GTM for a
Wellness Startup
Our brand building strategy helped grow Wellsum from zero to 50k users.
| Client: | Wellsum Life |
| Sector: | Wellness-Tech (Mobile App) |
| Stage: | Seed-funded startup with a 6-month runway |
The Goal
Establish a scalable go-to-market strategy for Wellsum—a mobile app delivering personalized mindfulness plans—before funding depleted.
Target: Acquire 50,000 users in under four months with measurable traction to attract Series A investors.
The Challenge
The product was ready. The market was noisy. Speed, clarity, and precision were non-negotiable. Wellsum had:
- Zero brand recognition
- No email list, partnerships, or community
- Limited internal marketing resources
- Only six months of runway to prove market demand
The Playbook
A six-part sprint designed to extend partnership and referral programs.
Positioning Sprint
We clarified Wellsum’s unique edge: personalized mental wellness, not generic meditation. Through rapid user interviews and persona sprints, we carved out a niche—”mindfulness that grows with you.”
Result: Delivered a brand messaging guide, emotional triggers matrix, and ad creative that leaned into self-improvement without the spiritual fluff.
Influencer Seeding
We gifted early access to 100 micro-influencers in mental wellness, productivity, and neurodiversity spaces. Instead of sponsorships, we built trust by involving them in feature feedback and content co-creation.
Result: 60+ organic posts, 4M+ impressions, and user-generated content for paid campaigns.
Content Partnerships
We secured 15 placements on high-traffic mental health blogs and newsletters by offering expert content and exclusive beta access for their audiences.
Result: A feature in “Mindful Hustle” newsletter drove 8,400 signups in 48 hours.
“Founding Member” Referral Program
Gamified word-of-mouth with tiered rewards: early users could unlock premium months, in-app credits, and merch for sharing the app.
Result: 28% of total signups came via referral.
Overall Results
In 120 Days:
- 50,000 users acquired
- 17% paid conversion rate
- $1.24 cost-per-install (46% lower than early benchmarks)
- 28% referral-based signups
- Featured on 3 top wellness podcasts and 2 major blogs
- Built a waitlist of 14,000 before launch
Why It Matters
In an attention-starved category, Wellsum cut through the noise by building real relationships, not just running ads. With lean tactics and bold positioning, we proved the market, outperformed benchmarks, and laid the groundwork for sustainable growth.
We knew we had a great product—but no brand, no audience, and no time to waste. The go-to-market plan Eric brought to Wellsum didn’t just check boxes, it gave us velocity. From influencer momentum to referral strategy, everything was purpose-built for traction. In under four months, we went from zero to 50,000 users and closed our next funding round with confidence. Eric’s strategic thinking and ability to execute under pressure were absolutely critical to our launch.
Ariana Patel
Board President, Wellsum