Here’s how I started talking to people on RedNote Xiaohongshu (小红书) without knowing Mandarin.
Well, everything started when I first showed Smart Keys to my psychologist friend, Javad Salehi Fadardi, he hit me with a question I didn’t see coming: “Can it translate other people’s messages?”
“No,” I said, feeling pretty confident. “That’s impossible.”
Then he hit me with one of those classic psychologist one-liners designed to keep you up at night: “What makes you believe that?”
I had no answer. But the question burrowed into my brain and refused to leave. Around the same time, I started getting DMs on Instagram from users asking for the exact same feature.
Dozens of them. At first, I brushed it off. Smart Keys wasn’t built for translating conversations in languages you don’t understand, it’s meant to help you sound fluent in languages you kind of already know.
But last week, I was checking out RedNote Xiaohongshu (following TikTok refugees) and decided to strike up a conversation with someone in Chinese.
That’s when it hit me: struggling through copying and pasting user’s messages while trying to have a real-time conversation is painful. That was it. The final push. I couldn’t ignore the signs anymore.
So now, Smart Keys can translate other people’s messages and suggest responses. All in just one click. It works with screenshots, photos, you name it. Just update the app to the latest version, go to Settings > Keyboard Options, and enable Screen Translator.
Big thanks to Javad for planting that seed of doubt and curiosity. This one’s for you.
App Store gurus love to talk about ASO tricks and how to squeeze every bit of conversion juice from the app store. But what if I told you it doesn’t really matter?
Smart Keys store conversion rate is over 50% while the best apps barely scrape 8%. So either I’m a wizard or this is a BS metric.
We, app builders, love the idea that some ASO tweak will be the magic bullet. A better subtitle, the right screenshots, a catchy promo text. Sure, those things help a little, but I’m sorry to say that you may be spending your time on the wrong task, they won’t move the needle in a meaningful way.
Then what? What actually happened in October that store conversion sky rocketed? What’s the big ASO secret?
It’s a three-letter word: Ads. No ASO magic tricks, no growth hacks, no overcomplicated strategy. just Ads iterations that started working well.
So is this store conversion rate relevant? not really. It looks good on a dashboard, to brag, but that’s about it. Focus on what actually drives growth, not vanity metrics that make you feel good but don’t pay the bills.
That’s it for today. Next Friday, I’ll dive into retention, the real deal.
Like the fool I am and I’ll always be I got a dream, I got a dream They can change their minds but they can’t change me I got a dream, I got a dream Oh, I know I could share it if you want me to If you’re going my way, I’ll go with you Movin’ me down the highway Rollin’ me down the highway Movin’ ahead so life won’t pass me by Like a north wind whistlin’ down the sky I got a song, I got a song Like the whippoorwill and the baby’s cry I got a song, I got a song And I carry it with me and I sing it loud If it gets me nowhere, I’ll go there proud Movin’ me down the highway Rollin’ me down the highway Movin’ ahead so life won’t pass me by
I used to think goals were private, write them down, forget about them, repeat. Turns out, saying them out loud can flip everything upside down, sometimes painfully, but mostly for the better.
But I realized that when I shared my goals publicly, something happened…
1. The Kombi Adventure
A few years ago, I told a friend, “I’m going to buy a Kombi (VW Bus) and travel South America.” It was the kind of confident nonsense you say after a beer, then immediately forget.
Except my friend didn’t. A year later, they asked, “How’s the Kombi trip?” Panic. I didn’t even own a Kombi. Instead of admitting defeat, I blurted out, “It’s happening soon!”.
Next week? I bought one, quit my job, and hit the road. No clue what I was doing, but that trip became one of the best decisions of my life, all because I ran my mouth to the wrong, or right, person. It wasn’t to prove anything to my friend, it was in respect of my young self dreams.
Besides traveling, I occasionally served as the lunch bus driver.
2. The 100 books challenge
In 2022, I let Goodreads peer pressure me into being a better reader. I set a goal, and that little progress bar guilted me into finishing more books than the past three years combined. I didn’t hit 100 books that year, but it left me motivated to keep going in the years after.
3. The 500-mile bike ride
Then came a fundraiser and a 500-mile bike ride from San Francisco to LA. Fundraising and training sucked, so I built Sf2.la, a site that publicly displayed my Strava data and helped me raise money. Suddenly, skipping rides wasn’t an option when people could see my stats or lack of them. I hit my fundraising goal, completed the ride, and met amazing people along the way.
How to set goals that stick
I’ve learned that vague goals die quietly. The trick is structure.
Instead of “read more,” I set “Read 101 books in 2025, 50 of them graphic novels.”
OKRs (Objectives & Key Results): Break big goals into measurable steps.
Objective: Ride SF to LA
Key Results: Ride 300 miles in training, complete two 80-mile back-to-backs
Make it public (and embrace the chaos):
Whether it’s a close friend, a family member, or even a social media post shared with your wider network, openly sharing your goals makes them feel more tangible and real.
By putting your intentions out there, you invite accountability from others who can help keep you on track. You’ll also gain valuable support, encouragement, and motivation from those who want to see you succeed.
Sometimes, this support comes in the form of a cheer squad that celebrates your progress and milestones with you. And when things don’t go as planned, having people who can laugh with you and help you bounce back makes the journey much more manageable and enjoyable.
Why this works? Or maybe it doesn’t?
Some studies say sharing goals can decrease motivation by tricking your brain into thinking you’ve already accomplished something. Maybe. But for me, it’s about the process. Whether I’m fumbling through 101 books or sweating through a ride, the magic is in the doing.
So I’m leaning into Open Goals. Science may disagree, but it keeps things interesting.
What about you?
Got a goal you’ve been keeping quiet? Say it out loud. Post it. Tell a friend who will hold you to it. It might just change everything.
