Max is a Germany-based sports and app enthusiast who has been working in the app world — especially in product management — for a few years now. His guilty pleasure? Monetization and subscriptions! He loves exploring the psychology behind apps and their users, diving deep into user research, testing, and discovery to keep things optimized and always improving.
In your own words, what’s your role in the app business right now?
Always soaking up as much as possible, I browse and use apps with an open mind, constantly looking for inspiration to bring into the products I work on. Basically, it’s about learning from the best and translating those insights into my own projects. Lately, I’ve even started sharing the results of these efforts on stage — because why not?
How did you end up working in apps? / get started?
In the end, it all boiled down to something simple: I wanted to work on something that genuinely fascinates me — something that makes getting up in the morning exciting. So, there were two options: sports or apps. Lucky for me, I’m now combining both!
What are you most excited about in apps right now?
One of the things I find most fascinating is how big apps constantly reinvent themselves to stay relevant, always diving into new niches to reach a bigger audience. Take Netflix exploring sports streaming, Spotify venturing into video content, or similar moves — it’s such a wild space. And then there’s the funny dilemma dating apps face: the better they work, the shorter people actually use them!
Is there anyone you’d like to shout out to who has influenced your journey in the app industry?
I’ve been lucky to work with some truly talented and awesome people, but if I had to pick one, it’s Rosie Hoggmascall. She’s an absolute master of her craft and has been an incredible mentor to me over the past few months!
What’s in your app tech stack?
In the end, it obviously varies from app to app, but my current essentials are Notion, Figma, RevenueCat, Slack, and of course, my trusty sidekick ChatGPT.
What do you like most about working in apps?
I’d say it’s the speed at which you see the fruits of your labour — sometimes it’s just a matter of hours from idea to execution, and suddenly hundreds of thousands of people are experiencing it. Where else do you get that? Plus, mistakes are usually just a few clicks away from being fixed — so no need to stress too much!
What one thing would you change about the app industry?
Being bolder about reinventing the wheel instead of leaning too heavily on what’s working for everyone else — easier said than done, right? But let’s face it, we’re often limited by what the devices we’re on actually allow us to do, so it’s not always that straightforward.
If you weren’t working in apps what would you be doing?
As mentioned above, probably somewhere in the sports/media (and maybe sponsorship) universe.
iOS or Android?
iOS.
Is there anything else we should know about you?
Even though I only understand bits and pieces, my Spotify playlists are at least 80% Spanish Latino and reggaeton — because vibes don’t need translation!
Do you know someone driving change and growth in the app industry? Nominate an app leader here.
