Entrepreneurs often believe that you need a sizable marketing budget to make your product go viral. Nikita Bier, however, challenges that assumption. Twice, he built and scaled social apps—tbh and Gas—to millions of users in record time, all without spending a single dollar on traditional marketing. His story offers a blueprint for those looking to disrupt an industry on a shoestring budget.
Nikita’s achievements stand out in a crowded app market. In 2017, his first viral creation, tbh, reached 5 million users in just two months. Facebook (now Meta) was quick to notice, acquiring tbh for a reported $30 million. Five years later, he repeated this feat with the Gas app. Launched in 2022, Gas hit 10 million users within three months and was snapped up by Discord in early 2023.
The secret to Nikita’s success lies in a mix of audience understanding, product psychology, and an unconventional launch strategy. He didn’t rely on major ad campaigns or influencer partnerships. Instead, he focused on creating social proof, exclusivity, and viral referral loops to fuel organic growth.
What Made tbh and Gas So Popular?
Both tbh and Gas target a very specific group of users: teenagers seeking positive social validation. The apps function as spaces where teens can anonymously compliment each other through fun, engaging polls. This approach plays on a universal desire—particularly strong in younger demographics—for recognition and connection.
Anonymous Compliments
These features gave teens a safe outlet to express admiration and positivity without fear of social judgment. It also prevented bullying and negative comments by focusing on kind prompts.
As users received genuine praise, they felt more confident and connected to their peers—leading many to share the app with friends.
Playful Polls and Gems
The apps used short, multiple-choice polls, encouraging quick participation. This minimized user friction and made it easy to share results.
Gamified elements like “gems” (in Gas) added a sense of achievement, spurring users to keep engaging and inviting others.
School-Centric Communities
Both apps capitalized on peer groups within high schools. By segmenting user pools to specific schools or states, the social dynamics of these tight-knit groups magnified the virality.
This focus on validation and positivity resonated profoundly with a teen audience. Many left heartfelt reviews, citing how the apps helped them feel more confident and connected.
The Razor-Sharp Launch Strategy Behind tbh
In August 2017, Nikita and his small team were on the brink of running out of funds when they decided to launch tbh in a single high school in Georgia. The strategic timing and location were no coincidence:
Early Semester Start Dates
Certain Georgia schools start earlier in the academic calendar than most U.S. schools. This allowed the app to gain momentum before other schools even began their sessions.
Grassroots Instagram Marketing
Nikita’s team set up school-specific Instagram accounts, following local students who identified their schools in their Instagram bios.
Each account was kept private, teasing with a mysterious invitation in the bio like: “You’re invited to tbh at [School Name]. Stay tuned.”
At a set time—often around 4:00 PM, when students were leaving school—they switched each account from private to public, updated the bio with a download link, and accepted all pending follow requests.
This instantly piqued curiosity. Students saw a flood of new posts and the eagerly awaited download link, making them feel as if they’d received an exclusive invitation.
Targeted Exclusivity
Rather than opening up tbh to everyone, the team rolled it out state by state. This geofenced approach intensified the sense of exclusivity and hype, as students nationwide began clamoring for the app to be available in their school or state.
By September 2017, tbh soared to the top of the U.S. App Store. Within nine weeks, it reached 5 million downloads and 2.5 million daily active users. The viral coefficient grew organically—no large marketing campaign was necessary because students marketed the app themselves, excited to share a fun new tool with their friends.
A Repeat Performance: The Gas App
Five years later, Nikita leveraged almost the same playbook for launching Gas:
Positive Vibes, Anonymously: Like tbh, Gas allowed teenagers to send each other compliments through multiple-choice polls.
Minimal Marketing Spend: Nikita focused on launching in selective schools, using social platforms like Instagram and Snapchat to tease the product.
Gamification: Gas introduced “gems” and other visual cues to keep teens motivated.
Rapid Adoption: Within three months, Gas boasted 10 million users. By January 2023, Discord acquired the app.
