He built a $1M/MRR dinner club app in 2 weeks with 0 employees

What is the Time Left app?

The Time Left app is a unique platform designed to address the loneliness epidemic by facilitating human connections through shared dining experiences. Its primary aim is to bring individuals together in a casual setting to cure loneliness, which is increasingly prevalent in today's society.

• How it works:

  • Every Wednesday, users meet for dinner with five strangers.
  • They are matched based on personality algorithms, ensuring compatibility and interesting conversations.

• Operational details:

  • Users pay a monthly subscription to join the "supper club."
  • Once a match is made, they attend a prearranged restaurant with other group members.
  • Each person pays for their dinner separately at the venue.

• Unique features:

  • Incorporates a personality-matching algorithm to curate groups.
  • Emphasizes in-person interaction, offering a much-needed break from digital socializing.

By orchestrating these dinners, Time Left strives to foster meaningful human interactions in an age dominated by online communication.

How did Time Left achieve rapid growth?

1. Leveraged the Loneliness Epidemic: Recognizing the growing loneliness epidemic as a societal issue, Time Left positioned its service as a solution, tapping into an unmet emotional need.

2. Simple and Effective Marketing: Utilized straightforward messaging like, "Dine with five strangers. All matched by our algorithm," which resonated with a broad audience and facilitated easy understanding of the service.

3. Low-Code Operational Strategy: Initially managed all matching manually, allowing rapid deployment without a heavy tech investment. The founder utilized tools like WhatsApp, Typeform, and Stripe to manage operations efficiently without developers.

4. Press and Word-of-Mouth: Generated buzz through widespread media coverage and organic word-of-mouth, capitalizing on current social trends that highlighted the importance of real-world connections.

5. Rapid Scaling Across Cities: Transitioned quickly from personal oversight to operating in 300 cities worldwide, scaling without geographical constraints by discarding the necessity to personally vet each location.

This multi-pronged strategy, from marketing to efficient operations, allowed Time Left to flourish swiftly, achieving significant milestones in a short period.

Who is Maxime Barbier and what is his story?

Maxime Barbier began his journey in the bustling world of nightlife as a promoter, laying the groundwork for his entrepreneurial spirit. From there, he transitioned into the media industry, founding a company dedicated to sharing positive news stories. This venture grew impressively but ultimately ended with a challenging acquisition process.

Seeking a change, Maxime embarked on a lengthy solo adventure during the early days of COVID. This journey of self-discovery led him to realize the widespread lack of dreams among people, inspiring him to create a bucket list for himself. During this period, he also initiated a project, aiming to connect individuals around shared dreams.

Encountering multiple flops with his early app ideas, Maxime eventually pivoted to something simple yet profound—a dinner club app designed to foster real-world connections. Through sheer determination and innovative thinking, he built "Time Left," a platform dedicated to combating loneliness by uniting strangers over shared meals. His story exemplifies resilience, innovation, and a commitment to solving societal issues through entrepreneurship.

What challenges did Time Left face?

Building the Time Left app wasn't without hurdles. Maxime Barbier encountered several setbacks before finding the perfect formula for success.

• Initial Failures: Early attempts to create a bucket list app and a dream-matching platform didn't gain traction. These concepts attracted users to list dreams but lacked engagement to turn aspirations into actions.

• Iterative Pivots: The app evolved through multiple iterations, from connecting people over shared dreams to facilitating activities. Yet, these versions failed to foster the intended safe and organic interactions.

• Manual Operations: Initially, all matching was done manually, which limited scalability. The process relied heavily on Barbier himself, showing a need for streamlined operations.

The solution, a group-focused dinner model, emerged after exhaustive testing and learning. This pivot finally aligned with users' needs, setting the stage for rapid growth and widespread acclaim.

For insights on overcoming challenges similar to those faced by Time Left, read about CaseText's journey in the pre-LLM era.

Why is dinner a powerful 'technology' for connection?

"Dinner is a technology. If I wanted to get people together to actually have a good time, dinner is a piece of tech that just works." - Maxime Barbier

Dinner acts as a simple yet effective means of connecting individuals. It is a universal activity, familiar to everyone, ensuring comfort and ease during interactions. The shared experience of dining provides a natural structure with a beginning, middle, and end, facilitating smooth interactions.

"There’s no skill required and everyone knows how to do it."

This ritual allows individuals to focus on the joy of eating and sharing stories, breaking barriers and fostering connections. By offering a break from digital environments, such shared meals cultivate real-world bonds, addressing the ongoing loneliness epidemic.

Understanding how to better connect with others can also help improve connections on a relationship level, strengthening personal and professional ties.