1) I believe there is a large market which is untapped, the fitness community. While there are many social media apps and networks connecting people, the fitness community is one area that doesn't have any app like this and I believe this represents an untapped network of individuals.
2) The unmet need is an app which connects individuals with the common goal of fitness. The people who have this need are those who work out, play sports, etc, all within the broader fitness community. This need is not new and didn't exactly come from anywhere, but as social media has connected large amounts of networks and communities I feel as though the fitness community has been left out thus far. This need is currently being met by online fitness discussion forums, and fitness apps which help with things like running and lifting weights, however these apps fail to effectively create a convenient network that brings people together. I would say I'm 80-90% sure this opportunity exists.
3) The prototypical person is a fit individual who lifts weights or participates in sports.
4) I did this interview with my friend Sam, a fit young women who works out regularly. While she agreed that there isn't a fitness app which connects the community, she disagreed with my take on what the app should be like. I envisioned a tinder-like application where individuals could swipe on potential gym partners and then meet up and have a workout. She thought this was a little too basic and not something she would definitely use, since she already has workout partners. She was thinking more of a network to connect inexperienced with experienced lifters, along with personal trainers as well.
5) I learned that perhaps this idea needs to be fleshed out more. I was suprised she wouldn't use my app, but her reasoning made a lot of sense and it was clear that I needed to make some type of changes.
6) (4.2) The next interview I did was with my friend Peyton. Peyton works out occasionally, but he's not necessarily an active member of the fitness community, so I thought his opinion could represent a broader reach. He said he liked my idea and offered some constructive feedback which could diversify my app immensely. He said I should keep the concept of swiping on people, but add in more options. For example, I would put people in categories and individuals could select what categories theyd like to see while using the app. Powerlifting, basketball, or even personal trainers who could find new gym-goers and charge a fee.
(5.2) I learned a lot from this interview. Peyton gave me great feedback and I agree completely that a category based networking system allows individuals to specialize the app too their needs and would overall expand the network and make it easier for individuals to connect with those who share their interests.
(4.3) The final interview was conducted with my roommate Rohit. He's an avid basketball players, and regular gym-goer, as well as one of the smartest people I've ever met. Rohit liked my idea as well and thought that it was a great way to connect people who aren't connected. He mentioned that often he wants to play basketball, but has difficult finding pick up games at some of the courts close to our apartment. Having a network would help with this problem. One great point he made was that the categories should be able to overlap since many individuals can't just fit into a single group and are actually more diversified.
(5.3) This interview reassured me that this is an idea that actually has merit, by showing me that there is a clear need for it, perhaps even bigger than I thought. His feedback about the categories was also insightful.
7. A) I think a lot of the original opportunity is still there. None of the people I interviewed told me about some app I had never heard of, so the market certainly still exists. I would say all of my original opportunity is still there.
B) I definitely think my opportunity is more accurate than when I started. I originally envisioned an app like tinder for finding gym or sport partners, but being able to specialize individuals through categories is great for the user experience, and a much better concept overall.
C) I think entrepreneurs should always be willing to listen and adapt their products. Obviously some consumers could suggest harmful ideas so it's important to stay cautious, but willingness to adapt should always be there. No one person totally has the market figured out, and when you're implementing concepts for the market as a whole, the more feedback the better.
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