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by JofArnold 5034 days ago
I've posted a few things about this in reply to others, but my advice would be; don't make an app.

That sounds really jaded, but if you look at the massive players in the fitness space (e.g. BodyBuilding.com, CrossFit, LA Fitness, QVC ;) ) they are all either selling a dream or selling a sport/lifestyle... and all with large recurring revenues. At the other end, you've got millions of exercise trackers and exercise videos fighting over scraps in the app store...

I don't know what the next big opportunity is in fitness - or I'd be doing that - but I'm pretty sure it's not apps or quantified self or stuff like that. I've not yet seen anything that strikes me as "big". FitnessKeeper might get a great exit though - hope they do :)
2 comments
herval 5034 days ago
I'm not sure that's such a great advice... I have some friends who ARE doing a fitness app (gympact) and they seem to be doing pretty well there (it's an exercise tracking/incentive app)

For the record, I've been in your shoes before. Started a mobile games company back in 2002, struggled for 3 years with almost no sales at all and had to shut down. Met a first-time founder in 2009 who had this idea of "opening a mobile gamung company" and advised him wholeheartedly about not going there. He's now hiring his 30th employee, making millions every month (and didn't even take VC money to start)...

TL;DR: it didn't work for you, but it CAN work for someone else...

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JofArnold 5034 days ago
You're totally right of course. I should clarify this (as I mentioned somewhere else on this page I think) by saying "I personally can't see a billion dollar opportunity in this space, but it doesn't mean there isn't one".
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jackylee0424 5034 days ago
Could you elaborate on why not QS?
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JofArnold 5034 days ago
I'd love to have a really long debate with QS leaders because I'm uncertain of my views just yet. But here's a few thoughts:

1) Medical apps only track vital signs. Tells you nothing about chronic/progressing diseases yet

2) We don't need to obsess about stats to improve our lives. We don't need these kind of distractions.

3) Measurement is still highly manual for many cases. Won't hit the mainstream until people don't notice it.

4) What problems does it solve exactly? Withings is useful though, but only as a luxury/fun item.

It's too early. That's my only sure opinion. Far, far too early. But as this thread proves, I'm quite poor at predicting the future ;)

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