Alex Jones, CEO and co-founder of Hallow, grew a Catholic prayer app to millions of downloads and over a billion minutes of prayer. He recounts his faith comeback and building Hallow from $10. The conversation covers blending tech with contemplative prayer, authentic partnerships with public figures, the bold Super Bowl ad choice, and why prayer is a relationship, not self-help.
59:01
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
menu_book Books
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
question_answer ANECDOTE
A Family Note Sparked Purpose
Alex Jones received a heartbreaking note from his aunt whose son died suddenly and said Hallow helped her find hope and get out of bed.
That message convinced Alex the app could bring real consolation and made building it worth the risk.
insights INSIGHT
Faith Needs Diverse Paths
Hallow tested multiple prayer formats and discovered different users preferred different practices equally.
The diversity of Christian spiritual practices requires offering varied paths, not a single one-size-fits-all product.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Design Habits Toward Silence
Use familiar habit-building tactics (streaks, reminders, engaging content) to form good spiritual routines.
Design tech that reduces distraction so users press play, close their eyes, and enter meaningful silence.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
From $10 to 1 Billion Prayers: How Hallow Sparked a Prayer Revolution
Join host Justin Forman for an unforgettable conversation with Alex Jones, CEO and co-founder of Hallow, the world's #1 Catholic prayer and meditation app. Starting with just $10 in a bank account, Alex and his team have facilitated over one billion minutes of prayer and reached 27.5 million downloads—all while maintaining a steadfast focus on authentic faith over business metrics.
Alex shares his raw journey from falling away from faith in college to encountering Jesus through contemplative prayer, and how a heartbreaking note from his aunt—who lost her son—convinced him that even if just one more person found hope through Hallow, it would be worth dedicating his life to. This episode explores the intersection of technology and spirituality, the courage to spend everything on a Super Bowl commercial, and why prayer isn't therapy—it's a relationship with an invisible God who transforms everything.
Key Topics:
The miraculous growth from beta app to #1 in the App Store during Lent
Why prayer is a relationship with God, not a self-help practice
Partnering with Mark Wahlberg, Jonathan Roumie, and Chris Pratt authentically
The controversial Super Bowl commercial that beat Temu's $1.5B ad budget
Building with radical surrender: "Every good thing at Hallow has been me grasping tightly, then letting go and God doing it"
Why excellence matters in faith-based technology
Witnessing God save lives through prayer: from addiction recovery to suicide prevention
Working with investors like Goodwater Capital who integrate faith and business
Notable Quotes:
"There is a crazy belief that I think there's an invisible dude here and I talk to and listen to him every day, all day, and especially in times of silence." - Alex Jones
"If we're all praying, if we are all as close to the Lord as you can be, like if we're all saints—that's the game." - Alex Jones
"Prayer is not a therapy thing. It's not a self-help thing. It's not talking to yourself. It's a relationship you have." - Alex Jones
Faith Driven Entrepreneur 
