hansonkin

1) Swipe based interfaces inherently cause users to see other people as more disposable. I'm trying to have my app be centered around plans, which is a mix between a traditional event with a set time and location and a social media post.

2) Paradox of choice. I'm testing whether providing people with fewer good options will make it easier to commit to something instead of having endless choices.

3) Friend dates are awkward. When people meet through traditional friend making apps, the first meeting is usually dinner, coffee, etc. I think people become pickier when this is the common mode of meeting because if you don't really click at the meeting, it's a waste of time. My theory is that when the meetings are more focused on doing an activity you already like, even if you don't completely click with the group you meet with, it can still be an enjoyable time. I'm hoping this makes people more open to getting out there more.

I agree that third spaces are very valuable but the reality is that they are declining in the current market and the trend doesn't seem to be changing any time soon. I think some venues will figure out how to make it work in the modern market but ultimately there will be fewer of these places in general.

And you're right about people being uncomfortable with strangers in their home but most people will meet in public first before having people over. This is a pattern I've seen a lot in NYC where a community will have public events to attract newcomers. Once these people are vetted, they are invited into a private Whatsapp or Discord. Once accepted into the private chat, people will organize private events which sometimes takes place at someone's home. In a way, my platform hopes to formalize this pattern and make it more accessible for individuals so it's less dependent on having formal organizers/hosts. This pattern still requires public spaces but I think it's a bit more flexible.

I did a soft launch earlier this week by posting on NYC subreddits to get early feedback and test out my hypothesis . The reaction has been very positive with many comments saying they like the concept. Obviously there's a long way to go to really nail down the product market fit and build a sustainable business around it but the early feedback makes me feel like there is really something there.

I'm interested in thinking about how we can encourage social connection in a post third space society. I've been working on a project that helps people connect around hobbies in small groups of 4-5 people. The small size makes it easier for people to host at someone's place rather than requiring a public space. I think shared activities are a natural glue to have repeated consistent interactions which is key to building friendships.

As for making friends, I think new users never returning after initial success is thinking too short term. Throughout someone's life, there will be different needs for your social life. People move around or drift away from existing friends. Also, I want to be clear that this app is NOT a friend making app. It's an app to help you find people to do things with. This means if you want to explore a new hobby and none of the people you know do it, you can use this to build your own group to explore the hobby.

Also for retention, the long term goal for this project is to build a full social life platform. I think there are tools that can be built to help people maintain friendships after making them. The long term vision is for to be the one place you go to manage all parts of your real life social life (not social media). Right now I'm just tackling the portion of the problem that is most pressing which is discoverability.

I would love to hear more about the challenges you faced as you grew out your previous iterations.

My strategy is to focus locally first especially in NYC where I live. It's going to be a combination of running around in the city going to in person events and doing social media. If I can prove out the concept in one city, then I'll start focusing on other large metropolitan areas.