Siblings Launch a Startup With No-Code | Say Hello to LLoyd: The Waze for Your Career
One Qualitative Note: We have spent over 600 hours working directly with our end users and are seeing interest from people across the globe.
Platforms like Adalo (Adalo is a no-code app builder for database-driven web apps and native iOS and Android apps—one version across all three platforms, published to the Apple App Store and Google Play.) are enabling entrepreneurs to rapidly transform their ideas into functional products without traditional development barriers. With over 3 million apps created on the platform and a visual builder described as "easy as PowerPoint," non-technical founders are launching production-ready applications in weeks rather than months.
The Inspiration Behind Lloyd
How did you come up with Lloyd, and when did you know this was something you wanted to pursue?
According to researcher Dr. Meg Jay, 80% of life-defining moments happen by age 35. Yet most young professionals can't afford expensive executive coaching or professional development programs to address their career needs. Enter Lloyd, which started as a concept to create more structure, accountability, and personalization for people in their career.
We started working with anyone that would talk with us: friends, family, friends of friends. Soon people started paying for our offerings and we knew there might be something here. As we consolidated our learnings and began to deeply understand the issues individuals face in their career, we turned our attention to productizing these learnings. Enter the Adalo platform.
Why Choose an AI-Powered App Builder
What led you to pursue Adalo to build out Lloyd?
We explored many avenues: full-time developers, on-shore contractors, off-shore contractors, various app building platforms. Our instincts usually err on action, and we recognized that with Adalo we could start building right away. This decreased execution risks while simultaneously being much lower cost than alternative development options.
Starting at $36/month with unlimited usage and no record caps on the database, Adalo offered a clear path forward without the uncertainty of usage-based charges that platforms like Bubble introduce with their Workload Units. We needed predictable costs as a bootstrapped startup.
What Set Adalo Apart
I'm sure you both did a lot of research into app building platforms. What set Adalo apart from the pack?
The marketing and explainer videos from Adalo were very clear and made us comfortable understanding the direction we could go with the platform. Furthermore, one feature that made it very compelling for us was the built-in database with no storage constraints. Being able to build screens and workflows on top of an actively connected database made building very seamless for us.
We looked at alternatives like Glide, but their template-focused approach felt restrictive for the personalized experience we wanted to create. Flutterflow required too much technical knowledge—it's really designed for developers, and we'd need to set up and manage a separate database. With Adalo, there really were very few barriers for us to start building.
The 100-Day Journey
You two have been working on this business for a little over 100 days… What's the journey been like and how has Adalo helped you achieve your goals?
We have been working on the business since early 2020 but only have been building on Adalo for a little over 100 days. The first ~10 days were about exploring the possibilities of the platform. From there, we created a formalized product development structure and started hitting on all cylinders.
We had our first users start testing after about 30 days, and launched on Product Hunt 104 days after signing up. Here is a look at our tech stack today:
The speed of iteration has been remarkable. With Adalo's modular infrastructure—which now scales to serve apps with over 1 million monthly active users—we're confident Lloyd can grow without hitting technical ceilings. The platform processes over 20 million data requests daily with 99%+ uptime across all apps built on it.
Advice for Family Business Partners
As a brother/sister duo, what sort of advice would you two give to family members who are thinking about going into business together?
A big learning is to set clear expectations about your goals, the direction of the business, and your specific roles. We have met many sibling, couple, or family-member teams along our Lloyd journey. It may be a good idea for some, and a not-so-good idea for others.
To start, think about your goals and make sure that everyone is aligned to those goals just like you would if you weren't family members. You need to be able to treat the business like a business for it to be successful!
Getting Started with App Building
What would you tell someone who is curious about using Adalo in regards to the path forward? How does it change the equation for those who are non-technical?
We believe that AI-powered app builders like Adalo democratize creativity. To give folks confidence: we are two non-technical co-founders. Our biggest piece of advice is this: get started!
Ada, Adalo's AI builder, lets you describe what you want and generates your app. Magic Start creates complete app foundations from a description, while Magic Add adds features through natural language.
