Founder: Jamie Shostak
Business: Appetiser App Development
Revenue/Month: $700K 
Founders: 2 
Employees: 175 
Website: appetiser.com.au
Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Founded: 2016

In the crowded and fast-moving world of app development, Appetiser App Development has built a reputation as a partner that takes ideas and transforms them into thriving digital businesses. Founded just five years ago by Jamie Shostak and Michael MacRae, the company has skyrocketed from a bootstrapped operation to an $8 million-a-year enterprise. With a client list that includes brands like Pointsbet, Grill’d, and Youfoodz, Appetiser has helped launch apps that not only attract millions of users but also achieve billion-dollar valuations. 

The Origin of a Global Powerhouse 

For Shostak, the idea behind Appetiser was straightforward but ambitious: empower startups to succeed in a highly competitive digital market. “We started this company with zero funding and a belief that if you build a better product, the market will reward you,” Shostak says. 

This lean, no-frills approach has been the company’s guiding principle from the beginning. Shostak explains that their focus wasn’t on flashy marketing or high-profile funding rounds but on delivering tangible results. “We’ve always believed in proof over promises. If you help your clients grow, your own growth will follow,” he adds. 

That philosophy has proven effective. Whether a client arrives with a loose idea sketched out on paper or a fully developed business in need of a digital overhaul, Appetiser tailors its approach to fit their specific goals. “Every app we develop is treated as a startup in itself. We don’t just build apps; we build businesses,” Shostak notes. 

Building a Team Without Borders 

Appetiser’s success isn’t just rooted in its ability to identify client needs—it’s also in how the company has structured itself to meet those needs. Today, the company operates with a global team of over 200 employees, working from multiple countries. This worldwide presence allows them to recruit top-tier talent from anywhere in the world. 

Shostak highlights how this global workforce strengthens the company’s perspective. “When your team comes from different backgrounds and cultures, you’re naturally better equipped to design products that resonate with diverse audiences,” he says. 

But the distributed nature of the team isn’t just about access to talent. Shostak explains that it also helps them remain agile and responsive. “Time zones become an advantage, not a barrier. We’re able to work around the clock to deliver for our clients,” he says. 

This setup has given Appetiser a distinct advantage in a competitive industry. With a team that operates seamlessly across borders, they’re able to keep up with the pace of global innovation while remaining grounded in their clients’ needs. 

Excellence That Speaks for Itself 

Recognition in the tech world is hard-earned, but Appetiser has managed to make waves in a short period of time. Being named as a recommended app developer by TechCrunch is one of many industry nods they’ve received. For Shostak, though, it’s not about the awards or headlines—it’s about the results. 

“Our priority has always been our clients’ success,” he says. “If their apps are hitting millions of downloads or growing their revenue exponentially, then we know we’re doing something right.” 

Appetiser’s approach combines technical excellence with a relentless focus on user experience. By prioritizing sleek design, intuitive interfaces, and scalable solutions, the company ensures that their apps are built to last. “It’s not enough to just get an app onto someone’s phone,” Shostak explains. “You need to make sure they’re coming back to it, engaging with it, and finding value in it.” 

That’s precisely what their clients are experiencing. Brands like MyDeal and Move With Us have seen exponential growth after partnering with Appetiser. Shostak credits this to a laser-sharp focus on user data. “Every decision we make is driven by metrics,” he says. “We’re constantly analyzing how people are using the apps we build and iterating to improve.” 

What’s clear from Shostak’s perspective is that Appetiser is as much about building relationships as it is about building technology. Their ability to function as a trusted partner, not just a service provider, is part of what sets them apart. 

More insights about the company’s ethos and groundbreaking approach will be revealed in the next segment. 

From a Coffee Machine Encounter to a Visionary Business Model 

Every great company starts somewhere, but few stories are as serendipitous as Appetiser’s. What began as a casual conversation near a coffee machine in a Melbourne co-working space evolved into a global business shaping the future of app development. That unassuming encounter between Shostak and MacRae not only launched a business but also sparked a shared mission: to disrupt the inefficiencies in app development and help others transform ideas into tangible success. 

Shostak recounts the moment vividly. At the time, he was running a growth marketing agency, already steeped in the startup world, while MacRae brought to the table a proven track record of developing apps with millions of users. “We quickly realized we shared a common frustration,” Shostak explains. “Too many companies were treating app development as a cookie-cutter process rather than a strategic partnership. We wanted to change that.” 

