Pingo AI · B2C · AI language speaking app
Film yourselves talking to the app on TikTok, one account per language
Reached $20K MRR in about 3 months with almost no outside creators
Workedorganic-short-videofounder-brand
What they did
For the first ~3 months the two founders made nearly all content (only 1-2 influencers tried). Michael ran a Korean account learning Korean from scratch; Morrie ran a Chinese account. Every video: holding the iPad in a dorm room talking to Pingo, trying different hooks. First viral hook: 'POV, your Chinese teacher on Sundays used to hate you so now you seek validation from an AI', with English and Chinese captions so non-speakers could follow. With founders as the only channel, a user spike could be attributed directly to one video.
What happened
First viral video ~100K views and converted well; the founder accounts took the app to ~$20K MRR. The Korean account did better than the Chinese one.
- Stage
- launch
In their words
The Superwall Podcast · Morrie Schonfeld - How I built a $500k/mo ai app (so you can just copy me)“He did the Korean account, learning Korean from scratch. I did the Chinese account, and every video is just talking with Pingo.”
“the hook was like, POV, your Chinese teacher on Sundays used to hate used to hate you so now you seek validation from an AI. We added English captions and the Chinese captions for like the accessibility.”
“it was mainly just Michael and I making videos till like 20K MRR, just the two of us.”
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More from Pingo AI
All 20 Pingo AI tacticsMore from this episode
- Pingo AI: Only build an app whose main feature looks interesting on videoTalking to the AI became the core of every video; app reached ~$500K/month
- Pingo AI: Show people using the app in every video, not just talk about the topicLanguage-topic videos without the app flopped; app-demo videos went viral and converted
- Pingo AI: Tie videos to beginner lessons and culture moments, like K-dramas or the TikTok banA 'basic Korean quiz' got 77K views; a TikTok-ban/RedNote video got 1M
- Pingo AI: Film the AI tutor roasting a learner until they cry on cameraTop video hit 52M views; the format has worked in every language since September
- Pingo AI: Let users write their own scenes for the AI so creators can script funny videosCreators found the viral 'mean Pingo' format with it; users now ask for a mean mode
- Pingo AI: Post language-tip slideshows that end with a pitch for the appSome hit 1M views, but accounts burned out fast; weak-CTA slides converted far worse
- Pingo AI: Have assistants DM small creators learning the language, then move them to emailBuilt a roster of ~100 creators across ~20 languages
- Pingo AI: Pay creators a base per video plus bonuses at 50K to 1M viewsKeeps creators paid for their time and chasing viral hits; no numbers
- Pingo AI: Treat creators like investments: drop the weakest, keep the stars, train the middleTop 20-30% of ~100 creators drive most views; cut 30-50 who drove none
- Pingo AI: Coach creators on lighting, camera angle, sound and doing something on cameraJust started; small tweaks tend to help good creators, no numbers yet
- Pingo AI: Scale winning formats through a pay-per-view creator network; test ideas with core creatorsWinning variations get scaled quickly; spend is easy to flex; no numbers
- Pingo AI: Make viral videos for learners of RussianAbout half of new users came from Russia and couldn't pay; Russian content killed
- Pingo AI: Show a timeline on the paywall: free today, reminder before billing, cancel anytimeBeat social-proof and yearly-vs-monthly paywall versions; no numbers given
- Pingo AI: Offer the free trial only on the yearly plan and hide the monthly one
- Pingo AI: Test a 3-day against a 7-day free trial, US and abroad separatelyNear-even in the US; 7-day converted ~2% better internationally (early data)
- Pingo AI: When someone backs out of a 3-day trial, offer 7 free days at a lower priceConverts better than showing the 7-day trial first; exact lift not given
- Pingo AI: Bill US users through web checkout to keep more of each sale
- Pingo AI: Join Y Combinator, then raise quickly on strong revenue and CAC/LTV~100 investor meetings booked; round closed in about 3 days