The barriers to entry are practically zero. Adalo offers freemium plans, requires minimal technical knowledge (if any), and provides lots of templates and tutorials to help you get started. Features like Magic Start can generate complete app foundations from a simple description—tell it you need a career coaching app, and it creates your database structure, screens, and user flows automatically.
So if you are thinking about starting something or launching a company… start it today! With one codebase publishing to web, iOS App Store, and Android Play Store, you can reach billions of potential users without wrestling with certificates, provisioning profiles, and store guidelines.
Target Audience and Growth Strategy
Who is your target audience? How do you plan on reaching them?
Our target audience is anyone in the first two decades of their career who are looking to navigate their careers. Think of Lloyd as Waze for your career.
We reach our members through a few channels, including online marketing, events and partnerships, and referrals from our current members. We aim to provide an extremely high level of service and support for each of our members, and our preference is to grow organically as much as possible.
Dreams for the Future
Finally, what are your dreams for Lloyd going into the future and how will Adalo help you achieve those?
Our goal is to have thousands of members using Lloyd to take their career to the next level. Adalo allows us to iterate fast as we continue to build upon our MVP, in pursuit of delivering value to our members.
With the platform's recent infrastructure overhaul making apps 3-4x faster and removing all data caps on paid plans, we're positioned to scale without worrying about hitting technical limits or unexpected charges. We wouldn't be where we are without the power Adalo gives us to build for our members.
About the Creators
Dan and Nikki are a very insightful team and we could not be more happy to have them building out their dreams on Adalo! They recently hit an exciting milestone by launching on Product Hunt. You can check that out here. We want to thank them for taking the time to answer some questions for us and we urge the Adalo community to take a look at the neat service they have put together.
Learn more at:
FAQ
Why choose Adalo over other app building solutions?
Adalo is an AI-powered app builder that creates true native iOS and Android apps from a single codebase. Unlike web wrappers, it compiles to native code and publishes directly to both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Starting at $36/month with unlimited usage and no database record caps, it offers predictable pricing without the complexity of usage-based charges.
What's the fastest way to build and publish an app to the App Store?
Adalo's drag-and-drop interface and AI-assisted building let you go from idea to published app in days rather than months. Features like Magic Start generate complete app foundations from descriptions, and the platform handles the complex App Store submission process—certificates, provisioning profiles, and store guidelines are managed for you.
Can I build a career coaching or professional development app without coding experience?
Yes. Like the Lloyd team—two non-technical co-founders—you can create database-driven applications with user workflows, personalized content, and accountability features using Adalo's intuitive visual builder. The platform is described as "easy as PowerPoint" by users.
How long does it typically take to launch an app using Adalo?
Based on the Lloyd case study, you can have users testing your app within 30 days and launch publicly in around 100 days. The first 10 days are typically spent exploring the platform's possibilities, after which you can quickly move into formalized product development and iteration.
Does Adalo include a built-in database for my app?
Yes, Adalo includes a built-in database that's actively connected to your screens and workflows. Paid plans have no record limits, and with proper data relationship setups, apps can scale beyond 1 million monthly active users. This eliminates the need to source, set up, and pay for separate database infrastructure.
How does Adalo compare to Bubble for mobile apps?
Bubble's mobile solution is a wrapper for their web app, which can introduce performance challenges at scale. Bubble starts at $59/month with usage-based Workload Unit charges and record limits. Adalo creates true native mobile apps starting at $36/month with unlimited usage, no record caps, and automatic updates across web, iOS, and Android from one codebase.
Is Adalo better than Glide or Flutterflow for non-technical founders?
For non-technical founders, Adalo offers significant advantages. Glide restricts you to set templates with limited creative freedom and doesn't support App Store publishing. Flutterflow is designed for technical users and requires setting up a separate database. Adalo's visual builder and built-in database let non-technical founders build custom apps without these barriers.
How does Adalo help reduce the risks and costs of launching a startup?
Adalo decreases execution risks by allowing you to start building immediately without hiring developers or contractors. At $36/month with unlimited usage, it's significantly lower cost than traditional development options, and the removal of usage-based App Actions means no surprise bills as your user base grows.