[Iter-X] 31/100days

Day3️⃣1️⃣

Today, I imported some POI data and conducted a full-text search. Tomorrow, I’ll continue working on the AI workflow. I also had a chat with two product teammates, and along with my recent thoughts, I took some time to brainstorm ideas.

Lately, I came across another person doing a “Build in Public 100 Days” challenge, also working on a travel app. Several friends mentioned it to me today and even asked if we were on the same team—haha. This also led me to write an article yesterday reflecting on our product, going back to the core idea, and defining why our product can survive in the market, what makes it different, and what value it brings to users. This actually helped me further clarify my thoughts. I believe delivering a good product to the market isn’t the hard part—survival is. Entering the travel planning app space sometimes feels like “seeking my own demise.” After all, the dominant players in this industry are OTAs (Online Travel Agencies), which hold the key B2B resources and have massive user bases—an enormous moat. On the other hand, many products that started as tools have struggled to monetize, leading to shutdowns. Another challenge is the low barrier to entry—many people can build similar products, and independent creators often go for small, niche, and paid products.

So, why start despite all this? Anyone with some business knowledge can analyze these challenges, but I believe the world still needs a bit of irrationality and courage. Andrea used a word today that I found fitting—Utopia. Deep down, my rational self still holds a touch of impulsive passion, perhaps influenced by my wild, self-taught experience in the arts. I enjoy painting bold strokes of creativity against a logical backdrop.

Right now, no single app allows me to fully manage my travel experience from start to finish. Travelers today are “Frankenstein users,” constantly piecing together information from different sources, recording bits here and there. Travel can be a one-time, fleeting joy or a lifelong collection of experiences—it all depends on how you define it. I want to create an app that I can use for a lifetime.

Current Progress:

• Prototype & UI/UX Design: 28%
• Backend (Go) Development: 27%
• Client (Flutter) Development: 8%
• Data: 8%

If you match the following criteria, let’s talk! (We’re looking for a UI designer 👾)

1. Commitment
2. Dreams
3. Passion & Interest