Myfitnesspal, Strava, Headspace… Conduct a quick scroll through the average smartphone these days and you’re bound to come across at least one of these wellness apps.

For the 200 million users who log onto Myfitnesspal to record their daily exercise and nutrition habits, the platform has become indispensable. Meditation app Headspace, which generates an annual revenue of more than $50million, has a similar commitment from 17.5million users in 190 countries.

By 2020, the app economy is forecast to grow to $101billion; so if you think you’ve come up with the next Angry Birds or Candy Crush of the wellness world, what’s holding you back? Not only could your idea enlighten the lives of millions but it could earn you a substantial amount of money.

Got the creative juices but no idea how to put your concept into practice? Limited by budget? You’re not alone. In 2016, 69% of all app developers were self-taught. Pure grit and a passion for the cause are the real foundations.

But if money’s no object or you have investment, then you could always hire an external team to build it for you. Make sure, though, that they have experience working with startups and non-technical entrepreneurs or it could be a rough ride.

And if going it alone isn’t your thing, joining an established development firm could see you working on various inspiring projects while earning between £20,000 and £50,000 per year.

With so many options available, do your homework, play to your strengths and, most importantly, just get going on building your innovative idea.

CAREER TOOLKIT

Training: Many universities offer specialised courses in programming, while free training is available online at codecademy.com.

Cost: If developing for iOS, you’ll need a top-of-the-range Mac plus £75 a year to register as a developer.

Timeline: Around three to six months is realistic – with long hours and sleepless nights.

Resources: Online communities such as stackoverflow.com are a great way to problem solve.

Good Read: Paypal founder Peter Thiel’s guide Zero to One (£9.99, Virgin Books).

Consider This: Both Google and Apple will take a 30% cut from every sale.

POINT OF VIEW

Tania Boler, 41, Hatton Garden | Founder, Elvie

‘As a non-tech founder, one of the biggest challenges I faced was identifying a great programmer. You need senior advisors with deep knowledge of coding to help you. You’ll short-cut lots of problems if you learn from others who have done it before.’

Toby Hollis, 42, Chalk Farm | CMO, Disciple Media

‘Launching the Glow Guides app with Madeleine Shaw, proved we could bring a community together in an app and generate consistent revenues. Now we’re talking to experts in a range of fields, from nutrition and mindfulness to mental health.’

Mo Seetubtim, San Francisco | Founder,  The Happiness Planner

‘People think it’s easy to build an app and make money from it, but it’s not. It has taken a lot longer than I anticipated to build our app and it’s still not perfect. It doesn’t have all the functions we want yet, but I’ve learned to be patient.’

SUCCESS COACH by Lauren Armes

The founder of Welltodo, Lauren helps people build incredible businesses and careers in the wellness industry

Q. I’d love to work in app development, but I don’t have any certification. Does that matter?

A. There isn’t any form of certification required, but if you’re looking to join a company, you’ll need to display a high level of technical expertise. A computer science degree may also be required.

Q. I’ve created my app but how do I price it?

A. Decide how much you want to earn per month. Then research your market and find a realistic volume of sales. Alternatively, you could make your app free. In-app purchases and advertising can generate much higher returns.

Q. How can I make sure my app stands out?

A. Be original. Think about how you can solve people’s problems and deliver value throughout the entire customer experience.

Visit welltodoglobal.com for business and career opportunities in wellness