An Interview With WillowTree Apps Founder and CTO, Michael Prichard

“There’s a difference between your friends thinking something is cool and getting a company to care enough to write you a check so you can actually eat.”
–Michael Prichard

Michael Prichard has ridden a rocket from being a one-man independent contractor to being the founder of an Inc. 500 fastest growing company. He is the founder and CTO of mobile software company WillowTree Apps. Find out how he did it, while balancing being a father of a newborn along the way.

In this interview, you’ll find out:

5:23 How did you decide to change your focus in what you worked on?
8:05 How do you know when you’re taking your business down a rabbit hole?
10:51 What led you to decide to bootstrap compared to getting outside funding (including IP issues with customer-funded development)
15:16 How do you make your company stand out in a crowded marketplace?
17:45 Moving from a one-man gang to a 40 person company – how did you manage that transition?
20:24 How did you know when it was time to hire someone?
22:04 Balancing being an entrepreneur and a father of a newborn
27:03 What happens when you don’t land a customer…how do you keep going?
28:37 What’s the one lesson you have for aspiring entrepreneurs who want to found a technology company?

Bonus: Watch the whole video to find out how Michael and Jay-Z are connected

Without further ado, here’s Michael!

An Interview with WillowTree Apps Founder Michael Prichard

What did you think of this interview? Are there other people you’d like to see me interview or topics you’d like to see me cover? Tell us about it in the comments below!

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John Davis

John Davis is a nationally recognized expert on credit reporting, credit scoring, and identity theft. He has written four books about his expertise in the field and has been featured extensively in numerous media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, CNN, CBS News, CNBC, Fox Business, and many more. With over 20 years of experience helping consumers understand their credit and identity protection rights, John is passionate about empowering people to take control of their finances. He works with financial institutions to develop consumer-friendly policies that promote financial literacy and responsible borrowing habits.