Colton Kaufman

In your own words, what’s your role in the app business right now?

I’m a conversion-focused storyteller. My role is to translate the magic of our apps into growth.

Day-to-day, I lead our ASO testing framework to optimize our app store ‘front door’ and also help manage our CRM strategies to engage and convert our existing community. It’s all about understanding what makes parents (the buyer) trust us and what makes kids (the user) yell “I want that!”.

How did you end up working in apps?

My path was a bit… eclectic! I started my career in the non-profit arts world and then public service, focusing on community development. When I pivoted to tech, the app world felt like the perfect fit. It’s fast-paced, innovative, and, especially in the kids’ play-to-learn space, genuinely focused on making a positive impact. I just swapped one type of community for a global, digital one.

What are you most excited about in apps right now?

I’m incredibly bullish on the play-to-learn vertical. We’re moving beyond simple “edutainment” and into genuinely thoughtful, adaptive learning experiences.

I’m also excited by the industry’s deepening commitment to building high-quality, safe, and privacy-first digital spaces for kids. It can feel like a constraint, but it forces all of us to be more creative and responsible marketers.

Is there anyone you’d like to shout out to who has influenced your journey in the app industry?

First, my brilliant colleagues at Sago Mini and Piknik. You can’t run as many A/B tests as we do without an amazing team of designers, copy writers, and PMs who are willing to get curious and experiment.

And a huge shout-out to the whole Business of Apps community! The platform you’ve built for sharing lessons (and war stories) is incredible.

What’s in your app tech stack?

My day is glued together by Slack and Google Workspace. For ASO, we use App Tweak; Sensor Tower for market intelligence; and we run our creative experiments directly in App Store Connect and the Google Play Console. For CRM, we rely on Dot Digital to engage our community and guide them through their subscription journey.

What do you like most about working in apps?

The speed and the impact. I love that we can have a creative hypothesis in the morning, set up a test, and get real-world data from millions of users in a matter of days. In the kids’ space, that impact is even more meaningful. We’re not just optimizing conversion, we’re helping parents find safe, joyful experiences for their kids. The goal is giggles, and that’s a pretty great KPI.

What one thing would you change about the app industry?

I’d love to see better discovery tools for parents. The app stores are still a battleground, and it’s hard for a time-strapped parent to distinguish a truly great, educational app from a low-quality one. There’s a big opportunity for platforms to improve curation and build better signifiers of trust, safety, and educational value. Make it easier for parents to say “Yes!” to positive screen time.

If you weren’t working in apps what would you be doing?

I’d probably be in a non-profit arts or community organization. That, or I’d be trying to convince my three Labrador Retrievers to launch their own hiking-based subscription service. (Keyword rankings for “good boy” and “biiiiig stretch” would be very competitive).

iOS or Android?

iOS.

What apps have been most useful to you over the last year?

Any TV show recommendations?

Arrested Development.

Is there anything else we should know about you?

I’m a big believer in building community, whether that’s in-person or on-screen. I love spending my free time volunteering for organizations like Habitat for Humanity and the Food Bank. When I’m not doing that, I’m probably out walking my dogs.

Do you know someone driving change and growth in the app industry? Nominate an app leader here.