The pair’s conversations, which began as simple brainstorming sessions, quickly deepened into a shared vision: a company that would tackle the blind spots in the industry. “We saw an opportunity to do things differently—not just building apps but helping businesses grow sustainably from day one,” Shostak says. 

Redefining the Playbook for App Development 

From the outset, Shostak and MacRae were determined to challenge the status quo. They identified three crucial elements they believed most app development companies were missing: rapid speed to market, data-informed decision-making, and an unrelenting focus on quality. “The idea wasn’t just to build apps faster,” Shostak clarifies. “It was to create a process that used speed strategically—launch quickly, measure impact, and iterate with precision.” 

But turning these principles into reality wasn’t as straightforward as it seemed. Early wins with two notable clients gave the duo a false sense of security. “We thought we’d cracked it right out of the gate,” Shostak admits. “But success doesn’t sustain itself. We realized quickly that momentum wasn’t automatic.” 

This hard truth forced the co-founders to rethink their approach. Rather than relying solely on inbound opportunities, they proactively sought out new clients, testing their methodology in real time. Through these efforts, the pair not only confirmed that their model resonated but also refined their strategies to ensure scalability. “It was about being intentional,” Shostak says. “We didn’t want to grow for the sake of growing. We wanted to grow with purpose.” 

These adjustments became the backbone of Appetiser’s success. Their iterative process—launch, measure, improve—wasn’t just applied to their clients’ apps; it was embedded in the company’s DNA. This philosophy also reinforced the importance of adaptability. “What worked yesterday might not work tomorrow,” Shostak points out. “Our ability to learn and evolve quickly has been key to staying ahead.” 

The journey wasn’t without its obstacles. Shostak openly shares that the transition from startup to scale-up came with growing pains, particularly as they expanded their team and began managing projects for larger, global brands. But through every challenge, the founding principles they identified early on served as a compass. “Those three pillars—speed, data, and quality—became non-negotiables,” Shostak says. “They’re what drive everything we do, from hiring to product delivery.” 

What started as a spark of inspiration over coffee has grown into a company employing over 200 people, serving high-profile clients across multiple continents. For Shostak, that growth is a byproduct of staying true to their original mission. “The tech world is constantly shifting, but the fundamentals don’t change,” he says. “If you deliver value, you’ll always have a place in the market.” 

The journey from an ordinary conversation to building a company that redefines what’s possible in app development shows that success doesn’t come from chance encounters alone—it’s what you do with them that counts. 

Rethinking App Development: From Design to Launch 

Appetiser’s rise is tied to its ability to reimagine what businesses truly need from an app development partner. Shostak and MacRae saw early on that the traditional model—characterized by hefty upfront costs and lengthy scoping phases—left many startups and even established businesses at a disadvantage. By questioning these industry norms, they set the stage for a company built on accessibility, flexibility, and client-first innovation. 

“We realized that clients weren’t just buying an app; they were investing in their vision,” Shostak says. “And too often, they were asked to make that investment without seeing anything tangible first. That didn’t sit right with us.” 

Their solution? A standalone design stage that shifts the focus from abstract planning to actionable results. This phase includes the creation of an interactive prototype—a tool that allows clients to visualize their app’s user experience and functionality before committing to the full development process. Shostak describes this step as transformative: “The prototype bridges the gap between an idea and execution. It’s like giving clients a blueprint they can touch, feel, and refine before they spend a single dollar on code.” 

This unique approach has proven particularly valuable for startups looking to minimize risk while maximizing early-stage impact. For many, the prototype becomes more than a design tool—it’s a vehicle for securing funding or building stakeholder confidence. Companies like Good Empire and Vello, for example, raised millions of dollars based on their Appetiser-designed prototypes, leveraging them as strategic assets even before moving into full-scale development. 

Building Accessible Services for Businesses of All Sizes 

Appetiser’s ability to serve such a broad spectrum of clients—from first-time entrepreneurs to global brands—stems in part from a key strategic pivot. In its earliest days, the company relied on full-project commitments, which helped stabilize cash flow but often proved intimidating for smaller clients. Recognizing the opportunity to bring more startups into the fold, Shostak and MacRae introduced milestone-based agreements, giving businesses the freedom to take one step at a time. 

