[rwu721]

Thanks for asking!

1)I spent a year doing diabetes lab research at the University of Michigan and a couple projects focused on obesity at Cornell, but admittedly the bulk of my knowledge comes from reading a lot of peer reviewed journal articles, talking to a lot of successful people (people who have lost weight themselves as well as numerous obesity specialist MDs).

2) Right on with your observations. What we're trying to do is provide the necessary ingredients (social combined with technology) to make weight loss something people feel good about. We give people a leader, which provides trust/inspiration that they are on the right path, and a peer group for support. Early signals have been good that this keeps people engaged. That said, getting new users will always be important.

One additional thought is that people who are successful as members could potentially transition to the coach role after some sustained success. This could lead to very long term engagement, but it is too early to tell.

3) Honestly, we are focused 100% on making something that actually works. Current options for weight are not great by any judging criteria, and we are confident the business model will work itself out if we are able to provide real value in the form of good outcomes.