
MimeStream also draws inspiration from Panic, admiring their brilliant apps and their ability to have fun and do what they want, while still delivering excellent tools.
Fastmail's influence on interoperability
MimeStream is inspired by Fastmail, which has demonstrated the ability to influence standards and drive progress in email interoperability, giving hope for the evolution of email.
