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Cover art for the App Minded episode "How to Build an iPhone App With No Tech Background" with Samantha Black
Episode 4 45 min

How to Build an iPhone App With No Tech Background

Samantha Black — Education professional turned iOS app builder. Hosted by Nina Kolari.

Episode summary

Samantha Black moved from education into app development without a technical background. She talks through the tools she leaned on, what app submission actually involves, how AI changed the learning curve, and why shipping before you feel ready is the fastest way to learn.

Show notes

In this conversation, Samantha Black shares her journey from being an education professional to becoming an app developer without a technical background.

She discusses the challenges she faced while building her apps, the tools she used, and the learning process involved in navigating app development and submission.

The conversation highlights the importance of problem-solving, the role of AI in development, and the continuous learning curve that comes with creating technology solutions for educational purposes.

In this conversation, Nina Kolari and Samantha Black explore the journey of app development, particularly focusing on the empowerment of women in tech. They discuss the challenges and innovations in creating apps, the importance of marketing strategies, and the value of feedback and iteration. Samantha shares her experiences in launching her app, Earnling, and emphasizes the significance of starting projects even when one feels unprepared. The discussion highlights the unique perspectives women bring to tech and the practical solutions they create to address everyday problems.

Find more about Samantha's app Earnling here.


Takeaways

Samantha transitioned from education to app development.
She created an app to help her daughter with math homework.
The app development process involved significant problem-solving.
Samantha used AI tools like Claude to assist in coding.
Navigating the App Store submission was a complex process.
She learned from bugs and challenges during development.
Samantha emphasized the importance of financial literacy for kids.
The coding aspect was easier compared to marketing the app.
AI tools can enhance the learning experience in app development.
Samantha's journey reflects the power of perseverance and continuous learning. You have to have the patience and the idea.
The gap between being a developer and having a good idea is smaller.
Women can just sit down and fix problems now.
It's so cool to watch what women create.
Don't let your ideas stop you from launching.
Ship before you think you should.
You just have to be willing to learn.
Pinterest is the secret weapon to success.
It's important to recognize your accomplishments.
Feedback is crucial for improvement.

Topics discussed

  • Learning app development with no tech background
  • Building educational apps
  • App Store submission
  • Shipping early and iterating

Tools & platforms mentioned

  • AI coding assistants
  • Xcode
  • App Store Connect

About the guest

Samantha Black — Education professional turned iOS app builder.

More App Minded episodes

Browse every App Minded episode or read more about the podcast and Nina Kolari.