Zero

Zero is a shortform email app. Swipe-first triage, AI-extracted action items and deadlines, fast inbox processing. Built solo, shipped cross-platform to the App Store.

In parallel, I was building Heirloom — a recipe app to solve a personal frustration I called cooking math. Both apps were live for a stretch. After several rounds of feedback, Zero got sunset and Heirloom went all-in.

Splash · glassmorphic

Splash · dark glass

Action diversity

Settings

Two surfaces from the build, in order: an intent + action explorer that validated the classification space before the app, and the swipe-first triage build it grew into. iOS internal beta, then I pulled it — never reached the App Store.

The decision came down to three questions:

1. What are the consequences if the app fails?
2. How much trust does the domain require before users will adopt it?
3. Can a new product reach that bar?

Email failed all three. If an AI email tool misses a bill payment notification, someone could lose their mortgage. High stakes raise the trust ceiling, and a high trust ceiling means near-perfect reliability — a bar a solo studio can’t credibly hit.

So Heirloom got the green light. Recipes have a different equation: two testable pieces (ingredients and instructions), a low trust ceiling, and a personal connection that justified the build.