Inside CoachAccountable: The guy who created the whole thing, John Larson

The ANBRWY Podcast

John Larson is an entrepreneur with a passion for innovation and transformation. In 2008, he co-founded Playground Creative, a creative design and web agency that focused on contract work. While skilled in execution, John and his business partner faced the challenges of entrepreneurship, seeking ways to transcend hourly contract limitations.

Inspired by his experiences with Landmark Education and a fascination with coaching, John and his business partners embarked on a journey to combine their design and web development expertise with coaching. This led to the creation of CoachAccountable 1.0 in 2008, an initial attempt at blending coaching with technology. However, despite its attractive appearance, the launch of 1.0 didn't meet expectations. As John puts it…his baby was ugly!

He eventually moved on from Playground Creative, trading his stake for the rights to CoachAccountable. After some time passed, John recognized there was potential with the smartphone revolution and the rising interest in cloud-based apps. So, with a bit more life experience and a different perspective, he worked on refining CoachAcocuntable while doing a world tour excursion with his wife.

From his kitchen table in Cusco, Peru, John introduced CoachAccountable 2.0 to the world in August of 2012. This relaunch marked a turning point, as the improved product gained traction and positive feedback. Over the past 11 years, CoachAccountable is now used by thousands of coaches globally. He also runs his company, not with a team of 100 (as some may imagine) but very, very lean.

Not being beholden to business rules, adapting to technological trends, and ongoing collaboration from the very users of CoachAccountable, John has developed successful software that addressed the shortcomings of that version 1 attempt…one that definitely passes the “mom test”. His journey underscores his commitment to being an artist and his entrepreneurial spirit.

Find out more about CoachAccountable and John at https://www.coachaccountable.com/