From Vision to App Store: 9 Lessons from Launching Our First Client App

2026-01-19 • by Will Coulter

Picture this: It’s 2 AM, you’ve resubmitted your app for the third time this week, and Apple’s reviewers have sent back another rejection—this time because your location permission description was five words too vague. Your marketing team is breathing down your neck about launch dates, your founder is refreshing App Store Connect every fifteen minutes, and you’re starting to wonder if “Waiting for Review” is actually just a permanent status, not a temporary one.

We’ve been there. Last week, we got to pop the champagne for a milestone we’ll never forget: our first complete app launch, from initial concept to App Store approval. For Earthlings, a wellness app connecting the holistic community with accessible tools and ancient wisdom, we navigated every pothole, requirement, and unexpected hurdle that Apple’s review process could throw at us.

While I personally come from an app development background, our company had primarily focused on web development before this project. What we learned during this journey fundamentally transformed how we approach client work—and made us significantly better partners for anyone considering a mobile app launch.

Here’s everything we wish someone had told us before we started, organized into nine hard-won lessons that will save you weeks of frustration, thousands of dollars, and countless sleepless nights.

Meet Earthlings: The App That Put Us Through App Store Boot Camp

Before diving into the technical lessons, let’s talk about the client who made this learning experience possible. Earthlings is the brainchild of Anna Severina, a founder dedicated to making wellness feel human, not hard. The app weaves together gentle education, ancient wisdom, and everyday rituals to help people feel more grounded, alive, and in rhythm with the natural world.

But here’s where it gets interesting: Earthlings isn’t just another meditation app. It’s an ambitious platform combining a business directory, event listings, social media features, and even an AI-powered barcode scanner companion. In retrospect, launching with this scope was like learning to swim by jumping into the deep end—challenging, but incredibly educational.

Lesson 1: Test Internally Like Your Launch Date Depends On It (Because It Does)

The Reality: Apple’s App Store review process now averages one to two days for most submissions, but that’s only if everything goes smoothly on your first try. Each rejection resets the clock, and you’re back at the end of the queue.

We learned this the hard way. Every bug we missed internally became a delay measured in days, not hours. The app store approval process is thorough—reviewers don’t just glance at your app; they actually use it, test edge cases, and verify every permission you’ve requested.

What You Should Do:

• Create a dedicated internal testing environment before even thinking about submission
• Test every user flow from start to finish, not just the happy paths
• Focus heavily on edge cases: What happens when users deny permissions? When network connections drop? When they enter unexpected data?
• Build a testing checklist that maps to Apple’s review guidelines
• Remember: finding a crash bug during internal testing takes 15 minutes to fix; finding it during App Store review adds a week to your timeline

The Business Impact: For our clients, this means we now build comprehensive testing phases into every timeline. We’ve learned that two extra days of internal testing can save two weeks of launch delays. When you’re coordinating marketing campaigns, press releases, and user acquisition budgets, that difference matters enormously.

Lesson 2: Scope Ambition Carefully—Or Prepare for Extended Timelines

Here’s a truth bomb: We wanted to give Anna everything she envisioned for Earthlings. Directory features, event management, social networking, AI-powered tools—the works. And we delivered it. But if rapid market testing had been the primary goal, we would have counseled a different approach.

The Complexity Tax: Each additional feature multiplies testing requirements exponentially. Our social media component needed testing for posts, comments, user blocking, content reporting, and privacy controls. The barcode scanner required camera permissions, AI model testing, and fallback behaviors. The directory demanded location permissions, distance calculations, and map integrations.

Smart Scoping Strategies:

• For market validation: Launch with your core value proposition only. Test demand before building everything.
• For comprehensive launches: Build in phases, but extend your timeline by 50-100% for testing.
• For our situation: We had an ambitious founder with a clear vision and the patience for a thorough launch. Perfect, but not every scenario fits this model.

What This Means for Clients: We now have detailed conversations about the tradeoff between feature richness and speed to market. There’s no wrong answer—only informed choices about what matters most for your specific business goals.

Lesson 3: Apple’s Permission Wording Requirements Are Stricter Than You Think

This might sound trivial, but permission request wording became one of our most frequent rejection reasons. Apple requires apps to clearly identify what data they collect, how they collect it, and all uses of that data.

What Doesn’t Work: ❌ “Earthlings needs your location to show directory” ❌ “We need camera access for features” ❌ “This app uses your data to improve experience”

What Apple Requires: ✅ “Earthlings requires your precise location to display nearby holistic businesses, calculate accurate distances, and provide relevant local content” ✅ “Camera access is required to scan product barcodes and identify wellness products” ✅ “We collect usage data to personalize content recommendations and improve app performance”

The Pattern: Every permission must specify:

1. Why the permission is needed (specific feature, not vague “functionality”)
2. Whether it’s required or optional
3. Exactly how the data will be used
4. What happens if permission is denied (for optional permissions)

Implementation Tip: Write your permission descriptions assuming the reviewer knows nothing about your app and is actively looking for reasons to require more clarity. Because that’s exactly what’s happening.

