Video summary

Our Mobile App Made $85K in 8 months

Main summary

Key takeaways

Business

Coherence app: business outcomes (8 months)

  • Downloads: 15,000+
  • Users: 2,000+ (users “just surpassed 2,000”)
  • Revenue: ~$85,000 total in ~8 months
  • Run-rate: averaging ~$11,000/month
  • Peak month: ~ $22,000/month

Positioning

A breathwork app to help users relax, focus, and sleep via guided breathing techniques.

Revenue model

  • Monthly: $10/month
  • Yearly: $40/yearly
  • Free trial: 3 days on the yearly plan

Key strategy: “content before product” (reverse-engineer demand)

They did not start with app development. Instead, they began by creating content around a specific niche/problem (breath work / nervous system regulation) and used performance signals to decide what to build.

Workflow described

  1. Post on X (idea battleground) to identify what gets traction/virality.
  2. Convert the winning content into Instagram/TikTok short-form scripts.
  3. If shorts perform, turn them into YouTube longer-form.
  4. After content validation, build the app features implied by what worked (“reverse engineered the content into the app”).

Five-step framework to find an app idea worth building (from their playbook)

  1. Pick a painful niche

    • Make repeated content about a painful problem people experience.
    • Team note: they recommend pairing with a technical co-founder if you’re non-technical.

  2. Batch your ideas weekly

    • Consistently pitch yourself as the “solution” through scheduled content themes.

  3. Film in bulk

    • Example cadence: 30–60 videos produced in bulk (hook → film → done).
    • Goal: build 2 months of content quickly to test many angles.

  4. Amplify your winners

    • Identify what works vs. what doesn’t.
    • If there’s a sellable concept, allocate ad budget (“spark money” / Meta ad money) to test willingness to pay.

  5. Outmarket everyone

    • Increase output volume using whatever resources are available (e.g., hiring editors/clippers).
    • Example: they’re fully bootstrapped and rely on very high personal posting frequency.

Validation example: viral content → app traction

  • A content piece launched in July:
    • ~8 million views across all platforms
    • They expected it to flop, but saw it spike (e.g., 1M views the next day)
  • They used this momentum to inform and expand the app/product direction (and also turned it into a series).

Product & operating details (how the app works)

Core UX elements

  • Streak counter / light gamification
  • 6 main breathing techniques, including:
    • “Coherence breathing”
    • “Vortex energy” (framed as energy boost, focus, stress relief, and sleep benefits)
  • Simple breathing session screen:
    • set a timer
    • adjust volume
    • press start → audio cues for inhale/exhale timing

App build tooling (stack)

  • React Native (Expo)
  • Supabase (database/backend)
  • Supabase Cloud Code / “coding agents” (they mention Codeex as coding agents)
  • Mixpanel (analytics)
  • RevenueCat (subscriptions/billing)
  • Marketing site: Vercel + Next.js
  • Design: Figma
  • 3D design: Rot
  • Instagram DM automation: ManyChat

Build timeline & “minimum coding” approach

  • MVP completed: February 2025
  • Launch: after finishing MVP (in that period)
  • Notes:
    • One co-founder didn’t write code (“I didn’t actually write a single line of code”)
    • They used AI/coding tooling (including Cursor and “coding agents”) to move fast

Cost structure, KPIs, and margins (profitability snapshot)

Monthly operating spend (approx. $5K–$6K total)

  • Video editors: $2.5K (core to the organic content engine)
  • Influencer/partnerships: $1K–$2K
  • Ghostwriter: $800/month
  • Virtual assistant: $500/month
  • Coding agents: ~ $300/month
  • RevenueCat: ~ $100/month
  • Other tools: ~ $100/month (remainder)

Profit margin

  • Operating margin: about 50% (as stated)

Actionable recommendations implied by their approach

  • Validate demand with content before committing to a full product build.
  • Use X as the testing ground for message/angles.
  • Build a pipeline of content (“batch + bulk filming”) to run many experiments quickly.
  • Once content proves willingness to engage, turn winners into product direction and consider small ad tests to confirm willingness to pay.
  • Use lightweight subscription mechanics (e.g., RevenueCat + analytics + trials) to tighten the feedback loop.

Presenters / sources

  • Jack Sweeney (co-founder, Coherence)
  • Nick Sweeney (co-founder, Coherence)
  • Pat Walls (Host, Starter Story)

Original video