Weilos (YC S13) Moves From Fitness Coaching To Weight-Loss Selfies

http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/28/yc-backed-weight-loss-startup-weilos-relaunches-moves-from-fitness-coaching-to-weight-loss-selfies/

by rwu721 • 12 years ago

38 23 12 years ago

techcrunch.com

dchuk• 12 years ago

Weight-loss selfies? That's barely a feature, let alone a full blown product. Who gave the go ahead on this pivot?

rwu7217• 12 years ago

dchuk - i did. Wasn't all that excited when I saw the title of the article. The word selfie was meant to infer that we have a special camera tool that helps people take self progress pictures, something that really motivates people to reach their goals bc they can visualize their smallest improvements. Progress pictures can be stored privately or shared publicly on the app.

More importantly, we want to build a safe and supportive mobile community to help people reach their goals. Just getting started but off to a pretty decent start - would love for you to check it out.

joelrunyon• 12 years ago

The word selfie was meant to infer that we have a special camera tool that helps people take self progress pictures

Don't you just mean "camera"?

ig1• 12 years ago

It seems with the selfie because of the time taken for changes to show-up that people might get demotivated in the interim.

Have you considered doing the same for food instead ?

That is having people take photos of all their meals and automatically sharing with their friends, to encourage eating healthier (soft competition) and making people think more about what they eat because it'll be broadcast.

That would seem more conducive towards a "real-time" feedback loop.

mbesto• 12 years ago

So, Loseit?[0]

This isn't a criticism, but rather an observation. Lots of startups trying to take standardize verticals of the world's largest websites (Reddit and Craigslist).

[0] http://www.reddit.com/r/loseit

rwu7217• 12 years ago

mbesto, we love loseit! Met many of our best users there, and have reached reddit frontpage a couple times through posts on loseit - owe a lot to them.

In some sense, we're trying to create a more customized loseit for weight loss / fitness, with a better UX. Especially on mobile.

AznHisoka• 12 years ago

So.. like MyFitnessPal?

B0Z• 12 years ago

Any plans for an Android version? Disappointed that I can't check this app out. (Or at least an Android sign up page so I'm not missed when I forget about it in the next 20 minutes.)

rwu7217• 12 years ago

Hey B0Z - thx for the interest and honesty haha. Unfortunately don't have android yet, but will be in the works soon!

bly• 12 years ago

Hi Ray - Best of luck with this pivot. Just wondering if you have any bandwidth nowadays to get in touch and help out a fellow startup guy (god I hate the word "entrepreneur"). I am setting out to build a mobile social network with some other partners. Would love to pick your brain on how to get things started. If you are still in the bay area I can buy you coffee =)

Diamons• 12 years ago

I can't wait for this bubble to pop.

zenbowman• 12 years ago

The fitness industry is already an arena of terrible misinformation. If anyone actually wanted to help people, creating a social network based around superficiality (photos) rather than any real progression towards acquiring health is not the way to go.

Even if it works financially, it will still add to the ocean of misinformation that is the modern health and fitness industry.

codex• 12 years ago

Another fruit fly YC startup with a micro niche too small to dent the universe more than any random fluctuation would. YC does the world a disservice by promoting the cult of the startup and then finding every mom and pop idea that knocks on the door.

argonaut• 12 years ago

In case you didn't read the title, Weilos started out as something IMO much more interesting and useful, which was pairing trainers with people trying to lose weight, which is a serious problem and a serious market for most of America.

YC has no control over what people pivot to.

rdl• 12 years ago

I'm curious what caused the pivot; was it a shortage on supply of trainers, lack of people coming in, or retention/engagement?

Photo sharing seems a lot more "lightweight", so easier to get people in, but doesn't seem as "sticky", so not as good for retention.

Weilos (YC S13) Moves From Fitness Coaching To Weight-Loss Selfies

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