How I launch & test app ideas

Two weeks ago, I did something wild.

I stood in front of a room full of folks in Charlotte and built a functional quoting app in about 45 minutes. No code. No prebuilt template. Just AI tools, a clear process, and a little ambition.

This process is called vibe coding i.e., building with the help of AI. Not hacking together garbage just to ship fast. But building intentionally. Rapidly. With real users in mind.

The app I built is called TapQuote. It lets homeowners record a quick video of a problem (a leaky sink, a broken A/C) and get an async video quote from a local service pro.

What made this live build resonate wasn’t the final product. It was the process. Everyone in the room realized: "Wait. I can do this too."

So I turned the whole thing into a step-by-step playbook. Here’s a preview of what’s inside and how you can go from blank page to working app in a weekend. Read to the end to get access to the full, detailed playbook 😉 

1. Start with a clear problem & shape your idea with AI.

Before you touch any tools, spend time exploring real-world pain points. Use GPT or Claude to generate, refine, and test startup ideas that serve a specific niche. Your goal isn’t just a cool feature. It’s finding a real problem worth solving.

Putting this into action:

• Use prompts like: "Generate startup ideas for mobile-first apps in the home services space with async workflows and AI features."

• Follow up with: "Now do a competitive analysis of this idea. Where are the gaps? What would make this better?"

• Score ideas based on urgency, frequency, simplicity, and differentiation.

2. Turn the insights into a requirements doc.

Once you’ve got a viable idea, translate it into a short Product Requirements Document (PRD). Don’t skip this. It’s your North Star.

Putting this into action:

• Prompt GPT to write a PRD for your app idea. Include the elevator pitch, core features, personas, and detailed requirements.

• Refine it by stripping anything that takes more than 3 days to build. Focus on the one thing your app should do exceptionally well.

• Use this doc to guide every tool, prompt, and decision you make moving forward.

• Prompt GPT to turn the PRD into a series of prompts to start building the app in Lovable.

3. Build UI in Lovable.

Lovable is an AI-powered UI builder that outputs clean, editable code. It's built for fast, real UI you can actually ship.

Putting this into action:

• Paste your prompts into Lovable's chat and generate your initial layout.

• Avoid breaking things by using the chat feature first to create an implementation plan, then have Lovable implement the plan.

4. Connect Supabase for a real backend.

Now it's time to bring your UI to life. Supabase handles your database, authentication, and file storage. It’s flexible, fast, and integrates directly with Lovable.

Putting this into action:

• Prompt Lovable to replace dummy data with real Supabase fields.

• Enable row-level security (RLS) to protect user data. This step is critical.

5. Polish & iterate, fast.

Your app is live, but it’s not finished. Now comes the fun part.. leveling it up based on real feedback.

Putting this into action:

• Add the details. Loading spinners, toast messages, empty states. Micro-interactions help it stand out.

• Record a Loom walkthrough. Share with 3–5 real users. Ask them to complete one task. Watch where they struggle.

• Capture feedback in a shared doc and turn them into Lovable prompts.

6. Launch a working app.

When it feels good enough to test with the world, ship it. Lovable lets you publish to their domain or connect to your own in minutes.

Putting this into action:

• Run through a pre-launch checklist.

• Share with early users or stakeholders. Not for vanity, but for learning.

• Package it as a "demo kit" with your PRD, screenshots, and walkthrough.

You don't need to be a developer to get something tangible quickly. You need a good idea. A lean stack. And the right prompts.

I built a working proof of concept of the TapQuote app live to prove what’s possible.

A lot of people asked me to create a detailed vibe coding playbook, so I did! I made a 6-chapter playbook that includes sample prompts I’ve used and a more extensive step-by-step process so you can build an app too.

Onward & upward 🤘

Drew

P.s. If we haven’t met yet, hello! I’m Drew Burdick, Founder and Managing Partner at StealthX. We work with brands to design & build great customer experiences that win. I share ideas weekly through this newsletter & over on the Building Great Experiences podcast. Have a question? Feel free to contact us, I’d love to hear from you.