What It Really Costs to Build a Startup | Michael Flatman

Michael Flatman decided to launch a fitness app in one of the most saturated markets imaginable. Today, more than 23,000 people have come through the doors of Edge, but getting there has meant sacrifice, changing direction and learning how to compete against businesses with far more money, experience and resources. Michael joins Louis Alexander to reveal what building a startup actually looks like while you're still in the middle of it, why he believes founders need blind optimism, the personal and financial sacrifices he's made to keep Edge alive, how you convince other people to believe in an unproven idea, when to pivot, and why one of the biggest lessons he's learned as a founder is to speak less and listen more. 00:00 Why Launch Another Fitness App? 00:54 Michael Flatman & Edge 01:05 The Biggest Lesson He’s Learned 02:53 Where the Idea for Edge Came From 03:37 Reaching 23,000 Users 04:36 The Ambition to Compete With the Biggest 05:57 What Really Motivates Michael? 07:27 The Sacrifices Nobody Sees 10:24 How Do You Know the Sacrifice Is Worth It? 11:33 Selling a Vision Before You Have Proof 13:49 Confidence vs Arrogance 14:37 Michael’s Battle With Chronic Fatigue 17:00 Bob 17:50 Refusing to Let a Difficult Chapter Define You 19:02 What Does Michael Want His Legacy to Be? 23:30 What He’d Tell Himself on Day One 24:24 Why Your Original Plan Will Probably Change 25:20 The Power of the Pivot 27:23 Four Founders, Four Opinions 28:03 Michael’s Biggest Leadership Mistake 30:31 Why Great Salespeople Talk Less 32:28 The Business Lesson That Changed His Life 33:51 Where Will Edge Be in Two Years? 34:57 The Skill Michael Still Needs to Learn 36:29 Bob’s Everyday Hero I also want to say a HUGE thank you to Bob for backing If You Can. They supported my last adventure across Australia, and this project wouldn’t exist without that belief and trust. It means a lot to have partners who care about the journey, not just the outcome and I’m really proud to have them alongside me on this one. Discover Bob... 📸 Instagram:   / bob_bodywash   📱 TikTok:   / bob_bodywash   🖥️ Website: https://welcometobob.com/ Join the IF YOU CAN Community... ✉️ Email Louis: louis@ifyoucanhq.com 📸 Instagram:   / ifyoucanhq   📱 TikTok:   / ifyoucanhq   🖥️ Website: https://www.ifyoucanhq.com Produced by Cold Fries... ✉️ Email: laurence@coldfries.co.uk 🖥️ Website: www.coldfries.co.uk #IfYouCan #LouisAlexander #LifeLessons #Inspiration #Mindset #TakingTheLeap #PersonalGrowth #Motivation #OvercomingChallenges #SelfBelief #GrowthMindset #SuccessJourney #RealConversations #FindingDirection #Resilience We use Envato Elements for music and fonts. Licenses available on request.