Mark Gainey and Michael Horvath were two friends from college with a good idea and bad timing: in 1995, they set out to create a digital community where athletes could chart their progress and actively compete with one another. But it was just too early: software engineers said it couldn't be built, and investors didn't want to take the risk. So the two founders wound up launching an entirely unrelated business, one that was so perfectly timed that it led to a successful IPO a few years later. Still, Michael and Mark couldn't shake their original idea, and in 2008, they launched a website where cyclists could map and monitor their rides, and compete with riders across the country. The prototype was clunky—Mark jokes that "we wanted to make it as hard to use as possible"—but the timing was perfect, and Strava was born. Today, it’s a mobile app used by 100 million athletes in nearly 200 countries around the world.   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mark Gainey, Co-Founder of Strava, shares how they built a niche product for runners and cyclists. Topics include their equation of success, combating the noise of opportunity, targeting middle-aged men in lycra, prioritizing family, the impact of coronavirus, openness and transparency in business, and different types of athletes on Strava.

Mark Gainey, co-founder of Strava, explains how the 'inch wide, mile deep' strategy helped Strava find its niche in the market. Gainey discusses the importance of focusing on passionate road cyclists, building a niche brand, and expanding globally through product design changes and community integration. He also explores Strava's business model, addressing challenges such as lawsuits and military base accusations. Lastly, he analyzes Strava's subscriber rate and future plans for increasing subscribers.

Mark Gainey, co-founder of Strava, shares the startup story and growth tactics of the social platform for cyclists. They discuss gamification, device agnosticism, attracting venture capital, selling data to municipalities, and pivoting to better serve their audience.

Mark Gainey, Founder of Strava, shares his journey of starting a business, the challenges of B2B and B2C companies, targetting the cycling market, Strava's commitment to software, and reflections on sports and entrepreneurship.