Indie Spotlight: Building Small but Mighty — Interview with the Developer Behind Zen Works

Zen Works is a lightweight productivity suite created by a solo developer that has earned a loyal base of users. We spoke with founder and developer Lian Park about design philosophy, monetization, and maintaining momentum as a one-person team.

About the Developer

Lian Park is an indie developer who previously worked at a mid-size software studio. After launching a popular widget and a small note app, Lian consolidated features into Zen Works — a suite focused on rapid capture and minimal distraction.

Core Philosophy

'Design for the task, not the checkbox. If users can't complete their work in two taps, you made the wrong trade-off.' — Lian Park

Interview Highlights

Q: What motivated you to build Zen Works?

A: I wanted a suite of tools that fit into my day without demanding attention. There's a lot of app noise; I wanted something that respects attention and can be used with muscle memory.

Q: How do you decide which features to add?

A: I rarely add features from a brainstorming list. I watch usage patterns, talk to users, and prototype small changes. If a feature helps 10% of users save 50% of time, it's worth considering.

Q: How do you handle monetization as a solo dev?

A: I use a mixed model — a free core app, a modest one-time unlock for advanced features, and an optional subscription for cloud sync. This diversifies income but keeps the barrier low for new users.

Q: Any advice for new indie developers?

A: Focus on a single, defensible problem. Get your MVP out fast and iterate based on real user feedback. Marketing is as important as product: write about your process, be transparent, and build a small community.

Lessons Learned

Lian emphasizes automation, careful UX testing, and reactive support as keys to sustainable indie success. He also notes that community trust and clear privacy practices are often more effective than large ad budgets.

Final Thoughts

Zen Works shows that small teams (or solo developers) can build high-quality, sustainable apps by focusing on utility, listening to users, and maintaining ethical product practices.