“This change lowered the barrier to entry in a big way,” Shostak explains. “Startups could come to us with an idea and leave with a prototype, knowing they weren’t locked into a massive contract. It was about removing obstacles and building trust.” 

Once the design phase is complete, Appetiser transitions into developing a minimum viable product (MVP). Here, the focus is on speed and efficiency—getting an app into users’ hands quickly while maintaining the highest quality standards. Shostak emphasizes that the MVP isn’t just about launching fast; it’s about making smart choices. “We’re very intentional about every feature that goes into an MVP,” he says. “It’s not about cramming in functionality—it’s about building the right functionality to create maximum impact.” 

This phased, modular approach has positioned Appetiser as a go-to partner for startups and established enterprises alike. It allows clients to scale their investment incrementally while gaining meaningful traction in the market. 

A Humble Beginning and a Hard-Earned Pivot 

While Appetiser now boasts an impressive client list and global reach, its early days were marked by humble beginnings and scrappy determination. Shostak and MacRae launched the business with a bare-bones website designed by MacRae himself and a heavy reliance on directories like Oneflare and ServiceSeeking to land their first clients. 

Their marketing strategy was both deliberate and resourceful. They focused on targeting businesses that hadn’t yet explored app development, avoiding companies that already had apps to prevent wasting resources on saturated leads. “We didn’t have the luxury of a big advertising budget,” Shostak recalls. “So we had to be strategic about every single pitch.” 

That early resourcefulness paid off. Within months, they had secured two key clients, providing enough momentum to build on. But sustaining that momentum proved more challenging than they anticipated. Without a reliable system for generating new leads, the team faced a tough first year. 

This challenge prompted a major shift in strategy. Shostak and MacRae began investing heavily in an inbound sales engine, combining CRM tools, automated email campaigns, and personalized sales scripts to streamline their outreach efforts. They also expanded their sales team, creating a scalable process that would allow them to grow systematically. 

“We knew that winging it wasn’t going to work in the long run,” Shostak says. “We needed structure—something repeatable that would keep the pipeline full.” 

Iterating Toward Excellence 

This emphasis on constant iteration isn’t just reserved for their internal processes; it’s deeply embedded in how Appetiser approaches client work. By treating every project as an opportunity to improve and refine, the company has cemented its reputation for excellence. This dedication to quality has even earned them recognition on platforms like Uplabs, where they rank among the top seven app design teams globally. 

Shostak sees this recognition as a reflection of their team’s commitment to growth. “We’re always challenging ourselves to be better,” he says. “Whether it’s how we design, how we build, or how we support our clients, we never settle for good enough.” 

This approach has fueled the company’s expansion. By consistently delivering apps that drive measurable results—whether it’s helping startups raise capital or enabling established brands to scale their digital presence—Appetiser has turned its clients’ successes into its most powerful marketing tool. 

“Our best growth has come from word of mouth,” Shostak notes. “When your clients are excited to tell others about what you’ve done for them, that’s the ultimate validation.” 

From scrappy beginnings to a finely tuned business model, Appetiser has shown that innovation and adaptability can rewrite the rules of an entire industry. And while the company’s trajectory might seem meteoric, it’s grounded in principles that Shostak and MacRae have held from the very start: build smarter, move faster, and always prioritize the client’s goals. 

A Global Reach and an Expanding Vision 

Appetiser’s trajectory has been fueled by a forward-thinking approach that prioritizes flexibility and scalability. With nearly 200 employees distributed across optional offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Manila, Cebu, and Davao, the company has embraced a remote-first culture that breaks away from traditional workplace norms. Shostak emphasizes that this structure isn’t just about convenience—it’s a strategic advantage. 

“By going remote, we’re able to hire the best talent regardless of geography,” he says. “We’ve built a team that reflects the global nature of our clients. It keeps us agile and gives us a deeper understanding of the markets we serve.” 

This global mindset has driven Appetiser’s ability to scale without sacrificing quality. With annual revenue approaching $8 million, the company’s operational model has proven resilient, even during times of disruption. Shostak attributes this to their team’s ability to adapt and deliver consistent results no matter where they’re located. 

