Started as a side project
At the beginning of many startups stands necessity. This is also how the idea of The Tours developed. What I was missing was a motorcycle app where tours, compiled by a team, could be ridden directly in the app using its own navigation. The additionally tedious process of transferring the created tour to a navigation device should become obsolete with the new app. That was my dream. For the dream to become reality, I began implementing the first prototype in my third year of studies (2020). Sort of as a side job alongside my part-time studies and 60% workload. This only works if you really enjoy the project. And I definitely had fun, as I could combine two of my passions in one project: programming and motorcycle riding.
First prototype on the web
Since my skills lie in web programming, it was clear to me that the first version should become a web app. So an app that is not downloaded via the App Store, but opened in the browser using a URL. Thus I began programming without too much of a plan. First, I created a landing page, the flagship of every company. A simple website that captures the core messages. This way I could also tell everyone what I was currently doing. Next, I roughly sketched the features I would like to have. The following functions made it into the first prototype: record tours, display a route on the map, display recorded tours on the map, save tours in a wishlist.
Collaboration Äxel, Remo and Jonas
After the first web prototype was finished, I asked Äxel, who works as a director in the same office, how I could create tutorials for my app. He showed little interest in the videos, but was all the more interested in the app. Äxel was immediately enthusiastic about the app idea and wanted to further advance my vision. Shortly afterwards, we presented the project to Remo, the owner of the Nueva agency, where I work as a developer. With Remo, we were able to gain a professional in all communication and advertising matters and thus complete the founding team.
Initial doubts about the web app
The team was there and the web app was ready too. It just didn't want to work properly yet. A tracking app for motorcycles ideally needs as little battery as possible so that long tours can be recorded and the battery isn't drained after a completed tour. To record a tour, the web app also needs access to the smartphone's location. This only works when the web app is active, which means the screen must be constantly active. This in turn results in extreme battery consumption. The web app solution was therefore not the right choice for the tracking app due to the technical constraints.
External developers for new app programming
This realization first had to mature somewhat and put a small damper on the timeline. However, we could no longer change that. As soon as the new approach, a second development attempt, this time with a proper app and not a web app, was defined, we set out to search for a native app developer. This is easier said than done, with a limited budget of approximately CHF 10,000.
First App Prototype
We finally found what we were looking for in Bulgaria. With a good team, they developed the new app over five months, between May and September 2021. At the same time, The Tours brand was created. The app gained its own identity through the new design. The brand and the app were designed by Jonas, not me, another Jonas who also works as a freelance designer at Remo's agency. The result was impressive. The app tests were also very promising.
Company formation
Next on the agenda was founding the company. Not so easy when you're doing it all for the first time and without external help. Creating articles of incorporation, setting up a capital deposit account, notarial authentication. That's roughly the short summary of founding a company. And of course paying a bill here and there.
Go Live App Store
The next major milestone was the live launch of the app in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. The entire process until the apps are available to users is very complex due to the many different regulations. On March 14, 2021, the time had finally come - everything was approved and The Tours was ready for download in both stores.
Today
A whole motorcycle season later, in autumn 2022, we have a total of 652 registered users, a lot of feedback and even more ideas for the further development of the app. At this point, a big thank you to the tireless commitment of our beta testers, amateur models and testimonials!
The Journey in Numbers
Commits: 513 🤓
Prototype costs: 10,200.- 💰
Hours: approx. 1000 ⏳
Mate Teas: 243 🥤
Nervous breakdowns: 5 🙈