Cut Coach

Ethan released the redesigned app in September 2024, timing the launch to coincide with the start of wrestling season when demand for weight-cutting guidance peaks. He immediately began posting organic short-form videos on TikTok and Instagram Reels. His first video showed what a UFC fighter looks like during a weight cut versus after their weigh-in, with a call-to-action at the end prompting viewers to download the app. These videos got modest reach (200–500 views each) but converted at an unusually high rate of 10–15 downloads per video due to the high-intent niche audience. He also gave the MVP to his own wrestling club for beta testing before the public launch, which helped him validate and iterate on the concept. The initial club beta failed (coaches didn't adopt it), which led him to pivot the product so athletes — not coaches — generate the weight-cut plans themselves. This product-market fit improvement preceded the public release and helped drive early conversions once he started marketing.

Ethan was a provincial judo champion and national wrestling champion with deep personal experience cutting weight for competition. He had authentic domain expertise, a ready-made beta testing group (his wrestling club), and a genuine passion for the niche that made his organic content credible to high-intent audiences.

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Initial beta concept where coaches gave weight-cut plans to athletes — the wrestling club didn't use it due to too much friction. Early organic posts also had very low reach (200–500 views), which was insufficient for scale on its own.