Episode 359 - How a Prayer App Beat Netflix & Amazon to #1 | Alex Jones (Hallow)

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