👋 Hi, I'm Roel

Ever since the web started I have been creating websites and apps. I built websites for local business in my hometown and ended up working for the largest restaurant website in Europe.

But in the recent years I switched from a technical/UX to a product management career. Being a product manager meant a lot of coordinating, planning and managing. Although that was a lot of fun and I released some great products with my team, I wasn't actually building anything myself anymore.

In the past months I had time off to reflect and look ahead. And I decided to get my hands dirty again and go back to programming and designing. I want to create stuff! I want to work on projects that I find useful and I think can be useful to others. So I'm going to build my own product. Which is exciting and super scary at the same time!

My goal

I'm starting an indie app company. The goal of this endeavor is to refresh my design and programming skills which I have neglected in the past years.

The plan

I quit my job so I can focus on this full time. I have given myself 6 months to see if I'm going to be successful at indie making. In this time I want to design, create and ship an iOS app. To earn money, the app will have some paid component, either a subscription or a premium feature set.

My aim is to have my first project in the app store by the end of March.

I trust my design, programming and product management skills but I'm less confident in my marketing abilities 😁 So I will also work on building a following and reach on different social media, blog about my journey on this site and recruit/interview possible customers.

My first project

The first app I'm creating is a note taking app with a little twist, I'll share more about this idea in a future blog post.

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Last week I  met with a group of friends. One of our traditions is to review the previous year and commit to goals for the next. It is always nice to reflect together. But the best thing is to share my resolutions with a group and get honest feedback plus create accountability over the year.

My 2020 resolutions (details below):

• Live a more sustainable life
• Share more in public
• Try some hobbies that don't involve a computer or TV
• Relax

Live a more sustainable life

I think we should all try to do as much as we can to limit the damage caused by climate change. And while I'm already doing my best, I see some things I can do this year to improve even more.

In the next months I will try to:

• Limit gas usage in my home by repairing the solar water heating we have and repair broken doube glass panels
• See how we can generate our own electricity with solar panels
• Make our garden more bee and butterfly friendly

Share more in public

I am not sharing a lot on the web. I think it would be great to share more, it will help me put my thoughts in writing and to get more attention for my sideproject.

In the next months I will try to:

• Write a blog once a week (this is the first :)
• Send a newsletter once a month

Hobbies without a computer

I have a lot of hobbies but most of them involve my iMac. Creating music, working on my sideproject, playing games. I think it would be good for me and my stiff shoulders to try different things that don't involve sitting.

In the next months I will try some hobbies without a computer. My shortlist: baking, cooking, hiking, gardening, playing guitar and piano.

Relax

I have a hard time relaxing. It's hard for me to sit still and do nothing. Or to do something and relax. It will be good to take some more time for myself and with the people I care about.

In the next months I will:

• Go to the sauna a couple of times
• Plan trips with my boyfriend
• Plan dinners / drinks with friends
• Celebrate my birthday

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