I’m so excited I get to share this first edition with you, as you.
This newsletter is the culmination of that journey. It's filled with insights about building products, working with teams, and cutting through business complexity—principles that honestly apply way beyond just tech.
I'm sending it to you not because I think you need it, but because you're someone whose perspective I value, and I'd love for you to see what I've been putting together. You can unsubscribe anytime, but I have a feeling you're going to love what's coming.
Thank you for being part of this journey with me. It means everything to have people like you in my corner.
x Maxim
The Simple Framework That Keeps Users Coming Back to Your App
I was working with a client recently who was frustrated that people downloaded her app but then disappeared - never to return.
In Dutch we say, it’s like mopping with the tap running. I’m sure you can picture it already.
It's the classic product founder's nightmare. You've spent months building something, people are interested enough to download it, but then... nothing. They're gone. All that effort wasted.
What her app was missing - and what yours might be missing too - is something I've seen trip up countless founders: designing for user states.
What, you might ask?
Here's the thing. When someone opens your app, they're not just "a user" - they're a human in a specific situation with specific needs in that moment.
And I've found that apps usually have about four main user states that you need to design for.
Why Your Home Screen Is the Key
The magic happens when you design your home screen to adapt to these different states.
Linear doesn’t do this. Notice how the first 3 states are empty with no direction.
(The last one is me logged into my usual account)
I tell my clients that your home screen should be the responsive part of your app - the part that changes based on what the user needs right now, while keeping the core functionality consistent and accessible.
The easiest way to address most needs are these four states:
New user (first-time, needs orientation)
Active/On fire (engaged, making progress)
Lagging behind (fallen off track, needs re-engagement)
Completed (achieved goals, needs next steps)
Most apps I see are designed for just one state - usually the "active user" who knows what they're doing. But that's like designing a restaurant that only works for regular customers who already know the menu.
Let me show you how this works with a real example:
When I was working with this founder on her student loan app, we identified these distinct user states:
For the new user, the home screen needed to show clear first steps: "Meet your accountability partner", "Start here", and "Make your first contribution". The empty state showed what would be there once they started making progress.
For the active user, we designed the screen to celebrate progress with "You're on fire!" messaging, showing contribution amounts and progress bars toward their goal.
For the lagging user, we changed the messaging to "It's been 38 days since your last payment" with prominent buttons to reconnect with their accountability partner.
For the completed user, we created a celebration screen with next steps for maintaining their success.
The rest of the app - the educational section, the settings, the payment screens - all stayed exactly the same regardless of user state. Only the home screen adapted.
Why This Works
While this could still be improved, HubSpot has responsive action buttons, sample content, action items (‘Connect your calendar’), and goal oriented help text! 👏
In my experience working with dozens of non-technical founders, this approach works for three key reasons:
It meets users where they are. Someone who's fallen off track doesn't want to see the same thing as someone who's crushing their goals.
It simplifies development. By keeping most screens consistent and only changing the home screen, you reduce complexity and cost.
It creates emotional connection. When your app seems to understand exactly what a user needs in the moment, it creates a bond that keeps them coming back.
This approach is particularly crucial for apps that require ongoing engagement - like fitness apps, financial tools, or productivity systems. If your business model depends on users sticking around, you need to design for all their possible states.
How to Implement This in Your App
Here's how I advise my clients to put this into practice:
Identify your 3-5 key user states. What are the distinct situations your users will be in when they open your app?
Design your home screen to adapt. For each state, what's the most important thing to show and the primary action you want them to take?
Keep core functionality consistent. Your bottom navigation, main features, and overall structure should remain the same across states.
Use language that resonates with your audience. For my client's Gen Z audience, we used phrases like "You're on fire!" and emoji-filled buttons that felt relevant to them.
Test with real users in each state. This is crucial - you need to see how people respond when they're actually in these different situations.
I've found this approach can cut development time significantly compared to trying to redesign the entire app to fit all different user journeys. For my client, we estimated about three months with a good dev team to build this adaptable system - much faster than creating separate experiences for each state.
The Bottom Line
Your app users aren't static beings who always need the same thing. They're humans whose needs change based on where they are in their journey with your product.
When you design your home screen to respond to these changing states - while keeping everything else consistent - you create an experience that feels personal without overcomplicating development.
It's the difference between an app that gets abandoned after one use and one that becomes a regular part of your users' lives.
And isn't that why you built it in the first place? 😉
Until next time,
Cheers
PS — If you know someone struggling with user engagement in their app, forward them this email. Sometimes the simplest frameworks make the biggest difference.
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Code explained in plain English for founders who need to work with developers