Since I built futsaloka, I just realize it's change the way I thinking a lot. It's change the way I see the design scape.

Version 1.x (around early 2018)

The MVP version of the product. The feature is just as simple as you able to book a futsal venue to play with your folks.

Got 3-6 orders per 2 weeks.

It's viable, but no such venue options.

Lesson learned on this first version is. No matter how bad the product is, if it go to the market first, the ending would be different. It's ok to listen to your users, but you need to prioritized what necessary.

Good product is a good business. But this business is 2 sided, a good design is not enough. It needs more, far, better, partner management. We also work on business to business. Partner aqcuisition should be as good as as the user, since they meed more options.

At this point, the product is not totally failed. But the business was, and we improve a lot on the next release.

Version 2.x (around early 2019)

The business just progessing good that time. Aqcuired 8 new partners is 3 months, from just 2. Not the best, but at least we tried. User growth is going up from 200+ users to 6k unique users. But still not give impact to the booking.

We tried to inspect the data, and found that the big growth on users number is came from SEO. Which means that more than 60% of the users is spread around Indonesia. While that time, we serve only in Bandung. Unlucky but lucky :(

This is the killing features we released on v2. We called it Lobby, just like a lobby we know, there will so many rooms along the lobby, and so many people. Yup, its a place for users to create and join the match room.

The goals is to push the DAU growth.

And we want to do it organically. Generated by users, and let them find a suitable game to join. With no need to create any booking orders, just use it to find a game.

The impact is good, we got so many feedback and several game started from lobby.

We also released it at the right time. Join some exhibitions, and gain publications. Everything is great at least from several days after release.

New adoption growth, Business partnership, Incubation offering from Singapore, etc. So happy that time

After a great time, we left the app progress. So we can focus on business partnership to gain people awareness and cross marketing. We left the app with no updates for months, to held some events, publications, media partners and sponsorship.

We reached an agreement with a big futsal club in Indonesia, Vamos FC Mataram. Even its just an academy sponsorship, but we directly communicate with alm. coach Bonsu that time to promote futsaloka everywhere he goes. RIP, coach..

We also invited to join their final champions celebration at Jogja. Damn, they really treat us like family.

After the party, we had a talk with coach Bonsu and some the academy manager at the hotel, we want to take futsaloka deeper into sport development.

And make Vamos Academy to be our pilot project. Ya, sports+statistics+players attribute=academic management. The goals? Of course the sport development. We help them to generate hot prospect, and promote them to other big clubs.

Everybody agreed that time.

Its been 16 months since we started and still not profitable. The business is good indeed, but it takes time to sustain. And we're looking for injection that time.

We sent our proposals everywhere. But the answer is always similar. Your metrics number is not sexy.

We spent so many cost for the product, promotion, events, etc. But doesnt give a significant effect. That time, I learned that you cannot be a Bizdev, PO, Designer, Sales marketing, and Socmed admin at the same time.

I need to delegate some tasks. I have to.

Time is running, but we're still stagnant. No more growth in partnership, profit and we've lost so much cost. Months later, one of the founder, got married. I was happy, and sad at the same time. Because we dont have an agreement yet here after.

As I predicted before, as a team, we lost our focus. We were so busy with our life that time. And we have not much active team members. Before we lost more and more, I called everyone, and told them that we need to take a break.

And we're still not yet re-assembled until today.

Did I loss? Yes
Did I regret? No
Did I learned? Yes, soooo much learned.

I learned how to become anything I want to be, Designer, PO, Marketeer, Bizdev, BA, Front end developer, Journalist, and negotiator at the same time. I can now consider myself as an actor.

Last but not least.

Good designed product is not always a good business. It takes a bloody effort to put ourself on the sweetspot. Dare to delegate the job, challenge your team member, go outside, meet your users, meet the partners, talk with them more.

Also, here I put my deepest respect for those who used to believe. The devs (Adi, Indra), The biz (Wahyudi, Herdian), The Support (Rida, Muna). Till we meet again.

I really need to learn more..