The AI App Doing $6M With 1 Employee

Shaan gets his hotness score (00:00:00)

• Shaan downloaded an app called Umax that scores users on their physical attractiveness.
• He paid $3.99 to receive his score and was rated a 69 overall.
• The app also provided a potential score of 83, indicating areas where he could improve his appearance.
• Shaan discusses the concept of "look maxing," which refers to optimizing one's physical appearance.
• The Umax app uses AI to analyze a user's facial features and provide a score based on various factors such as jawline, masculinity, grooming, skin quality, and hair.

Reddit trend leads to $6M ARR beauty app for men (00:02:30)

• A mobile app offering personalized grooming advice to men has achieved remarkable success, surpassing 3.5 million downloads and generating an annual revenue of $6 million.
• The app charges a subscription fee of $3.99 per week and provides daily updates and recommendations based on user input and AI analysis.
• Recognizing a gap in the market, the app's founder capitalized on the growing trend of men seeking grooming advice in online forums.
• The app's popularity reflects a shift in societal norms, with men becoming more comfortable discussing and seeking guidance on personal appearance and grooming.
• The founder attributes the app's success to its ability to deliver personalized advice and recommendations tailored to individual users' needs and preferences.

Male nail care influencers (00:10:12)

• Male nail care is becoming increasingly popular in Korea, with men's beauty products being almost on par with women's.
• Two famous male college athletes, Caleb Williams and Jared McCain, have challenged traditional masculinity by painting their nails.
• Despite initial backlash, Jared McCain gained a large following on TikTok and became one of the highest-paid NIL athletes due to sponsorships from beauty companies.
• The speaker expresses admiration for these athletes for being unafraid to express themselves.

Sam upstages Shaan's beauty score (00:12:42)

• Sam uses the Umax app to analyze his facial features and receives high scores for his jawline, masculinity, and skin quality.
• Sam jokingly compares his reaction to women downplaying their purchases.
• Sam plans to take more realistic photos without good lighting to get a more accurate rating.
• Sam expresses interest in exploring spin-off business opportunities related to the app.

Spin-off businesses: Med Spas (00:14:00)

• Med Spas are booming in popularity.
• Med Spas offer optional aesthetic treatments beyond basic services like manicures and pedicures.
• Botox and lip fillers are common treatments offered at Med Spas.
• Many men prefer women to age naturally and find excessive Botox usage unattractive.
• Some men compare the appearance of women who have had excessive Botox to cats or wax figures.

Aging influencers and modern male grooming products (00:16:00)

• Influencer content in the male beauty and grooming niche is projected to grow significantly, presenting an opportunity for influencers to guide and recommend products, procedures, and brands in this low-trust environment.
• The success of the Umax app, an AI-driven app that gained popularity with a small team, can be replicated by creating a similar app and investing in marketing.
• There's potential for a male-focused brand like Old Spice to emerge, catering to men interested in gym culture, hair, and grooming.
• Androgyny and feminine men are gaining popularity, and brands targeting this niche, like Kylo, are finding success.

The story of Teflon and Dupont's billion dollar problem (00:20:27)

• Dupont, a large chemical company, was tasked by the government in the 1940s to create a sealant for atomic bombs.
• They developed a strong chemical resistant to heat, which they later trademarked as Teflon.
• Teflon-coated pans became a massive hit due to their non-stick properties.
• However, it was discovered that a subset of chemicals called PFAS, produced during Teflon manufacturing, were causing health issues.
• Workers exposed to PFAS developed enlarged kidneys, and monkeys exposed to it died.
• Children born to women working in the Teflon factory had birth defects, such as one nostril or eye issues.
• PFAS were found to be passed down from mother to child.
• Despite these issues, the FDA did not take action against Dupont, and they continued to produce Teflon.

Forever chemicals are in our water (00:22:49)

• PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are found in many products, including non-stick pans, clothing, food packaging, and water bottles.
• PFAS are known as "forever chemicals" because they do not break down in the environment and can accumulate in the human body.
• PFAS have been linked to various health problems, including low sperm counts, cancer, and immune system dysfunction.
• The EPA has recently taken action to ban the use of PFAS in water and is requiring local water companies to test for and remove PFAS from drinking water.
• PFAS contamination is a serious issue that has implications for human health and the environment.
• PFAS can accumulate in the human body and have been linked to various health problems.
• PFAS contamination is widespread and it is difficult to avoid exposure to these chemicals.

