from no app downloads for 2 years, to 100,000 in 14 days. this is how to find the shorts template for your product

In the Pit with Cody Schneider | Marketing | Growth | Startups

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In this episode of In the Pit, we sit down with Laurent, co-founder of FocusTree — a productivity app for students — to break down how he leveraged short-form creator-led content to explode the app to 100,000 downloads in just 15 days.

Laurent shares the tactical, step-by-step breakdown of his viral growth playbook, from sourcing international creators to creating a gamified onboarding experience that hooks users. This is a masterclass in thinking media-first, product-second — and building sticky consumer apps in the TikTok era.

This episode is sponsored by TalentFiber.com — the best way to hire vetted offshore talent that works in your time zone and speaks fluent English.

🔗 Guest Links

Twitter/X: https://x.com/iamlaurentbo
FocusTree App: https://focustree.app/

⏱️ Timestamps

(1:10) – Intro to FocusTree & hitting 100K+ users in 15 days
(4:37) – The TikTok revolution: why media-led growth works now
(9:09) – From paid ads to creators: 95% drop in CAC
(12:06) – How to source and manage creators outside the US
(16:01) – The key to finding “outlier” creators and winning formats
(22:00) – The origin story: fake product, Reddit post → validated idea
(26:51) – Beating legacy competitors by targeting Gen Z
(30:49) – Onboarding design, SMS > email, and viral loops
(34:53) – Product philosophy: build habits like Strava & Duolingo
(38:28) – Underrated niches, creator research, and reading comments for hooks

💡 Key Takeaways

Media Before Product: Laurent validated FocusTree’s concept with fake mockups on Reddit and TikTok — only building after demand was clear.
Creator-Led Growth: FocusTree works with 7+ international creators, paying ~$20/video with performance bonuses — resulting in ~12K daily downloads.
Hyper-Optimized Onboarding: From SMS login to school-based friend sync, every screen is engineered for retention.
Gamified UX: Users “grow a garden” by studying — a visual reward loop inspired by Strava and Duolingo.
Decentralized Creator Ops: Coaches manage onboarding, feedback, and best practices across WhatsApp and School.com.
Unlocking Virality: Winning TikTok formats last 2–3 weeks. Read comment sections for next-gen hooks.
Underserved Niches: Look for outdated categories with passionate audiences (e.g., astrology, study apps) and remix the experience.

🔥 Notable Quotes

“You didn’t really study if you didn’t turn on FocusTree.”
— Laurent Boulin“

If you want to win with creators, you need to know your media landscape like the back of your hand.”
— Laurent Boulin

“Our CAC dropped by 95% when we switched from ads to TikTok creators.”
— Laurent Boulin

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