I'm not a developer, but I want to start building my app. What do?

I'll start by apologizing if this type of question has been asked before. I've gone through a few similar threads but I didn't find what I was looking for. I'd appreciate any advice or guidance.<br><br>I'm not a developer. I have an idea for an app that I want to build, but I'm not sure on where to start. I've worked with developers before in my current job on several projects, so I'm familiar with the process, but this is my first app idea and I don't work with any developers I can just pitch it to. <br><br>I've done some research and it sounds like I might want to look for a 3rd party developer and hire them to build it for me. I've found a few freelance developers and companies to build it for me, but they want money. Obviously I want to be sure that my idea is a good one before I put money into it. I don't have any experience in coding, so I'm not sure if I can build a prototype myself. <br><br>Really what I'm looking for is a way to build a prototype, test it, pitch it to investors, and then acquire the funds to build the "real" app to put out into the market. But a lot of the prototype builders I've found also want me to pay for their products. <br><br>So what do? Where do I go next in developing my app idea? Is there a way to get a free prototype built? Should I just bite the bullet and hire a developer to build it for me? What is the best way to go about this? <br><br>Thanks for your time, and any advice would be greatly appreciated.