The results were even faster and more impressive than the first time. Nikita’s strategy of “geofenced exclusivity” created a fear of missing out (FOMO) in each new region he opened, generating hype that spread far beyond any single school.
Why This Approach Works (and What We Can Learn)
Nikita’s success story isn’t just about teen apps. It’s about understanding the human desire for exclusivity and social validation, then pairing it with a highly targeted launch. Here are the core principles that made his strategy so effective:
Niche Audience Focus
Nikita zeroed in on teenagers, a demographic known for its social sharing and ability to push viral trends.
By tailoring features to teen psychology—such as anonymous compliments—he tapped into a powerful driver for user retention and organic invites.
Exclusivity and Scarcity
Rolling out an app state by state, or even school by school, might sound counterintuitive—most companies want the largest immediate reach.
However, limiting initial availability creates hype and suspense. Users can’t wait for the app to “reach their area,” leading to intense word-of-mouth.
Community-Driven Launch
Rather than spending on ads, the team leveraged existing social networks. Students who discovered the app felt as if they’d received a secret invitation that they could share with friends.
This grassroots approach cultivates a sense of ownership: early adopters pride themselves on being part of something exclusive.
Simplicity and Instant Gratification
Teen-centric polls are inherently fast and fun. They require minimal mental effort and yield immediate rewards—compliments, gems, and a sense of belonging.
This low barrier to entry fuels repeat usage and viral sharing.
Minimal Dependencies
Nikita’s philosophy is that you should be able to “launch from your couch with zero dependencies on other people.”
This means building an MVP (minimum viable product) that can self-propagate without large ad budgets or promotional partners. The product’s inherent virality does the heavy lifting.
Lessons for Aspiring App Founders and Marketers
Nikita Bier’s journey offers actionable takeaways for entrepreneurs across all sectors:
Know Your Core User Inside and Out
A deep understanding of your audience’s motivations, pain points, and preferences is crucial. This drives both product design and go-to-market strategy.
Design for Virality and Sharingsome text
Build features that make it easy and rewarding for users to invite others. Gamified elements, exclusive invites, or referral bonuses can all act as catalysts.
Create a Sense of Mystery and FOMO
Restricting availability—whether through geofencing, invite codes, or tiered rollouts—can significantly amplify hype and word-of-mouth.
Scrutinize Every Launch Detail
Don’t simply “open the gates.” Plan the time, platform, and initial user base meticulously. The difference between success and flop can hinge on launch precision.
Stay Lean
Nikita’s story proves big results don’t always require big budgets. A lean team that’s agile and deeply connected with its target audience can outmaneuver bigger, slower competitors.
Beyond Teen Apps: Is This Model Replicable?
While tbh and Gas had obvious appeal for high-school students, the underlying approach can extend to other products. If you identify a clear niche that thrives on community and social validation, a staggered launch with built-in virality can yield impressive results.
Professional Networking: Roll out city by city or industry by industry, inviting a select group of professionals first.
Local Events Platforms: Focus on a single region, hosting exclusive invites to the first wave of events.
Community-Driven Marketplaces: Start with a hyper-local region and let word-of-mouth expansion guide your next steps.
The key is to build anticipation and let early adopters feel special, so they become your most ardent evangelists.
Nikita IRL
Conclusion
By forging two multimillion-dollar exits without spending a dollar on marketing, Nikita Bier demonstrates the power of a deeply focused, user-centric approach. His story is more than just a case study in launching teen apps; it’s a masterclass in lean growth and organic virality.
Focus on a niche audience—in this case, validation-seeking teens.
Create intrigue and exclusivity with targeted rollouts and private social channels.
Leverage simple psychology—anonymous compliments and gamified feedback loops.
In a world where many startups funnel huge budgets into paid advertising, Nikita’s strategies show that an authentic product, combined with a razor-sharp launch plan, can ignite word-of-mouth and propel an app to staggering heights. Whether you’re launching the next social phenomenon or a niche community platform, the lessons from tbh and Gas can guide you to viral success—no marketing dollars required.
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