The Viral Engineer: The Story of Nikita Bier

This guy had two $10,000,000+ exits...

By selling the same idea.

TWICE.

Here's the story of The Viral Engineer (and 3 key lessons for your business): pic.twitter.com/h92aEyrYRU

— Chris Cunningham (@ChrisClickUp) April 14, 2023

Nikita Bier co-founded the app 'tbh,' in 2017.

It allowed high school students to anonymously compliment each other.

The app went viral.

Hitting #1 on the app store.

2,500,000 daily users in just 9 weeks.

— Chris Cunningham (@ChrisClickUp) April 14, 2023

This rapid growth caught the attention of Facebook.

Who acquired the app for $40,000,000.

But...

Facebook shut down 'tbh' in 2018 due to low usage.

Bier then signed a non-compete agreement and joined Facebook's team.

— Chris Cunningham (@ChrisClickUp) April 14, 2023

After the non-compete expired...

Bier founded a similar app called 'Gas' in 2022.

It was similar to 'tbh.'

But with a crucial difference...

— Chris Cunningham (@ChrisClickUp) April 14, 2023

'Gas' offered users the option to pay for 'God Mode.'

Which provided hints about who was anonymously complimenting them.

This innovative feature helped the app stand out.

And it quickly gained traction.

— Chris Cunningham (@ChrisClickUp) April 14, 2023

7,400,000 installations.

Nearly $7,000,000 in consumer spending.

'Gas' even briefly dethroned TikTok as the most downloaded social media app on the Apple store.

Discord then acquired Gas in an 8-figure deal.

— Chris Cunningham (@ChrisClickUp) April 14, 2023

Bier has talent for entrepreneurship.

But his story shows success is repeatable.

Here are the top 3 business lessons to launch your own 8-figure idea:

— Chris Cunningham (@ChrisClickUp) April 14, 2023

1. Adapt and innovate.

By introducing a paid feature like 'God Mode'...

He added a twist that generated huge revenue and made the app more appealing.

Constantly reassess your products and be open to making changes.

— Chris Cunningham (@ChrisClickUp) April 14, 2023

2. Persistence pays off.

Bier didn't give up after his first app was shut down.

He believed in his idea and saw an opportunity to bring it back to life.

Leading to another successful exit.

— Chris Cunningham (@ChrisClickUp) April 14, 2023

3. Leverage your track record.

Bier was able to build trust with potential investors for 'Gas' using his past experience.

This played a significant role in the app's eventual acquisition by Discord.

A proven track record of success can open doors for your future ventures.

— Chris Cunningham (@ChrisClickUp) April 14, 2023

That's a wrap!

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— Chris Cunningham (@ChrisClickUp) April 14, 2023