But the most compelling measure of Appetiser’s success is the impact it has had on its clients. Shostak points to one extraordinary quarter where three of their startup partners—MyDeal, Pointsbet, and Youfoodz—went public on the stock market. “Those moments show what happens when you pair great ideas with the right execution,” he says. “It’s about more than just building apps—it’s about building businesses that scale.” 

This ripple effect has become a hallmark of Appetiser’s work. By helping startups create scalable apps and launch them quickly, the company has positioned itself as a trusted partner for businesses aiming to achieve rapid growth. 

The Power of Focus: A Lesson in Scaling Smart 

While Appetiser’s current momentum may appear effortless, the journey to get here wasn’t without its challenges. In the company’s early days, Shostak and MacRae found themselves juggling Appetiser alongside a growth marketing agency they had also founded. While running both ventures gave them access to immediate revenue streams, it ultimately diluted their focus. 

“It was clear that we couldn’t give 100% to either business,” Shostak reflects. “We realized that if we wanted to reach our full potential, we needed to concentrate our efforts on one vision.” 

That decision to focus exclusively on Appetiser proved pivotal. With their energy fully directed toward refining their app development model, the co-founders saw the business take off at an accelerated pace. “Once we streamlined our priorities, we were able to scale smarter and faster,” Shostak says. 

The lessons learned during this period of intense focus have shaped how Appetiser operates today. Shostak believes clarity of purpose is critical to sustaining growth. “We had to learn the hard way that being spread too thin is a recipe for mediocrity,” he explains. “When you commit to one thing and do it exceptionally well, the results follow.” 

Now, with a solid foundation in place, Shostak reveals that the team is cautiously re-entering the world of side projects. He mentions a new lead generation company they’ve started building on the side, but unlike before, this venture is approached with the benefit of experience and a carefully balanced workload. “It’s about experimenting without losing focus on what’s driving your core success,” he says. 

Looking to the Future: Expanding Across Borders 

While Appetiser has made its mark in Australia and Southeast Asia, the team is increasingly turning its attention to the United States—a market that presents both significant challenges and immense opportunity. Shostak sees this expansion as the natural next step for a company that has proven its ability to deliver results across borders. 

“The U.S. is where we see enormous potential for growth,” he explains. “It’s a market that values innovation and results, and we’re confident that our approach will resonate there just as strongly as it has here.” 

For Shostak, the strategy behind expansion is as important as the destination itself. He’s clear that Appetiser isn’t interested in growth for the sake of growth; the focus remains on finding the right opportunities and ensuring the team can continue delivering exceptional outcomes. 

As Appetiser scales its operations to reach new continents, Shostak sees the company’s mission remaining steadfast. “At the end of the day, everything comes back to helping our clients succeed,” he says. “That’s what drives us, and that’s what will continue to drive us as we take this next step.” 

With a track record of success and an eye on the future, Appetiser is well-positioned to expand its reach while staying true to the principles that brought it to where it is today. By combining strategic scaling, a global workforce, and an unwavering focus on client outcomes, the company’s vision is poised to translate across borders and industries alike. 

Starting Small, Acting Fast: Lessons for Aspiring Entrepreneurs 

If there’s one insight Shostak hopes aspiring entrepreneurs take from his journey, it’s the value of simply starting. Over the years, he has seen a familiar stumbling block hinder countless would-be founders: the tendency to overanalyze and delay action. “Too many people wait for the perfect moment, the perfect product, or the perfect market conditions,” Shostak explains. “But the truth is, perfect doesn’t exist. You’ve got to start with what you have and build from there.” 

Appetiser’s origin story illustrates this principle in action. Shostak and MacRae didn’t wait for an ideal set of circumstances before launching their venture. Instead, they leaned into resourcefulness, creating a basic website, leveraging platforms like Oneflare, and making cold calls to land their first clients. “We didn’t have flashy branding or big budgets,” Shostak recalls. “What we did have was a clear value proposition and the drive to execute on it.” 

This scrappy approach gave Appetiser its first small wins, which gradually built the foundation for larger opportunities. It’s a process Shostak encourages others to adopt, especially those navigating the challenges of building something from scratch. “If you’re creating a tech product or a platform, you don’t have to start with the whole thing,” he advises. “Find one piece you can focus on—whether that’s a prototype, some initial customer feedback, or even just validating the idea. That’s how you generate momentum.” 

