How Hevy Achieved $160K MRR By Revolutionizing Workout Tracking
Who is Guillem Ros?๐
Guillem Ros, co-founder of Hevy, hails from Barcelona and has a background in app development and product management, having previously worked at fitness app 8Fit. His experience in the fitness industry and personal passion for fitness led him to create Hevy.
What problem does Hevy solve?๐
Hevy solves the problem of workout isolation by combining comprehensive workout tracking with a social platform, allowing users to connect and engage with friends for shared motivation and accountability.
How did Guillem come up with the idea for Hevy?๐
Guillem became intrigued with gym workouts in early 2019. As he tracked his exercises, he noticed a gap: a lack of meaningful social connections in existing workout apps. Being a former triathlete, he missed the camaraderie and competition he experienced through community-focused platforms like Strava. This inspired him to envision a workout tracker that not only logged exercises but also fostered social interactions among users.
To validate his concept, Guillem conducted informal surveys at his gym. While responses were mixed, the enthusiasm from a few participants encouraged him to proceed. He began brainstorming, jotting down ideas on a large poster to explore various possibilities. This allowed him to refine the app's core features, focusing on workout logging, analytics, and social connectivity, which helped avoid creating an overly complex product.
Throughout this process, Guillem learned the importance of understanding genuine user needs rather than relying solely on surveys. He iterated quickly, using realistic prototypes to evaluate functionality, but had to streamline his vision to prevent feature bloat. This iterative process taught him to maintain focus on the app's primary pillars and the value they could bring to users, leading to the creation of a simplified and effective MVP.
How did Guillem build the initial version of Hevy?๐
Building Hevy involved a meticulous development process centered around creating a workout-tracking app that also fosters social interaction. The initial product was built using Sketch for UI design and Marvel for prototyping, enabling rapid iteration and feedback collection. The tech stack included React Native, which facilitated simultaneous development for iOS and Android platforms, along with key libraries like Mobx for state management, React Navigation for in-app navigation, and Victory Native for data visualization. It took several weeks to create the initial MVP, focusing on three core features: workout logging, analytics, and social elements, which were essential to the app's functionality. The process was challenging, especially as early prototypes became overly complex, requiring a disciplined narrowing down to essential featuresโa lesson in balancing desire for feature richness with the necessity of a lean, functional MVP.
How did Guillem launch Hevy and get initial traction?๐
Word of Mouth and App Store Presence๐
To get the initial word out about Hevy, the founders started by releasing the app to friends and family. This initial group helped spread the word. Since the app was available on both the App Store and Google Play from the start, it gained some organic traction due to its utility and well-designed features.
Why it worked: By reaching out to their immediate network and then letting the quality of the product drive organic growth, Hevy managed to start building a user base. The App Stores also provided a level of discoverability that brought in users beyond the founders' immediate circle.
Community Engagement๐
The initial users began forming small communities within the app, with user interactions serving as a sign of growing traction. These organic formations suggested a level of engagement that helped to further spread the word about the app at no additional cost.
Why it worked: These user communities acted like mini social networks, encouraging more use of the app and inviting non-users to join through word of mouth. The community aspect helped solidify user retention and created organic growth loops.
App Store Feature๐
In March 2020, Hevy benefitted from an "Apps We Love" feature on the Apple App Store, contributing significantly to its visibility. Although this coincided with the COVID-19 lockdowns, which temporarily affected gym usage, it was an important milestone for initial traction.
Why it worked: This kind of feature provided a significant boost in visibility, reaching potential users who browse app categories for their needs. The timing with a large-scale event like lockdowns might have muted its impact, but it confirmed the app's value proposition was compelling enough for Apple to notice.
What was the growth strategy for Hevy and how did they scale?๐
Organic Search Optimization (SEO)๐
Hevy focused on optimizing their presence in app stores by initially targeting mainstream fitness keywords. They achieved significant organic traffic by appealing to popular search terms that fitness enthusiasts frequently use. This widespread visibility allowed them to attract a steady trickle of new users early on, with downloads gradually increasing as they refined their app's user experience.