Lesson 4: Sign In With Apple Isn’t Optional (And Has Specific Requirements)

If your app includes any third-party authentication (Google, Facebook, email/password), Apple now mandates that you also offer Sign In with Apple as an option. This isn’t a suggestion—it’s a requirement that will block your approval.

The Integration Challenges:

• Sign In with Apple has its own unique authentication flow that doesn’t map one-to-one with other OAuth providers
• User privacy settings can hide email addresses, requiring your backend to handle Apple’s proxy emails
• Token refresh patterns differ from other providers
• The UI requirements are specific (button styling, placement, prominence)

What We Implemented:

• Created a unified authentication abstraction layer that treats all providers equally
• Built backend handlers for Apple’s relay email system
• Designed UI that gives equal visual weight to all sign-in options
• Implemented proper fallback handling for users who later revoke Apple sign-in access

Business Value for Clients: This experience means we now architect authentication systems from the start with multi-provider support, reducing friction when platform requirements change.

Lesson 5: React Native Isn’t Just React—Budget Learning Time Accordingly

Coming from a web development background, we assumed React Native would feel mostly familiar. We were half right. The concepts transfer, but the execution differs significantly.

Key Differences We Encountered:

• Component libraries are different: Web UI libraries don’t work; you need React Native-specific alternatives
• Styling behaves differently: Flexbox is there, but with platform-specific quirks
• Navigation is entirely different: react-router doesn’t exist; React Navigation works completely differently
• Platform-specific code is inevitable: iOS and Android sometimes need different implementations
• The bridge architecture matters: Understanding how JavaScript communicates with native code becomes crucial for performance

Time Investment: Even experienced React developers should budget a week for the mental model shift. For our team, that initial learning curve cost us about 40 hours of unexpected development time.

Client Takeaway: When we estimate mobile projects now, we explicitly account for this transition period, even with experienced developers. It’s not about skill—it’s about platform-specific knowledge that takes time to acquire.

Lesson 6: Debugging Mobile Apps Is a Different Beast Entirely

On the web, debugging is straightforward: open Chrome DevTools, inspect elements, check the console, set breakpoints. The feedback loop is instant. Mobile development? Not so much.

React Native debugging presents unique challenges compared to web development, with limited error context and platform-specific behaviors making the process more complex.

The Debugging Challenges:

• No direct element inspection: You can’t just right-click and inspect like in a browser
• Simulator limitations: Some bugs only appear on physical devices
• Less descriptive errors: Stack traces often point to framework files, not your code
• Performance profiling is harder: FPS drops and memory issues require platform-specific tools
• Network debugging requires setup: Unlike browser DevTools, you need tools like Flipper or Reactotron

Our Tool Stack:

• Sentry: For production error tracking and crash reporting
• Expo tools: For build management and remote updates
• React Native Debugger: For state inspection and network monitoring
• Physical devices: Mandatory for final testing; simulators miss critical issues

What Changed for Our Workflow: We now build debugging time into sprint planning and maintain a device testing lab. UI bugs that would take 5 minutes to fix on web can take an hour on mobile simply because of the feedback loop.

Lesson 7: Package Management and Version Updates Are Fragile

In web development, updating dependencies is usually straightforward. React Native with Expo? It’s a minefield.

The Reality We Faced:

• Expo version updates sometimes broke the entire project
• Some breaking changes only became apparent during weekly builds
• Native module incompatibilities aren’t caught until build time
• Dependency resolution can fail in ways that aren’t obvious

Our Hard-Won Best Practices:

• Never update Expo versions mid-sprint: Schedule updates for dedicated maintenance windows
• Test builds weekly: Don’t wait until submission to discover a broken dependency
• Lock versions aggressively: Use exact versions in package.json, not semver ranges
• Maintain a change log: Document every dependency update and why it happened
• Have rollback plans: Keep the last working package.json committed separately

Business Impact: For clients, this means we structure contracts with maintenance windows and test every update in a staging environment before touching production. Your app’s stability depends on disciplined dependency management.

Lesson 8: You Need Apple Hardware to Build iOS Apps (Seriously)

This seems obvious in hindsight, but it’s worth stating explicitly: if you want to build iOS apps, you need Apple devices. Not just for development—for everything.

The Requirements:

• iPhone or iPad: Essential for real device testing (simulators miss touch issues, performance problems, and device-specific bugs)
• Mac computer: Mandatory if you want to build the app yourself rather than relying on Expo’s cloud build service (EAS)
• Apple Developer account: $99/year for distribution access

Why This Matters:

• Simulators don’t perfectly replicate device performance
• Touch interactions feel different on real hardware
• Camera features, Face ID, and other hardware features require physical testing
• Some bugs only appear on specific device models
• Building without a Mac is possible through EAS but limits your control and debugging ability

What We Tell Clients: Factor Apple hardware into project budgets. A base model Mac Mini and a couple of test devices represent a reasonable investment for serious iOS development. Trying to build iOS apps without Apple hardware is like trying to test a website without actually opening a browser.