Momentum, he explains, is the key to breaking free from paralysis. Taking those first steps—no matter how small—helps entrepreneurs move past uncertainty and start refining their vision in real time. “It’s the action that brings clarity,” Shostak says. “You can’t think your way to a great product or business. You have to test, iterate, and improve along the way.” 

His perspective is informed not only by his own experience but also by the dozens of startups Appetiser has helped launch. Whether it’s guiding a fledgling founder through a prototype or scaling an app for millions of users, Shostak has seen time and again how progress accelerates once that first step is taken. 

For entrepreneurs feeling stuck, his advice is direct: “Don’t overcomplicate it. Start with the resources you have, find a simple way to test your idea, and build from there. Every big success story started small.” 

Appetiser’s journey—from a scrappy startup to a global powerhouse—stands as proof of the power of forward momentum. It’s a reminder that great ideas don’t require perfect conditions, just the willingness to take action and adapt along the way. And for Shostak, that’s the most valuable lesson of all: “Success doesn’t come from waiting. It comes from doing.” 

Success Factors: Why Did Appetiser App Development Succeed? 

A Client-Centered Approach 

• Empowering Startups: From the beginning, Appetiser aimed to empower startups by not just building apps, but helping them create sustainable businesses. Shostak emphasized treating each app like a startup in itself, crafting bespoke solutions tailored to their clients’ unique needs. 
• Delivering Results Quickly: By focusing on speed to market, Appetiser ensures that clients see results early, helping them gain traction and scale efficiently. 
• Measurable Impact: Appetiser’s work goes beyond app creation to help startups secure funding, achieve exponential growth, and, in some cases, go public. Their process helps businesses not just launch but thrive. 

Focus on Innovation and Iteration 

• Design-First Strategy: Introducing a standalone design phase with interactive prototypes gives clients tangible results before committing significant resources, reducing risk and creating clarity. 
• Iterative Process: Appetiser uses an agile approach to constantly refine its work. Whether it’s internal processes or client projects, they prioritize ongoing improvement. 
• Emphasis on Data: Decision-making is grounded in metrics, enabling them to create apps that are intuitive, scalable, and impactful. 

A Scalable and Flexible Business Model 

• Milestone-Based Agreements: By offering smaller contracts instead of full-project commitments, Appetiser reduced the barrier to entry for startups, allowing more businesses to test and validate their ideas. 
• Adaptable MVP Development: They develop minimum viable products quickly to help clients get to market faster while minimizing unnecessary costs. 

Resourcefulness and Scrappy Beginnings 

• Starting Lean: Shostak and MacRae began with limited resources—a simple website, cold calls, and small contracts—focusing on execution over perfection. This scrappy mindset not only created early wins but also set the tone for their resourcefulness as the business scaled. 
• Iterating Growth Systems: Early challenges pushed them to refine their sales engine with CRM tools, automation, and streamlined processes. These systems allowed the company to scale systematically and reliably. 

Global Talent and Remote Work 

• Distributed Workforce: Appetiser’s remote-first model enabled them to hire top-tier talent worldwide, ensuring cultural diversity and a global perspective on client needs. 
• Agility in Operations: Remote flexibility has allowed Appetiser to remain adaptable and maintain consistency across geographies. 

A Relentless Focus on Quality 

• Top-Tier Design: Appetiser’s focus on high-quality design is evident in their global recognition, including a top-seven ranking on Uplabs. Their work balances aesthetic appeal with usability and scalability. 
• Strong Teams: By building a team of 200+ talented professionals worldwide, Appetiser ensures their clients receive best-in-class service across all stages of development. 

Clarity of Purpose and Strategic Decisions 

• Focus Over Diversification: The decision to prioritize Appetiser over their growth marketing agency marked a turning point. This singular focus allowed the team to concentrate their energy on perfecting their app development model. 
• Targeting the Right Clients: Early on, they strategically avoided oversaturated markets, instead focusing on businesses without apps, ensuring a clear business case for their services. 

Client Success as the Core Growth Driver 

• Client Milestones: The company’s reputation is built on client achievements, such as Pointsbet, MyDeal, and Youfoodz going public. These success stories have become powerful marketing tools. 
• Word of Mouth: By delivering measurable results, Appetiser has cultivated trust and long-term relationships, leading to organic growth through client referrals. 

