Background
The fitness industry thrives on human connection, the motivating word from a trainer, the shared struggle of a challenging workout, the celebration of progress. Yet digital fitness platforms had reduced these meaningful interactions to cold transactions: book a session, show up, pay, repeat. Forza existed in this sterile landscape as a functional but uninspiring MVP. Users could book trainers, trainers could accept sessions, but the platform failed to capture the essence of what makes fitness transformative: community, progress, and genuine human connection. This case study chronicles the complete transformation of Forza from a basic booking tool into a thriving ecosystem where fitness professionals and enthusiasts don't just transact, they connect, grow, and succeed together.
Core problem
The app treated fitness as a simple, cold transaction, failing to address the user's emotional needs for motivation, community, and validation. On the other side, trainers were burdened with administrative chaos, using personal phones and notebooks, which undermined their professionalism and limited their ability to scale. Enthusiasts found it difficult to find the right coach and, more importantly, to stay motivated on their journey.
Core Features
Integrated Trainer Command Centre: A "business-in-a-box" dashboard for trainers to professionally manage scheduling, clients, messaging, and payments. This empowers them to run their business effectively, saving them time and enhancing their value proposition.
Personalized Client Dashboard: A home experience focused on celebrating progress and providing validation (e.g., "You've completed 80% of your workouts") rather than displaying raw, unmotivating data, turning metrics into milestones.
Community & Events Hub: A platform for group workouts, challenges, and events, strategically transforming fitness from an isolated activity into a shared, motivating social experience that builds accountability and connection.
Approach & Process:
As VP of Product, I led the entire platform transformation. The strategy was grounded in deep ethnographic research and the Jobs-to-be-Done framework to uncover the real needs of both user groups. Key behavioural psychology principles were applied to every feature, and the execution involved building a new information architecture and an accessible, scalable design system from scratch.
Results and Impact
Drove massive business growth, achieving a 55% increase in user acquisition and a remarkable 80% improvement in 3-month retention. The platform was successfully transformed from a simple tool into a thriving two-sided marketplace with powerful, self-reinforcing network effects.
Increase in User Retention
1%
1%