Execution Plan
8 Weeks to First User Testing
Concrete sequence based on Joshua's confirmed answers. Two parallel tracks (Joshua: content, Alex: code) merging weekly. First real users by week 8.
Content is the bottleneck, not code
Joshua's own words: "Nothing is created. It is all in my head." A beautiful app with no prayer routines, no readings, no reflections is useless. Content production must run in parallel with — or before — engineering. Otherwise we ship an empty shell.
Week-by-Week Plan
Week 1-2
Foundation
- Record 10 prayer set routines (audio — phone is fine for MVP)
- Confirm name: FITBYCHRIST.com or alternative
- Identify 1 trusted beta tester for week 8
- Buy domain (FITBYCHRIST.com if confirmed)
- Scaffold React Native app (Expo + Supabase)
- Set up auth, payment, push notification infra
- Wire up 1 hardcoded prayer routine end-to-end
Blocker: Content + name decision. Without 10 routines + a name, week 3-4 stalls.
Week 3-4
Content + Engine
- Record 10 more prayer routines (variety: lengths, styles)
- Write 5 scripture reading plans with audio
- Draft confessional reflections (Prayer Book pages 32-41)
- Build daily routine player (with timer, sets/reps tracker)
- Build habit tracker with streaks
- Build Level 1 progression engine (only L1 for MVP)
- Build persona onboarding quiz
Blocker: Joshua needs to record consistently. Empty UI = useless app.
Week 5-6
Internal Beta
- Use the app yourself daily for 2 weeks
- Document content gaps and friction points
- Record any missing content surfaced by daily use
- TestFlight build for iOS, Internal Testing for Android
- Fix bugs and friction points Joshua reports
- Add basic analytics (PostHog)
- Polish onboarding flow
Blocker: Joshua must use the app daily. If founder won't use it, nobody will.
Week 7-8
External Beta
- Recruit 10-20 beta users from immediate network (church, friends)
- Lead weekly check-in call with beta users
- Collect feedback systematically
- Onboard beta users in 2 cohorts of 5-10
- Push notifications + streak system live
- Set up beta feedback channel (Discord or email)
- Iterate on top 3 friction points
Blocker: Real users + Joshua's leadership. Without his presence, beta dies.
4 Architecture Decisions That Affect Tech Selection
Most decisions on /architecture/ don't change the stack. These four do. Lock them in before week 1.
Native or Web?
Biggest stack fork. Native = push notifications, App Store presence. Web = ship in 2 weeks.
· React Native (iOS + Android, one codebase)
· Progressive Web App (faster to ship)
· Both
Recommend: PWA for first 10 testers (week 5), React Native after week 8. Same React skills either way.
Offline-first or online-only?
Routines need to play on airplane, at retreat, in church basement. Critical for habit formation.
· Full offline (sync when online)
· Online-only (simpler)
· Cached today's routine offline
Recommend: Cache today's routine offline. Everything else online.
Where does audio live?
Joshua's voice is the product. Hosting must be reliable + cheap to scale.
· Cloudflare R2 (we already use CF)
· AWS S3 + CloudFront
· Cloudflare Stream (if video)
Recommend: Cloudflare R2 for audio MVP. No egress fees, on our existing account.
Anonymous trial or account required?
Apple rejects subscription apps that gate everything. Need 'Sign in with Apple'.
· Anonymous first session
· Account required upfront
· Sign in with Apple/Google only
Recommend: Anonymous first session. Account required to save progress (after first 3 days).
Proposed Tech Stack
Subject to your veto. This stack lets Alex build the whole MVP without hiring anyone. Total infrastructure cost at 100 users: under $50/month.
| Layer | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Frontend | React Native (Expo) | iOS + Android from one codebase. Alex can build alone. |
| Backend | Supabase | Postgres + Auth + Realtime. Open source. Already decided. |
| Audio Hosting | Cloudflare R2 | Cheap, no egress fees, on existing Cloudflare account. |
| Payments | RevenueCat | Handles Apple + Google + Stripe in one SDK. Already decided. |
| Push Notifications | Expo Notifications | Built into Expo. No separate FCM/APNs setup. |
| Analytics | PostHog | Privacy-friendly. Free tier covers MVP. |
| AI Layer | Claude API | For personalization in Phase 2. Aligned with our tooling. |
What We Do This Week
Record your first 3 prayer routines on your phone (no studio needed)
Buy FITBYCHRIST.com (or whatever name we lock in)
Scaffold React Native app with Expo, Supabase auth, one hardcoded routine
Pick one beta tester from Joshua's network for week 8
By Week 8
10-20 real users testing daily prayer routines on their phones. 20+ pieces of Joshua's content live in the app. Push notifications driving streaks. Real feedback to iterate on. Then we know if we have something.
Discuss next steps on Q&A Board →