One post tagged with "entrepreneur"

Introduction​

Over the course of the past few months, I have been working on a side project called AthElites.io. I wanted to build a platform that would allow me to be more honest with myself and help me keep track of my workouts better. I built the application using expo and I was very proud of the application. AthElites was published to the app store on June 26th, 2022.

The Idea​

AthElites differentiated itself from other mobile fitness trackers by using customizable audio cues to help a lifter breathe, brace, and perform movements. The goal was never to teach a new lifter how to perform a movement, but rather help intermediate and advanced lifters take their workouts to the next level.

I will say, this was the part I was most pleased with of the project. Using the Expo Speech Synthesis API, I was able to get a prototype that was relatively customizable. This idea may be released as a standalone application because I do really like how this operates and has lots of potential. I realized in my own training that I find it hard to accurately count the number of repetitions in real time, and this eased the cognitive load while working out. This is something I will likely strip down and either release as a re-branded application (likely called "Cues" or something to that effect), but I have no desire to work on the project right now.

The Numbers​

Here are some super big numbers for my first real project!

Money​

The only thing I spent money on was the AthElites.io domain.

Users​

At the time of stopping the application, App Store Connect looked like:

Social Media​

I found out the hard way that creating content is time consuming and I find it boring. I think trying to make videos and have a content calendar was a large part of the reason I stopped trying to build this application, since I really hated putting in the effort to slowly grow organic content. My approach was off and I wasn't focusing on actually driving app downloads by trying to sell the application; I thought the application would sell itself through the half-assed content I was creating. I liked twitter the most because it was the easiest to actually create - most of the tweets were easy and I quickly learned that joining the conversation on twitter was the best way to get likes and impressions, especially on trending topics.

Why stop?​

I've decided to stop working on this application for a few reasons. The main reason is I have decided to shift my goals and I need to cut back on the project I'm trying to do at once. I didn't burn out, but I really am not enjoying this project any more. I had lots of great ideas in the beginning and I think there is still a place for a mobile application to disrupt the current state of the mobile fitness tracking market.

The main reason I am cutting the experiment is that I watched a video discussing how to build a business without taking on debt. The video focused on a “sales first” entrepreneurial mindset. I realized that this project was not following a “sales first” flow because I was focusing too much on what the product actually was, and not trying to sell the project.

Social media is hard. Trying to build social media as a primary means of selling to people via TikTok and instagram without actually knowing what you're doing is hard. I was making videos as quickly as possible, an

Am I Giving Up?​

Hell no I'm not! I'm working on another project with a friend and I'm going to take some time for myself to be creative and try and think of new ideas. I like to solve problems, and when I think there is a problem that can be solved with technology or building a website, I am ALL game.

But You're down $50​

Yes, I am down $50. I'm very fortunate that this was not a lot of money to me and spending this money to further along my learning was well worth it. I learned so much about what goes into building a product and more importantly, building a product that people will actually buy. This whole experience has me thinking about shifting my focus to figuring out something I'm passionate about and enjoy enough to try and make a business.

What I've Learned​

I've learned a few things, but the primary hurdle I overcame was asking people for help. I attended some meetings with SCORE mentors, which was a big deal for me. I tend to like to find the answer online or figure things out on my own. I used these meetings as guidance and confirmation that I was on the right track. I've also learned about my own time management and project management. I tend to work best when I can focus all of my time and attention at the task at hand.

I also learned about SEO and strengthened my understanding of what goes into building a business. I feel like I've gotten closer to building something that people will pay for!