Founder Vision and Adaptability 

• Strategic Thinking: Shostak and MacRae’s ability to adapt to challenges—whether rethinking their business model or pivoting to scalable systems—has been critical to their success. 
• Entrepreneurial Roots: Their early experiences building from the ground up have informed their hands-on, experimental approach to both their own company and their clients’ ventures. 

Key Lessons to Learn 

1. Start Small, Act Fast: Perfection is not a prerequisite for starting. Appetiser’s founders, Shostak and MacRae, began with a bare-bones website, outbound calls, and scrappy marketing tactics to secure their first clients. Their journey underscores the importance of action over endless planning. Takeaway: Progress comes from doing, not waiting for ideal conditions. Start with the resources you have and refine as you go. 

2. Focus on Solving Real Problems: Appetiser identified gaps in the app development industry, such as lengthy scoping phases, high upfront costs, and inefficient processes. By addressing these pain points with practical solutions—like interactive prototypes and milestone-based contracts—they made their services more accessible and impactful. Takeaway: Success often lies in understanding your target market’s unmet needs and solving them in a way that reduces friction for customers. 

3. Be Resourceful and Adaptable: The early days of Appetiser were marked by ingenuity and grit. The founders tapped into affordable lead generation platforms, created simple but effective marketing strategies, and targeted businesses strategically. When they faced challenges, they adapted by refining their processes and tools, such as implementing CRM systems to build a scalable sales engine. Takeaway: Resourcefulness and adaptability are critical in the early stages of a business. Don’t be afraid to pivot, test, and refine your approach based on what works. 

4. Value the Power of Iteration: Both internally and with their clients, Appetiser embraced an iterative mindset. They treated every project as a chance to learn, test, and improve. By focusing on launching MVPs (minimum viable products) quickly and refining based on user feedback, they helped clients achieve traction while minimizing costs. Takeaway: Iteration drives innovation. Launch, measure results, and refine constantly—it’s the fastest path to success. 

5. Prioritize Your Focus: Shostak and MacRae initially ran both Appetiser and a growth marketing agency but realized that splitting their attention limited their potential. Once they committed fully to Appetiser, the company grew rapidly, cementing its place as a global player in app development. Takeaway: Trying to do too much at once can dilute your efforts. Focusing on one core vision allows you to build deeper expertise and achieve exponential growth. 

6. Make the Client’s Success Your Success: Appetiser’s approach centers on empowering clients to succeed, not just delivering projects. By helping startups like Pointsbet, MyDeal, and Youfoodz achieve massive milestones (such as going public or raising capital), Appetiser turned their clients’ wins into their most powerful marketing tool. Takeaway: When you prioritize your clients’ growth and success, you not only earn their trust but also generate referrals and long-term loyalty. 

7. Create Flexible, Accessible Services: By introducing milestone-based contracts and a standalone design phase, Appetiser lowered the barrier to entry for startups, allowing them to make smaller, lower-risk investments while validating their ideas. This approach appealed to clients of all sizes, from bootstrapped entrepreneurs to established brands. Takeaway: Flexibility and affordability can open your business to a wider market. Structure your offerings to meet clients where they are. 

8. Invest in People, Not Just Processes: Appetiser’s remote-first model allowed them to recruit top-tier talent globally. Their distributed team gave them a competitive edge by providing diverse perspectives and a deeper understanding of international markets. Takeaway: Building a world-class team is one of the best investments you can make. Talent, regardless of location, is what drives innovation and customer satisfaction. 

9. Use Prototypes to Validate Ideas: Appetiser’s focus on interactive prototypes helped clients clarify their ideas, secure funding, and build confidence before committing to full development. Prototypes bridged the gap between concept and execution, saving time and money for both the company and its clients. Takeaway: Testing ideas early—whether through prototypes, MVPs, or customer feedback—is essential to validating concepts and reducing risk. 

10. Leverage Global Talent for Agility and Scale: By embracing remote work, Appetiser built a global workforce of 200+ team members without being tethered to physical offices. This distributed model not only allowed them to attract the best talent but also gave them 24/7 operational flexibility across time zones. Takeaway: Remote and global teams can enable rapid scaling and agility, especially when structured thoughtfully. 

