Bootstrapping is great. Especially when you’re getting a suitcase full of awards for your app. In this episode of Mobile Heroes Uncensored, we’re chatting with the founder of Rootd (pronounced “rooted”), Ania Wyshocka.

Rootd is an app for people who suffer from anxiety, stress, and panic attacks, and in a classic entrepreneur story, Ania built a product based on her own experiences. In the process, she’s earned a Developer Spotlight by Apple, a “30 Under 30” win, and a selection to "Canadian Woman in Tech you Should Know."

Now of course, inevitably, she’s looking to paid acquisition to take her app to the next level. Hosts John Koetsier and Peggy Anne Salz chat with Ania about her journey, her choices, her revenue model, and her approach to personalization and segmentation.

Timestamps

0:00 Meet Ania Wyshocka

2:55 The Rootd app

4:45 Bootstrapping to 2M users

10:50 Revenue model: subscription

15:30 Prioritizing features

17:15 Personalizing your app

21:50 Moving to paid acquisition

25:40 Least censored opinion about mobile