Post — Navigating the Realities of Small Business in the Digital Age

Take Coach Henry Pilates (https://www.coachhenrypilates.com/) a project where agencia developed the front and back end including a custom CMS and CDN for the business, alongside mobile apps for both Android and iOS. The apps initially supported in-app purchases, providing seamless access to premium Coach Henry Pilates content. However, as we delved deeper into the business model with the client, a harsh truth emerged: platform fees from app stores made the in-app purchase model unsustainable for a small business.

The solution? A major pivot. We rearchitected the mobile apps to serve as players for content purchased directly on the website, bypassing app store fees. This was no small feat. The platforms are designed to discourage this model, introducing friction at nearly every step.

While the technical/platform restrictions challenge was immense, the bigger takeaway was the importance of adaptability and strategy. For small businesses entering the online space:

• Understand the platform costs upfront. They can make or break your profitability.
• Design with flexibility in mind. Business realities change, and your technology should be able to adapt.
• Partner with a team that gets it. At agencia we approach every project with both the business and technology in focus.

Helping businesses like Coach Henry Pilates navigate these challenges is why we do what we do. If you’re launching an online presence or mobile app, let’s talk about how to create something both innovative and strategically sustainable.

What’s been your biggest digital business challenge? Share your story below—we’d love to hear it!