Before writing a single line of code, Jack started posting content on X (Twitter) about spiritual, esoteric, and breath work topics — purely things he and Nick were genuinely interested in. The pivotal moment came when Jack wrote a tweet about "Vortex breath," which went viral overnight. Nick texted him the next morning to flag it. That single viral tweet validated the core idea for the app and served as the trigger to actually begin building. Once a post gained traction on X, they used it as a template to create short-form video scripts for Instagram and TikTok, then escalated winning content into longer YouTube videos. This content-first loop — X as the "idea battleground," then replicating winners across platforms — drove awareness before the MVP even existed. The app MVP was finished in February 2025 using Cursor (AI coding tool) and launched shortly after, with an audience already primed from months of content.
Coherence
Mobile breath work app that helps users regulate their nervous system
8 moves, in order
- Pre launch – Idea ValidationTwitter — threads
Jack posted threads on X about spiritual, esoteric, and breath work topics to test what resonated. He treated X as an 'idea battleground' — posting regularly and watching for traction rather than building anything first.
Vortex breath tweet went viral, validating the core app concept - Pre launch – Content AmplificationShort form video instagram tiktok
Winning X posts were turned into short-form video scripts for Instagram Reels and TikTok. They filmed in bulk — 30 to 60 videos in one session — to maintain a consistent posting cadence and generate two months of content at once.
Identified winning content formats before app launch; built early audience - Pre launch – Upstream ContentYouTube
Content that performed well on Instagram and TikTok was escalated into longer-form YouTube videos. They moved 'upstream to longer, more impactful formats' only after short-form validation.
Expanded reach to YouTube audience with already-proven content - Launch – February 2025Organic content cross platform
Launched the Coherence app MVP (built with Cursor/AI coding tools, React Native Expo, Supabase) after content had already validated demand. Offered a 3-day free trial on the yearly $40 plan and a $10/month monthly plan.
15,000 downloads and $85,000 in revenue within 8 months - Growth – Viral ReelShort form video instagram tiktok
In July, Jack posted a short-form video framed as 'Do you want to know something they don't want you to know?' — a polarizing health hook about breath work. He almost didn't post it, filming it four times thinking it was bad. It hit 1 million views the next day.
~8 million views across all platforms; described as the video that 'really changed a lot' - Growth – Paid AmplificationMeta ads
After identifying organically winning content pieces, they put 'spark money' (Meta/Instagram boost spend) behind the top performers to amplify proven content rather than testing cold paid ads.
Used to validate willingness to pay and scale reach on already-proven hooks - Growth – Instagram DM AutomationInstagram dm automation
Integrated ManyChat to automate Instagram DM flows, likely triggered by comments on viral Reels to funnel viewers toward the app download or a lead magnet.
Mentioned as part of the active marketing stack; specific conversion numbers not stated - Growth – Ongoing Content OperationsShort form video organic instagram tiktok
Hired video editors (~$2,500/month) and a ghostwriter for threads (~$800/month) to scale content output. Jack posts daily as the face of the brand and began exploring influencer partnerships ($1–2k/month).
Averaging ~$11,000/month revenue; peak month $22,000; operating at ~50% marginMRR $11k Users 2.0k users
Nick had deep first-hand credibility in breath work, having reversed a career-ending injury through the practice and subsequently coaching clients. Jack had prior experience growing a YouTube channel to ~20,000 subscribers in university and building no-code web apps. Together they brought content creation skills, niche authority, and a compelling personal story — all before writing any app code.
short_form_video_organic_instagram_tiktok
Jack mentioned the first couple of apps he built before Coherence "totally flopped." No specific failed acquisition channels for Coherence itself were named, though influencer partnerships were described as something they were "just kind of getting into" and not yet a proven channel.
Our Mobile App Made $85K in 8 months
Gravl
AI fitness app that generates smart, personalized gym workouts
Journable
AI calorie counter and nutrition tracker app, primarily on Android
Puff Count
Mobile app that helps users track and quit vaping habits