BurnFriends: From Idea to App Store
From concept to an app with 200 concurrent users in just 6 weeks, BurnFriends is more than a fitness app; it's a shared adventure. In this case study we reveal our journey, lessons, and the essence of BurnFriends.
Challenge — Get The F*&k Off Localhost
An Idea is Hatched
One day, during my usual daily call with my best friend, David, I found myself reminiscing about the workout routine my dad and I had during the four months I spent back home due to the pandemic. It all started with simple daily walks. Soon enough, we added spin bikes into the mix. Before we knew it, we had a full-fledged routine — every morning, a spirited spin class followed by a brisk 6-mile walk, and evenings dedicated to riding while binge-watching the entire Marvel series in chronological order. It was incredible! Our motivation and commitment were unwavering.
But as the world slowly returned to "normal," I moved back to San Francisco, and keeping up that same momentum became a challenge. We tried using our Apple Watches — sharing workouts, sending those auto-generated motivational messages, doing everything to keep the energy alive.
That's when David mentioned wanting an easy way to get his friends to walk more together. They'd tried sharing Apple Watch rings, using various fitness apps, but nothing stuck. The problem wasn't tracking—it was motivation. Nothing made walking fun.
This got us thinking: What if we built a mobile fitness app with gamification that actually works? A leaderboard to spark friendly competition, and a tamagotchi-style digital pet phoenix that thrives when you walk and wilts when you don't. We had a history of building things together, so why not go for it? That's how BurnFriends came into existence.
What went right
The name "BurnFriends"? It's straightforward. Burn calories, with friends. Wordplay aside, there's depth to it too — the idea that after a setback, we rebound, much like a phoenix.
Our north stars:
- Fun — No fun, no point.
- Easy/Simple — Streamlined. Efficient.
- Social — It's literally in the name.
Prototyping? Our first go was all Google Sheets. Quick and familiar. But the second round? We stepped it up. Merged a basic step-tracking iOS app we found with some no-code magic from Make.com, linking Google Sheet and Firebase. We were on the move. 🐣🔥
Where did we get stuck
Everything is all fine and dandy until you actually get started. Then it's just one obstacle after the next.
If it wasn't obstacles then it was us buried deep in endless tinkering, forever refining, and waiting for that "perfect" plan to emerge.
The "Just Ship It" Mindset
Have you ever heard that ceramics teacher story? The one where half the class is graded on the quantity of their pots and the other half on quality? Spoiler: the students focused on quantity ended up making the best pots. Their learning curve skyrocketed with each pot they made.
"This is essentially the "just ship it" mindset. The more you iterate and share your work, the more feedback you receive, and the faster you improve."
This shift in perspective was crucial for us. Instead of waiting for perfection, we embraced progress. Every version we released, every piece of feedback we gathered, brought us closer to what BurnFriends was meant to be.
The 6-Week Plan: Buildspace "Nights and Weekends"
We joined Buildspace's "Nights and Weekends" program — a structured sprint designed to take an idea from zero to shipped in 6 weeks.
- Week 1: Ideas — Brainstorm, validate, and pick the one that sticks.
- Week 2: Prototype — Build something — anything — that you can show people.
- Week 3: Getting people to care — Share your work. Get feedback. Start building an audience.
- Week 4: Iteration — Apply feedback. Refine. Improve.
- Week 5: Growth — Push for users. Marketing. Word of mouth.
- Week 6: Demo — Ship it. Show it off. Celebrate.
Results
200 — Concurrent users by week 6
6 weeks — From idea to App Store
By the end of week 6, we had successfully launched BurnFriends on the App Store with 200 concurrent users actively participating in fitness challenges with their friends.
The Toolkit
Notion, Miro, Framer, Swift/Xcode, ChatGPT, Firebase
Key Takeaways
"Perfect is the enemy of done."
"Fail fast, learn fast."
"Don't reinvent the wheel."
Building BurnFriends taught us that the best products come from shipping early, learning from real users, and iterating quickly. The tools matter less than the momentum. And most importantly — do it with friends.