Diego Flores

The teenager behind Outfiter

To all the people who pursue their dreams:

Creating an app is often perceived as a task that requires a large team of experienced professionals. However, I am here to challenge that notion. I started my journey in app development at the age of 13, learning the fundamentals of coding and Swift through documentation, books, and YouTube tutorials. As I progressed, I realized that the best way to improve and gain experience was by working on my own projects.

Some of my initial projects included a dice app, an alarms app, a mini video game with buttons, a "Twitter" clone, and even a "Tinder" clone for pet adoption. Among these projects was Outfiter, which initially began as a school project for my sister. However, I recognized its potential and decided to pursue it as a marketable app. I temporarily paused Outfiter in December 2021 to explore another project, further enhancing my skills.

On July 12th, 2022, just before my 16th birthday, I resumed working on Outfiter. I began by redesigning the user interface and improving the underlying algorithm. While I had ambitious ideas during the summer, I soon realized that they would not provide the best user experience. Undeterred, I continued making progress and by September, Outfiter was closer to becoming a reality.

In October, I uploaded my first TikTok video about Outfiter, which unexpectedly gained tremendous attention. Overnight, it garnered over 300,000 views, eventually reaching a million by the end of the day. The positive reception from the viewers fueled my motivation. In December, I shared my most popular TikTok video, which reached over 6 million people.

As 2023 began, I faced challenges in my personal life, including changes at school and strained relationships with people I had recently met and valued. Despite these difficulties, I was determined to persevere. I received some donations and was supported by around 80,000 people on TikTok who believed in my project, which encouraged me to keep pushing forward.

In February, I learned the importance of registering my trademark, intellectual property, and author's rights. With my father's assistance, I sought legal advice to understand and navigate these procedures. While it was complex, I recognized the significance of following the correct protocols and remained patient throughout the process.

By the end of May, I had completed coding Outfiter 1.0 and began working on the necessary requirements for uploading it to the App Store. This website serves as one of those requirements, where I provide my Privacy Policy and other relevant information. If you are reading this, you now know the story behind the project, and who knows, perhaps you will be inspired to achieve something remarkable as well.

In conclusion, I would like to share some advice and leave you with a thought. Life is precious, and we only have one chance to make the most of it. We accumulate countless experiences along the way, and the key to progress is to learn from them. I often envision my life as a rocket, aiming to reach great heights and make a difference. Just like a rocket needs boosters to propel it forward, our lives require failures, experiences, and people who push us to succeed. However, it is crucial to let go of those boosters once they have served their purpose, recognizing that failures aren't setbacks, experiences belong to the past, and not everyone is meant to accompany us on our journey. That's okay because you, too, will be a booster for others. The important thing is to know where you want to go and, more importantly, where you don't want to go.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Together, let's embrace the adventure of life and strive for greatness.

- 02/06/23