In this episode, Teri welcomes Nick Schwab, Founder of Invoked Apps.
Welcome, Nick Schwab!
Nick Schwab is the founder of Invoked Apps. He created the very first sleep sounds on Amazon Lexie. Nick has been creating Alexa skills and other voice apps since 2016.
How Did Nick Get His Start?
Nick was working as a software engineer and in April 2020 decided to leave his full-time job to pursue his passion for voice full-time.
What Was Nick’s Inspiration for His Creations?
Nick was already looking into building skills for Alexa when he ordered the Echo Dot. Nick ended up building a skill that allows people to get daily deals from woot.com and met.com via utilizing the skill simulator that Alexa Amazon offered at the time. This enabled Nick to build and test his skills. Being able to build something, see it go live, and interact with it, solidified Nick’s passion for voice.
Nick got his inspiration for “rain sounds” because he moved into a new apartment and had a noisy neighbor. This was the first-ever sleep sound to be offered on Amazon Alexa and it really took off over the next few weeks.
Nick mentioned how people request all kinds of sleep sounds depending on their upbringing and where they grew up. Snoring is one of the most popular sound requests that people make because it mimics their partner being with them even if they were happened to be out of town.
The types of sounds quickly increased from 60-94. The variety of sounds ranged anywhere from a dishwasher, a farm, a dryer, thunderstorms, ocean waves, and rain.
How Did Nick’s Brand Transition to the Sleep Jar Brand?
Sleep sounds is a competitive industry and by nature, sleep sounds are very generic. Nick wanted to rename the brand to something that was more unique and defensible.
What Exciting New Projects Are in the Works?
Nick couldn’t disclose too many details but did confirm that they have been releasing tons of sounds and are now up to 94 sounds. In addition, alarm sounds were released by taking the most popular sleep sounds and making them available as alarm tones on Alexa so people can wake up to these sounds.
Nick’s Business Philosophy
Nick’s business philosophy consists of building things that solve problems and success will follow. Nick believes that listening to customers and being customer-obsessed contributes to their success.
What Types of Topics Does Nick Love to Speak About?
Because of Nick’s software engineering background, he really loves speaking about technical topics and technical struggles.
Learn More About Nick Schwab and Invoked Apps
Invoked Apps website
Follow Nick Schwab on Twitter
Connect with Nick on LinkedIn
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