Why it worked: By utilizing App Store Optimization (ASO) effectively, Hevy managed to increase visibility among users casually browsing for fitness apps. Initially simple ASO practices helped in establishing a baseline of downloads. As they improved their app's performance and user reviews, their ranking in search results improved, leading to compound growth over time.
Social Features as a Growth Engine๐
Hevy emphasized a social component in their app from the beginning, which helped naturally grow their user base. Users could interact and connect with others, forming small fitness communities within the app. This community aspect made the app more engaging, leading users to spend more time on it and invite friends, creating network effects.
Why it worked: The social features not only enhanced user engagement but also acted as a powerful word-of-mouth marketing tool. Users discussing workouts within the app encouraged others to join, organically boosting user acquisition without the need for traditional advertising spend.
Pricing Strategy๐
Hevy deployed a pricing strategy that kept their subscription costs low compared to competitors. This made it easier for potential users to justify switching to their app. Their pricing included a very affordable monthly and annual subscription and an enticing lifetime offer.
Why it worked: The competitive pricing model supported their primary growth engineโsocial referral. By lowering the barrier to entry, they ensured more users would try the premium features, increasing the likelihood of recommendations and driving further organic growth through their user base.
Content Creation๐
Hevy invested in high-quality content creation, such as workout guides and exercise tutorials on their blog. This content was crafted with a focus on providing scientifically-backed information and was often referenced from reputable sources.
Why it worked: Producing valuable content helped establish Hevy as a trusted authority in the fitness space, attracting fitness enthusiasts seeking reliable workout advice. This strategy not only improved their SEO but also engaged users by offering more than just an app, fostering an environment of learning and community support.
What's the pricing strategy for Hevy?๐
Hevy offers a free workout tracking app with optional Pro features priced at $3/month, $24/year, or a lifetime fee of $75, focusing on accessible and social fitness experiences.
What were the biggest lessons learned from building Hevy?๐
- Focus on Core Features: Hevy initially tried to include too many features, which diluted the app's effectiveness. By narrowing down to three core pillarsโworkout logging, analytics, and social interactionโthey built a lean, efficient product that avoided the bloat of trying to do everything.
- Validate Through Real Use: Hevy's initial user surveys were not sufficient to gauge genuine interest. They learned that real product use provides the most accurate feedback. This insight highlights the importance of getting a product into users' hands to truly understand its value and reception.
- Build for the Long Term: Despite COVID-19 shutting down gyms shortly after their initial launch, Hevy chose not to pivot to at-home workouts. Instead, they maintained their focus, believing in the eventual return to gyms. This decision was based on long-term vision rather than short-term gain.
- Organic Growth Over Paid Marketing: Hevy grew their user base significantly without relying on paid advertising. They focused on product quality and organic word-of-mouth, which was amplified by their app's social features. This approach demonstrates the power of building a product that users are naturally enthusiastic to share.
- Perseverance Pays Off: The journey from launch to profitability was long, with the first few years being particularly challenging. Hevy's founders relied on personal savings and were strategic about expenses, demonstrating that patience and resilience are key to navigating the early, lean years of a startup.
Discover Similar Business Ideas Like Hevy๐
FitSW founder Jacob Montoya bootstrapped his company to $25K monthly revenue, helping over 20,000 personal trainers manage their businesses through software that enables them to create workouts, track progress, plan meals, accept payments, and manage schedules, and has now expanded to include FindTrainGain, enabling people to join live online fitness classes from the comfort of their homes.
Aimee Tawhai founded ALTR, an online SaaS tool for gym owners and coaches, that is currently averaging $7-8k USD/month and is being used in 26 different countries, saving HOURS of admin time and the use of mind-numbing spreadsheets.
More about Hevy:๐
Who is the owner of Hevy?๐
Guillem Ros is the founder of Hevy.
When did Guillem Ros start Hevy?๐
2019
What is Guillem Ros's net worth?๐
Guillem Ros's business makes an average of $160K/month.
How much money has Guillem Ros made from Hevy?๐
Guillem Ros started the business in 2019, and currently makes an average of $1.92M/year.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
