His fitness app pays users to workout, but what they really want is body transformation, founder says

Jasper Sanders founded Deposit The Work to incentivize users to stick with their fitness goals, he shared, but now he’s emphasizing accountability with the app’s latest feature.

“The whole idea behind CoachConnect+ is providing a platform for individuals who are stuck on their fitness journey, unsure on where to start, [or] don’t know how to progress their training,” said Sanders, founder of Deposit The Work — a lifestyle app containing healthy recipes curated by a nutritionist, workout programs designed by Sanders, and a fitness apparel shop.

Click here to read more about why Jasper Sanders founded Deposit The Work. 

CoachConnect+ pairs users with a personal trainer who can track the users’ daily workouts and overall progress, Sanders explained. Users fill out a questionnaire on their current fitness style and goals to be then paired with a trainer. But, they can request a different trainer based on their preference, he added. 

“All of us have different styles — from calisthenics to bodybuilding to performance to functional fitness,” he said. “… People love it. I’ve grown, numbers wise, about seven times in the month.”

Deposit The Work has about 2,000 installs, Sanders said — noting a soft launch for CoachConnect+ in August.

When Sanders originally debuted Deposit The Work in January 2021, the focus of the app was for users to earn money as they burn calories to keep them motivated. But after collecting user feedback, Sanders found that money wasn’t the main motivator, he recalled.

What energized users: achieving long-term health and fitness goals. 

“You can still make your money [on the app], but the workout part is more tailored toward being an actual fitness tool,” Sanders said. “It’s laid out now so trainers have their program set for a client, so they know exactly what to do.”

Working one-on-one with a coach increases an individual’s chances of achieving their goals and decreases the likelihood of quitting to about 5 percent, said Sanders, who is a former college football player and has been a personal trainer in Kansas City, Kansas for the past eight years. 

“Even if somebody doesn’t want to come in [for a workout], they’ll come in because I’m there, and they have a time slot,” he said. 

Jasper Sanders, Deposit The Work

CoachConnect+ provides individuals with more flexibility, as they are able to workout on their own time, not the trainer’s, Sanders said — adding that they still have access to the trainer for any support needed.

Coaches, who work as contractors with Deposit The Work, set personalized workouts for the user to follow each day and are able to see whether they have been completed. If not, they can call the user through the app to check in.

“If you’re not working out that day, [the coach] can see that to make sure you stay on track,” he continued. “That’s the biggest thing — there’s a little more accountability.”

Deposit The Work and its CoachConnet+ feature is for users of all fitness levels and styles from walkers to weightlifters, Sanders said. He currently has five trainers on the app, including himself, but he’s planning on adding more. 

Users pay a monthly subscription fee for what is essentially a virtual gym membership, Sanders continued, noting that the app comes with a free, seven-day trial. Through the app, users can sign up for workout programs, track overall activity, count calories, have access to nutrition tips, healthy recipes and earn cash back. If users want to work with a coach, they will pay an additional monthly fee.

“The [Deposit The Work] fitness app is a tool for user’s fitness success,” Sanders said. “The idea behind the app is setting up users with the proper infrastructure to allow for quick and easy body transformations. … Some people are skeptical about apps because it’s not in person, but the thing about this app is that I see everything you do — your steps, your calories burning. If you’re looking for real results, the analytics are how you get to that at the end of the day.”

This story is possible thanks to support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, a private, nonpartisan foundation that works together with communities in education and entrepreneurship to create uncommon solutions and empower people to shape their futures and be successful.

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