Why I Built AudioHaven
Why I Built AudioHaven
A few years ago, near the end of 2022, I was at a job that I hated and teaching myself to code. I kept trying to do projects that I wasn’t passionate about. I can’t remember where I heard it, but I received a piece of advice about building projects: “Build something that solves a problem that you actually have.” That was what started the path to AudioHaven.
I was recently married and expecting my first kid. This combination of a job I hated, preparing to become a dad, and trying to better my life by becoming a developer was the perfect storm.
I’ve always been a big reader. I read or listen to 30+ books per year, and I spend countless hours listening to podcasts while I run. And more and more, I was finding that I had to quit books I was genuinely enjoying because they just made me uncomfortable, whether from more language than I wanted to hear or the type of content I wanted to avoid. For years I had kind of just accepted this and moved on. But as I was becoming a developer, I was finally empowered to do something about it!
It’s been a long journey of ups and downs and learning, but AudioHaven is finally the app that I dreamed of having. I can listen to the stories and podcasts I want to, without compromising on the values and standards I’ve set for myself.
My Wife
Another inspiration for AudioHaven was my wife, who is also a huge reader. I would watch her pick up a book that was highly rated and recommended to her, and I’d see her put it down with disappointment because it had too much language or sexual content. She has been one of my biggest inspirations and hype men for building this app.
She recently started listening to the 3rd book in a series in AudioHaven. After she started it, she told me:
“I was almost in tears I was so excited and amazed at how well the app works!”
What It Is, and Why It Matters to Me
At the time I started dreaming of and working on AudioHaven, there was no other app like it. Even now there are less than 3 services that offer anything similar, but I think we do it the best! AudioHaven draws inspiration from VidAngel and ClearPlay, which have done this for movies and TV for years, and brings that idea to audiobooks and podcasts. Every filter is reviewed by real people.
My stake in this is creating a better place for everyone to enjoy amazing stories, while still maintaining the standards and values they hold dear. I want to create a place where my daughters can listen to books and podcasts without being assaulted by content and language that they aren’t mature enough to process yet.
That’s why I built AudioHaven, so you can enjoy amazing stories your way.
Danny