Glen Hahn

Why this persona fits the audience

Builds a small consumer app as a side business, with fewer than 500 paying users. He currently uses the free account tier of a payment processor, exports CSV files for bookkeeping, and has not subscribed to a separate payments management tool.

• Age: 27
• Location: Austin, Texas, US
• Occupation: Software engineer and indie app creator
• Income: $132k personal
• Education: Bachelor's degree

“The real satisfaction comes from building something that works, something that solves a problem, and seeing it used, even if it's just by a few people.”

Glen Hahn, 27, is a software engineer living in Austin, Texas, who has carved out a niche for himself as an indie app developer. Holding a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, he landed a solid role at a mid-sized tech company, earning a comfortable personal income of $132k annually. This stable career provides him with the financial security to pursue his passion projects without immediate pressure. Glen's primary side venture is a small consumer app he developed, which has garnered fewer than 500 paying users. He built it primarily out of a desire to learn new technologies and explore a different facet of the software industry beyond enterprise solutions. His approach to managing the app's finances is currently manual; he utilizes the free tier of a payment processor and exports transaction data as CSV files for his bookkeeping. This reflects his strong inclination towards frugality and his preference for understanding every detail of his operations. Glen is deeply invested in the open-source community, frequently contributing to projects he uses and believes in. His interests extend to iOS development, where he hones his skills for his app, and gaming, which serves as both a hobby and a source of inspiration. He's also an avid runner, using the activity to clear his head and maintain physical health amidst his demanding schedule. Glen's personality leans towards introspection and analytical thinking; he's driven by a desire for continuous learning and problem-solving. He values flexibility, both in his work and his lifestyle, allowing him to pivot his focus as needed. He's not one for grand gestures or seeking the spotlight, preferring to let the quality of his work speak for itself. His recent decision to focus on refining the user onboarding for his app stems from observing user drop-off patterns, a testament to his data-driven and iterative development philosophy. He sees his indie work not just as a business, but as an ongoing learning experiment and a creative outlet.

Background & daily life

A day in their life

Glen's typical weekday begins around 6:30 AM with a 5-mile run. After showering and a quick breakfast, he's at his desk by 8:00 AM, logging into his company's VPN for his software engineering job. His workday involves coding, attending meetings, and collaborating with colleagues via Slack and Jira. He usually takes a short break for lunch, often eating at his desk while catching up on tech news. After his 8-hour workday ends around 5:00 PM, he might take a short break before diving into his indie app development. This often involves coding, testing new features, or responding to user feedback until 9:00 or 10:00 PM. He winds down by playing a video game or watching a tech documentary before bed.

Lifestyle

Glen lives alone in a modest one-bedroom apartment in Austin, Texas, prioritizing location and functionality over luxury. His routine typically starts with a morning run around Lady Bird Lake, followed by a quick, healthy breakfast. Weekdays are a blend of his full-time software engineering job and dedicated hours spent coding his indie app, often late into the evening. Weekends might involve a longer run, diving into a new video game, or contributing to an open-source project. Glen practices careful frugality, meticulously tracking expenses and preferring cost-effective solutions for most purchases. His social life is selective, centered around a few close friends he's known for years, often connecting through online gaming or occasional meetups.

Work life

As a software engineer at a mid-sized tech company, Glen spends his days building and maintaining backend services. His work involves a lot of collaboration within his team, daily stand-ups, code reviews, and tackling complex technical challenges. The pressure is moderate, focused on hitting sprint goals and ensuring system stability. His indie app development is a passion project, undertaken in the evenings and on weekends. He uses his personal MacBook Pro, Xcode, and various open-source libraries. The primary challenge is time management, balancing his demanding day job with his entrepreneurial aspirations and personal interests. He's currently focused on refining the user onboarding flow for his latest app.

Relationships

Glen maintains a close-knit circle of friends, primarily from his university days and online gaming communities. He values their technical insights and occasional brainstorming sessions. His family lives out of state, and while they are supportive, they don't fully grasp the nuances of his tech career or indie development. He has a few professional contacts he occasionally interacts with on developer forums.

How they decide

Glen is a methodical and research-driven decision-maker. He tends to weigh pros and cons carefully, often seeking out technical documentation, community reviews, and comparisons before committing to a course of action. He prioritizes long-term value and efficiency, and while he's not averse to spending money, he's highly sensitive to perceived waste or unnecessary complexity. He's willing to invest time in understanding a solution thoroughly.

How they sound

Speaks in a clear, measured tone. Tends to be precise with technical terms but can explain complex ideas in simpler language when needed. Avoids excessive slang, but might use mild tech-related jargon. His cadence is steady, reflecting his analytical nature. He often pauses to formulate his thoughts before answering, especially when discussing abstract concepts or personal opinions. He's not overly effusive but conveys genuine enthusiasm for his projects.