Adrian Abrams

There is no “right” way to be a successful Black entrepreneur, but Adrian Abrams has seen plenty struggle with the technological aspects of bringing an app idea to fruition. So he founded Appdrop, a no-code software company. Adrian believes representation demystifies the Black entrepreneurial experience, just like Appdrop demystifies app creation.

Talk to us about the experience of being Black men starting a tech startup like App Drop, why is representation in the tech space so important? 

The reason why representation is so important is because it demystifies an experience that we’re not known for having. When we see examples of Black men creating impactful tech solutions, it makes this hard road much more palatable. It gives us a chance to dive into others’ backgrounds and see where they overlap with ours, and in some cases creates a pathway for powerful mentorship opportunities made possible by these unifying shared experiences.

What have you learned through witnessing the legacy of Black entrepreneurs who have come before you in your industry? 

We have learned that there is no ‘right’ way to build an awesome tech company. Whether it’s funding (VC vs. Bootstrapping), community engagement, or anything else, Black entrepreneurs cannot be put in a box and have taken so many unique pathways that result in the same end: really dope companies built by Black entrepreneurs.

We know that you have been working with mentors like Melissa Bradley, founder of 1863, since your days at Georgetown, how has mentorship impacted your abilities as an entrepreneur? 

Again, this goes back to the representation piece. To know we’ve got a Black entrepreneur, from the same school we attended, in our corner armed with much more life experience and perspective, positively impacted our experience. We know that when we ask for guidance, this is someone who already knows the unique challenges we face and we take that into account.

Where do you draw inspiration for Appdrop? 

We draw inspiration from a variety of places! The biggest place we draw inspiration from is folks that come to us saying they’ve been sitting on an app idea for a very long time and are looking to take the next step. We have been in that position several times and know firsthand how defeating it is. So for us to be able to play a role in helping others avoid that is like a dream come true and keeps us inspired.

Who is your community? Talk to us about how you uniquely empower your community through Appdrop?

We have a unique community of Appdroppers from all over the world! At its core, our community is unified through a desire to build really cool technology. Whether it’s a Christian meditation or a fitness game, Appdrop has a place for everyone.

What resources have been most helpful to the growth and sustainability of your business?

Funding! At the end of the day, for-profit businesses have to make money and in order for us to have pulled off some of our most memorable milestones, we needed funding from programs like Fiverr/1863/Maestra to help us get there.

What have been your biggest learning lessons as a business owner?

To be in love with the process and journey, not necessarily the destination and outcome. Statistically speaking, most businesses don’t make it and in your journey, you will have many highs and many lows. If you’re only fixated on the outcome, you miss being mindful and presently aware of your journey and all the learning lessons that come with it. Starting a business can be one of the most satisfying experiences in the world; being present makes the experience that much greater.

How do you center wellness on this journey?

This is something we still have a ways to go on, in all truthhood. We have pretty obsessive personalities so work/life balance has certainly been hard to come by, especially early on in our journey. Now we’re focusing on working out and meditating more in order to keep our minds sharp to handle the vast array of challenges that come from entrepreneurship.

What advice would you give someone who is just starting their business?

Just get started and don’t worry about things being perfect. Be observant to how your prospective customers respond to your offerings, and make adjustments from there. Early on, we wasted too much time ‘over building’ because we weren’t making data-driven, customer centric decisions and, in retrospect, would have put out a rough version of the product and adjusted it as feedback came in.

How would you like to see other types of businesses and industries support Black business owners in ways similar to the Future Collective?

Access to funding is one of the hardest things to come across as a Black founder. If other businesses and industries are serious about solving systemic issues and eliminating the racial gap, they could draw a lot of inspiration from the Future Collective by putting money in Black founders’ pockets and arm them with the insights of industry experts that can help them take their businesses to the next level.