Strava

Strava turned running and cycling — fundamentally solo activities — into a social product by making the workout the post. Identity does the work that engagement teams do at other companies.

Free tier for basic tracking, paid subscription for advanced analytics, segments, routes, and training plans. The free tier feeds the social graph; the subscription monetizes the obsessed.

Network effects via segments (leaderboards on real-world geography) and clubs. Every Strava user pulls their friends in because the feed only works if your friends are on it.

Activities are the unit of content. Kudos and comments give immediate social reward. Segments turn every route into a competition. The product reframes exercise as performance art.

If your product creates public proof of identity, you don't need a growth team — your users do the work for you.