Lesson 9: The Submission Process Made Our Product Dramatically Better

Here’s the silver lining in all these challenges: the app we released was vastly superior to what we had a month before submission.

The Transformation:

• Performance optimization: We found and fixed memory leaks we’d never noticed
• User experience refinement: Apple’s feedback forced us to clarify confusing flows
• Privacy compliance: We implemented more robust data handling practices
• Error handling: We added graceful fallbacks for edge cases we’d overlooked
• Polish: Details we’d considered “nice to have” became mandatory

The Before and After: When we compare screenshots from a month before submission to the launched version, they’re almost unrecognizable. The submission process forced a level of quality control we wouldn’t have achieved otherwise.

Client Value: This experience taught us that Apple’s strict requirements, while frustrating, ultimately protect user experience and app quality. We now use Apple’s review guidelines as a quality checklist even during development, not just before submission.

Your App Store Launch Checklist: What We Use Now

Based on everything we learned, here’s the comprehensive checklist we now use for every App Store submission:

Pre-Development Phase

• Define minimum viable feature set vs. full vision
• Budget for Apple Developer account ($99/year)
• Acquire necessary Apple hardware (Mac, iPhone/iPad for testing)
• Draft initial privacy policy covering all data collection
• Document all required permissions with specific use cases

Development Phase

• Set up Sentry or similar error tracking early
• Create internal testing environment
• Write permission descriptions using Apple’s required format
• Implement Sign In with Apple if using any authentication
• Design for both iOS and Android from the start (don’t assume parity)
• Lock dependency versions in package.json
• Schedule weekly builds to catch breaking changes early

Pre-Submission Testing

• Test every user flow on physical devices (not just simulators)
• Verify all permission requests work and have clear descriptions
• Test edge cases: denied permissions, network failures, unexpected inputs
• Review app against Apple’s App Review Guidelines
• Verify privacy policy accuracy and accessibility
• Test on multiple iOS versions and device sizes
• Remove all debug console.log statements
• Test the submission process in TestFlight first

Submission Preparation

• Prepare app screenshots for all required device sizes
• Write compelling app description optimized for keywords
• Create app preview video (optional but recommended)
• Set up App Store Connect completely (pricing, regions, etc.)
• Provide test credentials if app requires login
• Write reviewer notes explaining complex features
• Verify all metadata matches actual app functionality

Post-Submission

• Monitor submission status daily in App Store Connect
• Respond to reviewer feedback within 24 hours
• Keep the development team on standby for quick fixes
• Prepare rollback plan if critical issues are found
• Plan for the first update cycle (bug fixes from early users)

Version Updates

• Test all Expo/package updates in separate branch first
• Run weekly builds to catch integration issues early
• Maintain compatibility with supported iOS versions
• Document all changes in a changelog
• Retest all critical user flows after dependency updates

How This Makes Us Better Partners for Mobile App Clients

The most valuable outcome of this experience isn’t just the technical knowledge—it’s the realistic understanding of what mobile app development actually requires.

We Now Provide:

1. Honest timeline estimates that account for platform learning curves, testing requirements, and approval processes
2. Transparent scope conversations about the tradeoffs between features and time to market
3. Proactive risk management around dependency updates, platform changes, and compatibility
4. Quality-first approaches that use Apple’s standards as our baseline, not our ceiling
5. Hardware and infrastructure planning as part of project kickoffs, not afterthoughts

The Earthlings Success Story: Anna’s vision is now live in the App Store. Users are discovering local wellness businesses, connecting with the holistic community, and accessing ancient wisdom through modern technology. The app does everything we promised—and we got there with our eyes wide open about what the journey would require.

More importantly, every challenge we faced with Earthlings has become institutional knowledge that benefits every client who comes after. We’re not learning on your dime anymore—we’re applying hard-won experience.

Ready to Launch Your App? Let’s Talk Honestly

If you’re considering a mobile app launch, we’d love to talk—not to sell you something, but to have an honest conversation about what you’re trying to achieve and whether an app is the right solution.

Some questions we’ll ask:

• What problem are you solving that requires a mobile app specifically?
• How important is speed to market versus feature completeness?
• Do you have budget for ongoing maintenance and updates?
• What’s your strategy for user acquisition post-launch?
• Have you validated demand for your core features?

We’ll tell you if we think you should start with a web app, build a phased launch strategy, or go all-in on a full-featured mobile experience. Because the best client relationships are built on honest guidance, not just saying yes to every project that walks in the door.

The app store journey is challenging, humbling, and ultimately rewarding. We’ve made the mistakes so you don’t have to. Now we’re ready to put that experience to work for you.

Have questions about launching your own app? Drop us a message—we love talking shop about mobile development, even if you’re not ready to become a client yet. And if you found this helpful, share it with another founder who’s considering taking the app store plunge.