From Idea to AppExchange: The Journey Builders Origin Story
It all started at a Salesforce Dreamin’ event. I heard someone share his story – he had an excellent idea for an app on the AppExchange but couldn’t build it himself because he wasn’t a programmer. This presentation really sparked something. I have plenty of ideas and can code, even if I sometimes doubt my skills! This all led to our first app, JB Case Scheduler, coming to life on the AppExchange. This wasn’t a quick process – it took us on a two-year journey – but it’s a story I’m excited to share.
Deciding What to Build: Keeping it Smart and Simple
Like many folks who’ve worked as Salesforce freelancers, I had a running list of app ideas rattling around. For our first venture, I needed something manageable. The key criteria? An idea where the security review process wouldn’t be overly complex, something that offered a good learning curve for developing on the AppExchange (since it was new territory!), and, crucially, something that genuinely simplified a process for users.
I landed on the concept for JB Case Scheduler. In a nutshell, this app helps customer service agents easily schedule (or reschedule!) Salesforce Cases. Think about it: service agents often need to plan follow-ups, postpone a case when waiting for customer info, or proactively book a time when a day gets too full. JB Case Scheduler makes that seamless, directly within Salesforce. It’s exactly the kind of practical functionality we believe Salesforce could or should have built themselves – and that’s the niche Journey Builders aims to fill.
The Hurdles: More Than Just Code
Okay, so we had the idea. But turning it into a real AppExchange app? Easier said than done! Before even writing the first line of code specifically for the app, there was a whole new world to navigate. I had to become an official Salesforce ISV (Independent Software Vendor) partner, really get my head around modern Salesforce development practices like Application Lifecycle Management (ALM), learn the ropes of scratch orgs, and figure out the complexities of packaging an app for distribution.
While I had some Salesforce development experience from years past, this was a different league. Honestly, the steepest climb wasn’t just the technical stuff; it was carving out the time. Juggling this ambition alongside a busy family life required real dedication – finding the hours while still being mentally and physically present for everything else was tough.
Calling in Reinforcements: The Power of Collaboration
After a year of development alone, about a year ago, I knew I needed help to finish. I brought Lennart Stevens on board to collaborate on the coding. That decision brought immediate relief, structure, and consistency. We were determined to launch, and having a structured approach was key to preventing development from descending into chaos!
We set up a fixed evening each week to work together – our “Klusavond met Lennart” (Working Evening with Lennart). These sessions became more than just coding; they were fun, focused times where we both learned a lot. This regular rhythm ensured constant progress and ultimately led to a published app on the AppExchange.
The Infamous Security Review
Anyone in the Salesforce ISV world knows that the review process is often the most daunting part of publishing an app. There are forms, contracts, and processes galore. Getting the business plan part of your listing approved feels like a major win, but then comes the security review itself – a mandatory step before live.
When we went through it, the review cost around €1000 (it’s less now because of the dollar). We diligently followed all the guidelines, ran all the scans we could do, and still, a single tickbox in one of the app’s flows tripped us up initially. Apparently, it’s a classic stumbling block – this is how many apps fail their first security review attempt, and unfortunately, we weren’t an exception! It highlights how thorough the process is.
What’s Next: The Journey Continues
So, JB Case Scheduler is live! But the journey doesn’t stop there. Our current big challenge? Getting those trial downloads and installs rolling in. We initially expected our AppExchange listing itself to generate some organic traction. While it contributes, we need to optimize our listing further.
But there’s likely another piece to the puzzle: awareness. Many potential users might not even realize a solution exists for the scheduling challenges they face or that it’s a problem that can be solved easily. In other words, people often don’t search for a solution they don’t know is possible.
Figuring out how to bridge that gap is the next topic for my “Klusavond met Lennart.” We’re constantly learning from feedback (or lack thereof!) and looking for ways to better connect with businesses that could benefit from our solutions. And hey, if you have any great ideas or tips on this front, we’re all ears!
