Apptisan #018 — Talking with Type’s Creator: Take notes without interrupting your flow
Apptisan #018 — Talking with Type’s Creator: Take notes without interrupting your flow
Type is a note-taking app for macOS in the style of app launchers. It’s fast, accessible from anywhere via a hotkey, and lets you quickly jot down your thoughts.
Name: Type
Developer / Team: Nicolas Bichon
Platforms: macOS
Read this newsletter issue in Chinese (中文) .
Please describe your product.
Type is a note-taking app for macOS in the style of app launchers. It’s fast, accessible from anywhere via a hotkey, and lets you quickly jot down your thoughts.
A timestamp is automatically attached to each entry, allowing you to remember when you took a note.
Notes are stored in text files (Markdown format is supported). You can also link existing files, which is useful for Obsidian users, for example.
The main goal of the app is to be able to take notes without interrupting your flow.
Was there a pivotal moment that inspired your product’s creation?
I started my indie hacker journey when a friend tagged me in one of Tony Dinh’s tweets about launching an MVP in a week.
I already had in mind this idea of a tiny app that would let me quickly write a note in a text file while I’m working and get out of my way, kind of a replacement for stickies (e.g. topics to discuss for my next 1-1). So I took on the challenge and developed an MVP in one week.
Tony then retweeted my tweet about my MVP being ready, and I received tons of engagement. That’s when I knew I hit a nerve, so I kept going.
What makes your product unique compared to others in the market?
The first thing that comes to mind is its great design. A good friend of mine designed the icon and the UI. I’m convinced it played a huge part in the success of the app, especially during the launch where its design stood out.
My users often tell me that they like how intentional I am with the features I introduce. I want to keep the product simple to use. It’s something that requires a lot of thinking.
Type is designed to work best for short, ephemeral notes. Basically, when you don’t know where to put your notes, it usually fits well in Type.
How have you marketed your product, and what key lessons have you learned?
I had a great launch with Type, with over 300 units and $1,000 in sales. I explained everything in detail in the launch retrospective article, if you’re interested.
The key lessons I learned are:
Getting press features; this brings a huge traffic, and I made most of my sales during the launch and another press feature in Lifehacker. I learned how to reach out to journalists and keep in touch with them after each big update.
ASO is one of the most important things to focus on. As my app is currently paid upfront, though, I found it difficult to increase the ranking of Type because I don’t get a lot of reviews, since you have to buy the app before being able to leave a review. That’s why I’m working on adding a free trial so at least anyone can try it.
Twitter also brought me a lot of traffic; it’s time-consuming but I had good results, so I’m sticking with it.
Directories can also bring some decent traffic, although I only tried free ones.
Lastly, being featured by Apple on the App Store, I still haven’t submitted the form myself, but it’s one of the next things I’m going to do once I release the free trial.
What has been some memorable feedback since your product’s release?
One thing I didn’t anticipate is that Obsidian users are really interested in Type. Because Type uses text files, you can use it on top of any note-taking apps that also use text files for quick notes. It’s currently not possible to have this kind of note launcher as an Obsidian plugin. So I’m trying to develop features for the huge Obsidian user base. It accidentally became one of my targets.
I also remember a user who sent me an email to thank me for building this app because he had memory issues, and the app was helping him remember better. That’s the kind of feedback that makes me really proud to have released this app.
Are there any products out there that you feel deserve more recognition?
I recently stumbled upon Focus, a macOS app to block apps and websites to help you be more focused. This has dramatically increased my productivity!
I’m also a big fan of tiny apps, such as Day Progress to track the day’s progress in the menu bar. Umbra, a macOS app to automatically change your background for light/dark mode.
And if you’re an iOS/macOS developer like me, I can also recommend Astro. It’s an ASO tool to help you choose your keywords. The creator is super responsive and constantly improves it.
Are there any independent developers you admire? What outstanding qualities have you observed in them?
My favorite indie developer right now is Marc Lou. I find his journey very inspiring, and everything he shares is actionable, which I find really helpful. He has had a huge impact on me, even on my daily routine, thanks to his YouTube videos. Also, he’s French like me, so I can relate even more.
I also like Sebastian Röhl because he’s very transparent about his earnings and what he’s doing. I enjoy his weekly newsletter a lot.
Lastly, the OG of indie developers for me is Tony Dinh. It was really him who inspired me to embark on this indie hacking journey.
My number one rule to follow an indie developer is “how much can I learn from them?”.
How do you organize your day? Do you have any time management tips to share?
I’m a young dad and I’m working full-time in a start-up as a software engineer, so I try to arrange my day around that.
Here are some highlights of my daily routine that I review every week:
30 minutes maximum of social media every morning
1 hour of indie dev every morning
Block apps and websites during the day thanks to the Focus app (between 10 am and 4 pm)
Block notifications and rearrange Home Screen thanks to the different focus modes provided by iOS
Weightlifting 3 times a week
Reading/relaxing in the evening – No work
Try to go to bed between 10 pm and 11 pm
Whatever happens, I also try to remember that consistency is key and that even 15 minutes of reading or working on my indie apps is better than nothing.
Tell us a bit about yourself and what you envision for the future.
I was born and raised in France. I lived a few years in Brussels and moved to Montreal 7 years ago.
I currently work full-time at Practice, a startup I joined 4 years ago as its first software engineer. Prior to that, I worked in various types of companies, from the tiny 2-person company to the ultra-successful startup.
I am also the father of a 2-year-old little boy.
I’m currently busy building Type but plan to start working on a new iOS app during the summer. It’s an idea I had 4-5 years ago and still think about! You can follow me on X where I share my journey as an indie hacker.
About Apptisan
Apptisan is a portmanteau of “application” and “artisan”, signifying “a weekly exploration into the world of apps and the passionate artisans who create them.” Each issue is a conversation with global creators, aiming to uncover and present intriguing products to a wider audience.
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