11. Let Data and Results Drive Growth: Appetiser’s focus on data-informed decision-making allowed them to create scalable, user-friendly apps while helping clients achieve measurable outcomes. These outcomes—like securing funding or reaching millions of users—became a powerful magnet for new business. Takeaway: Use data to guide your strategies and let your results speak for themselves. When you show measurable success, growth becomes easier to sustain. 

12. Stay Open to Experimentation: Even as Appetiser scaled, the team retained an entrepreneurial mindset. Shostak mentioned exploring side projects, like a lead generation company, as a way to stay innovative without losing focus on their core business. Takeaway: Never stop experimenting. Controlled risks and side projects can fuel innovation and keep your business competitive. 

13. Scale Thoughtfully, Not Recklessly: Appetiser grew with purpose, choosing markets and clients strategically rather than chasing unsustainable growth. They also carefully planned their entry into the competitive U.S. market, knowing it required thoughtful execution to succeed. Takeaway: Scaling a business is about quality, not just quantity. Choose your opportunities wisely to build long-term success. 

14. Your Best Marketing is Word of Mouth: By delivering real, measurable results for clients, Appetiser earned organic referrals and built a reputation that fueled inbound demand. Client success stories like IPOs and funding rounds became their most effective form of marketing. Takeaway: Focus on creating value that people want to talk about. Happy clients are your best ambassadors. 

Opportunity Matrix 

Founder Background 

Jamie Shostak brought expertise in growth marketing, while Michael MacRae had significant experience in app development, including building apps with millions of users. Their complementary skill sets provided a strong foundation for the business. 

Problem Identification 

Traditional app development models involved high upfront costs, lengthy scoping phases, and lacked user-driven, iterative processes. This left startups and businesses unable to justify investment or achieve rapid market entry. 

Market Opportunity 

The growing demand for custom apps across industries—particularly from startups and mid-sized businesses—created an opening for a developer that could prioritize speed, scalability, and client outcomes while reducing financial risks. 

Competitive Landscape 

Competitors included larger app development firms with expensive, rigid processes and smaller firms lacking a structured, results-driven approach. Appetiser differentiated itself through its design-first strategy and milestone-based contracts. 

Market Research 

Shostak and MacRae validated the market by identifying unmet client needs, particularly around affordability, speed to market, and high-quality design. Initial research focused on targeting businesses that didn’t already have apps to ensure a clear business case. 

Business Model 

Appetiser adopted a milestone-based pricing model that lowered the barrier to entry for clients. Their approach included an interactive design phase followed by MVP development, allowing clients to validate ideas and scale investment incrementally. 

Initial Capital 

The company was bootstrapped with no external funding. The founders relied on resourceful tactics like creating a simple website, using lead generation platforms (e.g., Oneflare, ServiceSeeking), and cold calling to acquire their first clients. 

Product/Service Development 

Focused on creating interactive prototypes during the design phase, followed by the development of scalable MVPs. This iterative, user-driven process allowed clients to refine their products before committing significant resources. 

Marketing Strategy 

Initial marketing efforts included outbound sales (cold calls, targeted pitches) and leveraging platforms like Facebook, Google Ads, Oneflare, and ServiceSeeking. Over time, Appetiser built an inbound sales engine using CRM tools, automation, and referrals driven by client success stories. 

Milestones 

Early milestones included securing their first two clients through cold outreach. Key achievements later included ranking 7th globally on Uplabs, employing 200+ team members, generating $8 million in annual revenue, and helping clients like Pointsbet, MyDeal, and Youfoodz go public. 

Scalability 

A remote-first model allowed Appetiser to tap into global talent, ensuring scalability without geographic limitations. Their milestone-based contracts and MVP development model enabled scalability for clients, making the process cost-efficient and agile. 

Potential Risks and Challenges 

Early risks included inconsistent client acquisition and cash flow challenges due to a lack of predictable growth systems. As the business grew, maintaining quality while scaling globally and entering competitive markets like the U.S. became potential challenges. 

Key Performance Indicators/Metrics 

Key metrics included client success milestones (e.g., IPOs, funding rounds, user acquisition), Appetiser’s revenue growth (reaching $8M annually), global team expansion (200+ employees), and external recognition (e.g., Uplabs ranking).