Pfas free products (00:26:14)

• Hippies are often early adopters of trends that become mainstream.
• PFAS-free products are becoming increasingly popular as awareness of the harmful effects of PFAS chemicals grows.
• There is currently no comprehensive website that provides information on PFAS-free products.
• A blogger named Mama has been testing and blogging about PFAS-free products since 2009 and has a loyal following.
• PFAS-free products are expected to become even more popular in the future, similar to the rise of cold plunge and organic food trends.
• The EPA has announced that food packaging will no longer be allowed to contain PFAS starting in 2025.
• The FDA has been slow to address the issue of PFAS, but this announcement marks a turning point in making PFAS-free products more mainstream.

A regulatory inflection point is here (00:29:12)

• PFAS is a harmful chemical found in many household items.
• PFAS is linked to various health issues, including cancer and birth defects.
• There is a growing movement to create PFAS-free products.
• Patagonia and Ikea are two companies that have committed to eliminating PFAS from their products.
• An AI app called Jasper is making waves in the tech industry.
• Jasper is a content-generation tool that can write articles, blog posts, and other types of content.
• Jasper is powered by a large language model that has been trained on a vast amount of text data.
• Jasper is easy to use and can generate high-quality content in a matter of minutes.
• Jasper is a valuable tool for businesses and individuals who need to create content quickly and efficiently.
• Jasper can generate content in a variety of styles and tones.
• Jasper can be used to create content in multiple languages.
• Jasper can be integrated with other tools and platforms.
• Jasper is constantly being updated with new features and capabilities.

Trend: Assassins with water guns (00:33:16)

• Kids in schools are playing a game called Assassins, where they shoot each other with water guns to earn points.
• The game is played one-on-one, in teams, or free-for-all.
• Players keep track of points and who is "it" on a sheet of paper.

0 - $250K MRR app (00:34:32)

• Josh Dunning noticed the water gun game while picking up his wife from school.
• He saw an opportunity to create an app to replace the pen and paper method of tracking points and who is "it".
• He built the Splashing app, which is a simple app that keeps track of points and who is "it" in the Assassins game.
• Josh messaged Ben to share his app idea.

Playground virality (00:35:22)

• Splashing went viral on TikTok, gaining 5,000 signups per day and generating $250,000 in monthly revenue within four weeks.
• The app's virality is attributed to its "playground virality" effect, where one person using the app in a group or community prompts others to join in to avoid being left out.
• Splashing's TikTok content starts with someone chasing and splashing another person, creating intrigue and curiosity among viewers.
• The app's videos effectively hook viewers by showcasing exciting and unexpected water-splashing scenarios.
• Splashing's revenue grew rapidly, from $40,000 in week three to $93,000, $167,000, and $250,000 in subsequent weeks.

Trading expertise for social vouching (00:38:00)

• Ben's valuable connections are made without expecting anything in return, attracting opportunities and creating value.
• Software's scalability allows it to be built once and used by millions of customers.
• Tim Ferris' successful podcast, with one billion downloads, showcases his exceptional interviewing skills and ability to extract valuable insights.
• A growth expert from Silicon Valley shared insights about the modest lifestyles of tech giants like Steve Jobs, Larry Page, and Mark Zuckerberg.
• Instead of accepting a consulting job at Quora, the speaker requested introductions to influential people in Silicon Valley in exchange for fixing their SEO issue, which led to successful business opportunities with a strong endorsement from Adam D., co-founder of Quora.
• When solving problems, it's crucial to focus on the one or two most important things and eliminate time-wasting options.

Exporting a profitable internal tool (00:49:10)

• Beehive, an AI-powered newsletter creation and formatting tool, was developed from Morning Brew's successful internal tool.
• Beehive allows users to create and format newsletters easily, including growth features like referrals and recommendations, without the need for a large team or technical expertise.
• Despite having only one employee, Beehive has generated $6 million in revenue and experienced rapid growth, increasing from $7 million in February to nearly $10 million in March.
• Beehive's success is attributed to its continuous release of new features and its efficient customer support.
• Kevin, the founder of a YouTube channel, initially had reservations about investing in Beehive due to the CEO's casual demeanor and the presence of a surfboard in his office, but he eventually became a customer and investor after witnessing the company's progress.