play episode
Podcast
S1
E11
37 mins
Mar 3, 2026
Why This Designer Takes 3 Years to Build Apps
Listen on
Andy Allen co-founded a company, raised $45 million, did hardware, software, had a decent exit — then walked away from all of it.
Now he runs Not Boring Software, fully bootstrapped, no investors. A tiny team making apps that take years to ship. We talked about why he builds that way, what he learned from the startup world, and why patience is a competitive advantage.
LINKS
Not Boring Software: https://notboring.software
Andy: https://x.com/asallen
Chapters
00:00 - Walking away from $45 million
02:27 - Camera app becomes biggest launch yet
04:04 - Why speed is overrated for quality work
07:25 - Fully bootstrapped vs VC funding pressure
09:17 - Physical prototypes and 3D printing process
13:09 - Avoiding AI hype, focusing on interface innovation
15:45 - Game design principles in everyday apps
18:36 - The "kid in the cockpit" design philosophy
20:49 - Creative recovery and exploration process
22:49 - Leaving VC startup world for sustainable business
25:19 - Defining "enough" as a company and creator
28:44 - Being a beacon for other designers
32:11 - What's missing in design storytelling
36:51 - Hands in the clay vs management roles
