TeachMe.To is a company that connects athletes with local coaches. Pulse 2.0 interviewed TeachMe.To CEO Nick O’Brien to learn more about the company.
Nick O’Brien’s Background
O’Brien previously founded a company called Alloi, which started as a covid-response project. And O’Brien said:
“We created an antimicrobial phone case that used a proprietary copper composite demonstrated to destroy 99%+ of coronavirus to help mitigate the spread of COVID. For every case sold, one was donated to a frontline worker. The business grew from $0 to 7 figures in less than a year, and we were featured in Fast Company and Good Morning America. Eventually, the demand slowed as consumers shifted their attention away from COVID-19, but I learned a ton about the zero-to-one process of building a startup. Prior to Alloi, I co-founded and sold Hydrodore, which provides pure running water to college dorms without water access. I’m always looking for ways to use technology to improve people’s lives.”
Formation Of TeachMe.To
How did the idea for TeachMe.To come together? O’Brien shared:
“A few years ago, Tyler and I wanted to learn how to kiteboard, so we did what every person would do and Googled ‘kiteboarding lessons near me.’ The results turned up very few instructors. Even worse, the top websites didn’t have reviews, pricing, or a way to book online. It’s just not what you expect as a modern consumer, so we ended up not purchasing.”
“As we started looking at other lessons – like golf, tennis, and guitar – we realized this was a common problem across the board. We started to wonder: ‘How many more people would try something new if it was just a little easier to get started?’”
“We began ideating on what it would take to make booking a lesson feel quicker, friendlier, and more secure – and that’s when things really got rolling.”
“Our company goal is to 10x the number of people who pick up fun, fulfilling hobbies by making it insanely easy to get started with lessons.”
Favorite Memory
What has been O’Brien’s favorite memory working for the company so far? O’Brien reflected:
“My favorite memory is doing an interview with Fox News on the growth of pickleball. I had the chance to tell our story and play pickleball with Tim, one of our coaches, for 2 hours in the middle of a Wednesday. It was a great day.”
Core Products
What are the company’s core products and features? O’Brien explained:
“Our core product is the Lesson Hub for Beginners. We are the easy way to learn to play, providing access to passionate coaches near you. On our site, students can explore coaches based on a variety of attributes, from skill level to whether they’re great with kids. Coaches provide a real-time calendar for students to choose from, enabling quick and easy booking without the typical back-and-forth hassle. After booking, students can enjoy our mobile app to manage their lesson schedule and communicate with their coach.”
Evolution Of TeachMe.To’s Technology
How has TeachMe.To’s technology evolved since launching? O’Brien noted:
“We began with a simple website with just a few eCommerce features. Today, we have an entire web and mobile ecosystem that works together seamlessly to deliver a smooth customer experience.”
Significant Milestones
What have been some of the company’s most significant milestones? O’Brien cited:
“We started with a single sport in a single city, surfing in San Diego. Our first major milestone was proving that our product could scale to multiple cities up the coast of California. Our next major milestone was proving that it could work for multiple sports, from surfing to golf. From there, we were able to expand nationally and continue adding more skills.”
Customer Success Stories
After asking O’Brien about customer success stories, he highlighted:
“We make it our mission to make every booking a customer success story. Last week, a famous Hollywood director booked a tennis lesson at his private court in LA. We were on the edge of our seats to hear about how it went. The coach he booked delivered such an outstanding lesson that this director wanted another lesson the following day for himself and another TeachMe.To coach for his 3 nieces and nephews later that week.”
Funding
After asking O’Brien about the company’s funding information, he revealed:
“We are able to disclose $2.5 million in funding, including an institutional seed round led by 1984 Ventures. We are not able to disclose revenue metrics at this time, but we can share that we are delivering over 100 lessons per day.”
Total Addressable Market
What total addressable market (TAM) size is the company pursuing? O’Brien assessed:
“We are tackling a $100 billion learning market, from pickleball to piano.”
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates the company from its competition? O’Brien affirmed:
“Competitors in the in-person lessons space have traditionally built lead gen products with a fragmented, high-friction experience. Our product is built with the end-to-end learning experience in mind, which supports best-in-class coach discovery, booking, and lesson delivery. Creating the easiest solution for students and the most useful tooling for coaches is a win-win for everyone.”
Future Company Goals
What are some of the company’s future company goals? O’Brien concluded:
“In the future, we plan to continue expanding our product to new skills and geographies. Our vision is to become a place where anyone can learn anything.”
