Stella · B2C · AI manifestation app
Grow a following first, then build the app your viral videos and comments ask for
$300K MRR within 2 months of launch; 12,000 paying customers
Workedfounder-brandorganic-short-videovalidation
What they did
Works 'backwards': build distribution first (1.2M Instagram, 2.8M TikTok followers in the manifestation niche), then pick the product. Once a video pops off, ask what product could be naturally inserted into that video to help its virality and solve a viewer problem, and read comments for 'I wish this existed' / 'I'm struggling with this'. Stella came from her own habit of listening to generic visualizations and wanting custom ones, which AI now makes possible.
What happened
Crossed $300K MRR within 2 months of launch (guest says ~$350-360K now), 12,000 paying customers, 200K+ downloads, with a 'really high' conversion rate credited to the audience already trusting her.
- Stage
- pre-launch
“I actually work backwards: create the content and the distribution first, and then I create the product.”
“once you have a video that really pops off, you want to like work backwards and ask yourself, what is a product that I could naturally insert into this video that would help the virality and also solve a problem that people are facing?”
“Create the content, see what people are saying in the comments. "Oh, I wish this existed," or "I'm struggling with this." That is the blueprint, right?”
Related topics
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More from this episode
- Stella: Say affirmations on camera, then have someone ask how to remember them: 'use my app'One of her most viral videos ever; she keeps remaking the same format
- Stella: Start videos with 'Repeat these for 7 days' so people save themFounder says saves lift engagement and make it go viral 'every time'; no numbers
- Stella: Ask viewers to comment 'download', then auto-DM the app and ask for a reviewFounder says it drives downloads and reviews; no numbers
- Stella: Start a brand-new TikTok account after launch, plus a second account for volume postingNew account hit 40K followers in a couple of months; volume account has 700K
- Stella: Show the app in use in your videos, not just its nameDemo videos convert better than name-only mentions; one 300K-view demo converted 'super well'
- Stella: Build a first version in about 2 days with AI coding tools, then test itMVP in ~2 days; full app in 2-3 months