The road expands before me
The author reflects on their career journey in iOS development, from building side projects like Turbo Native and receiving positive feedback, to the decision to leave a stable job and pursue full-time indie work. They describe embracing uncertainty and the realization that growth often requires stepping away from comfort and security.
Background
- Joe Masilotti is a well-known indie iOS developer who has been writing a popular newsletter about building and running a solo app business since around 2022.
- He recently announced a major life and career shift: leaving the East Coast (and the US tech scene) to live and work from Japan, while winding down his existing app products.
- This post is his reflection on that decision — why he's stepping away from his current apps, what he's learned, and what's next. The title references a Zen proverb.
- The piece has resonated widely in the indie developer community because it openly discusses burnout, the courage to pivot, and the emotional difficulty of letting go of a business you built.