How I built an SMS-first product that helps couples combat emotional drift through daily micro-rituals, combining behavioral science, AI, and product strategy.
Couples don't separate from lack of love—they drift from lack of connection. Small relationship stressors compound when unattended.
"We don't have time or structure for meaningful conversations"
"We avoid vulnerable topics because they feel risky or draining"
"We worry we're drifting apart, but don't know how to fix it"
"Existing tools are inconvenient, performative, or overwhelming"
Regular gratitude and admiration predict staying together. Lack of appreciation predicts divorce more than conflict. "Turning toward" partner's bids for connection has 94% accuracy in predicting relationship success.
Analyzed 2,000+ Reddit posts to understand relationship pain points. Top pattern: Trust erosion from small disconnections. Couples follow a path of avoidance → silent withdrawal → crisis. Without consistent low-friction rituals, couples drift.
Lifestyle/wellness apps have 2-8% 30-day retention. Push notifications get 4-15% open rates. Apps require downloads, logins, and constant engagement. SMS delivers 98% open rates with no friction.
LoveNotes reframes relationship health as a habit-formation challenge, not a software problem. Software should support human connection, not replace it.
Each partner receives a science-backed reflection prompt via text message. Questions are grounded in Gottman research and designed to build appreciation.
Partners see each other's responses directly—no AI interpretation, no algorithmic filtering. Your words, unmodified, delivered to your partner.
Every Sunday, couples receive a compiled reflection of their week together. A moment to pause, reflect, and appreciate the connection they've built.
"How can we help love flourish in tiny, consistent ways—without pressure, without demands, without surveillance?"
Target Market: 63M married/cohabiting couples in the US. Serviceable market: 15.6M tech-savvy couples actively seeking relationship tools ($1.5B market value). 3-year goal: 15,600 couples (0.1% market capture) = $1.5M ARR.
SMS scheduling, state machines, and time zones are fragile. Built comprehensive testing tools, simulated couple logic, and multi-LLM debugging workflows.
Late responses need correct pairing; prevent hallucinations. Implemented structured JSON responses, pairing buffers, and strict prompt engineering.
Balance gratitude themes without inducing shame. Created science-backed curriculum with recurring appreciation and habit-focused messaging.
Free trials vs. SMS cost risk. Implemented capped trial volume, value-first pricing, and sustainable cost modeling.
Validated pain points through qualitative research. Pivoted away from complex biometric tools toward simple prompts grounded in behavioral science.
Built SMS infrastructure with Twilio, Supabase, and Gemini AI. Closed beta with 11 couples, tested state machine logic and prompt effectiveness.
Target: 50+ active couples and first paying subscribers. Refining onboarding flow and payment integration.
Goal: 240 couples, $23k ARR. Establish repeatable acquisition channels through content marketing and partnerships.
Early assumptions about biometric/AI-driven conflict tools were unrealistic. Research revealed simple prompts are validated and powerful—prevented "cool but not useful" product bloat.
Reducing onboarding complexity created trust. Postponing features drove focus. Constraint forced commitment to honoring users' words over AI interpretations.
Users rejected complex workflows and embraced lightweight prompts. Learned to prioritize real value over novelty—the best features are often the simplest ones.
State machines, cron logic, and edge cases created unexpected complexity. SMS is far less flexible than an app—every constraint forced better design decisions.
"LoveStory" (Spotify-wrapped style recap) emerged organically from usage patterns. Designing for vulnerability and trust revealed opportunities beyond the initial roadmap.
"How can we help love flourish in tiny, consistent ways—without pressure, without demands, without surveillance, without manipulation?"