I've been working on my idea for over 4 years. Here's how many hats I've had to put on so far.

Some people choose to outsource and delegate. Others do everything by themselves. Both ways have their pros and cons. I have been doing everything on my own for over 4 years now.I hope this will help someone at the start of their journey to make the right decision.Design. I came up with the idea for my project while starting a job at a small agency as a web designer. Up until then, I only dabbled in brand design for some freelance clients. Everything I learned during work I brought back home and implemented in my side project. Soon the agency was bought out by a bigger one.Development. The MVP came out soon after. A friend coded up a WP site that was a feature-lacking version of the final one. We had some minor success, but I was convinced that the project had no future without the features that WordPress couldn't provide. I had some amateur knowledge in HTML, CSS, and JS, so I started learning React for the front-end and Firebase Functions (basically Node.js) for the back.Copywriting. While still working as a web designer at the agency and slowly coding my web app from the ground up, I began volunteering to do some web copy for the clients since we didn't have a dedicated person. Soon I saw a job ad for an in-house creative copywriter, so I jumped ship. This is where I am now.Marketing. Coincidentally, I'm part of a marketing team that handles massive amounts of advertising money. This has been one of the most fruitful learning experiences so far. Everything I learn at my day job I bring back and implement in my side project: UX copy, landing page copy, ad ideas for future campaigns, and the overall marketing strategy. Working here also helped me better understand my target audience's underlying desire and how to tap into it.Video editing. This is still fresh, but since the app is scheduled to release early this fall, I've started making a video ad explaining its core functionalities. I've repurposed Principle – an app originally intended to create prototypes – to make the animations and record them as MP4.So far, this is it. Even if the project doesn't work out, I've gained more (knowledge) than I've lost (time). But to be honest, I'm exhausted. Sometimes I think that maybe I should've taken the other path. The app would've probably already been released. I would've known by now if it's a failure and if I should move on. But it's 4 years too late for that. For me, at least.If you're going to take the same path as me, know that you can learn a lot, but it will take a hell of a lot more time and everything that might come with it. Be sure to make the most of it. see hubwealthy.com/wealthy