I interviewed Superhappy co-founder Miles Feldstein

Welcome to The Reboot - a weekly column to help you build a healthier, more intentional relationship with technology.

I like to keep things interesting, but each week you can expect at least one of the following…

• Exclusive interviews with experts and inspiring folks who've transformed their relationship with tech. They'll share their stories, struggles, and "aha!" moments.
  

• The latest industry news & trends, so you're always in the know.
  

• No-BS personal anecdotes about my own digital wellness experiments. I'll share the tools I'm using, the challenges I'm facing, and the lessons I'm learning along the way.
  

• Practical tips and actionable resources to help you reduce screen time, strengthen your IRL relationships, and be more intentional about your digital activities, just like you would with your finances.

But first, if you were forwarded this email and want to receive my next article in your inbox, please add your email below:

Today, we’ve got our first interview with Miles Feldstein, co-founder of Superhappy AI—the world’s first AI coach to eliminate digital distractions and help you curb your screen time.

I first met Miles back during my time at Syracuse when he was working on another venture. We reconnected again after I came across one of his posts in the r/digitalminimalism sub-reddit.

It’s been amazing to see how far the product has come in such a short time.

Hope you enjoy!

RANDY GINSBURG: So to start, feel free to just tell me a bit about yourself, how you got into building Super Happy, and the problem that you saw at hand.

MILES FELDSTEIN: Similar to you, I’m self-employed, so my day-to-day structure is flexible. I was spending way too much time on social media. Social media is useful for career opportunities and connections, but there's a quick diminishing return with mental health impacts and time consumption. I tried different solutions like Opal and One Sec, but they didn't strike the right balance for me and my friends. These apps would work for about a week, then you'd get used to them and push past them, and your screen time wouldn't change.

I tried fully blocking or deleting apps like Instagram and Twitter, but I need social media for work. Full deletion wasn't an option. I realized using AI could provide the right amount of friction based on what you're doing and how often you open an app. That's how Super Happy started. Initially, it was a simple concept: you tell us why you need to open an app, we help you decide how much time is reasonable, and we unlock the app for that period. Now it's evolving to have long-term memory, guiding users to responsible usage. We've seen users who tried other solutions find success with Super Happy.

RG: Can you walk me through what the workflow looks like? I've used it, but if someone was coming in completely blind, how does that work?

MF: You download Super Happy, an iOS app. You select which apps are distracting and set a schedule, like limiting screen time from nine to five on weekdays. If you try to open a restricted app, you’re prompted to request access from the AI. You explain why you need to open it and how long you think you need. The AI might suggest a shorter time. If you've opened the app multiple times, it will be stricter. It's adaptive and varies the friction based on your usage.

RG: I'm always curious because I'm a bit skeptical that only using an app is the solution. Do you think incorporating some type of offline component, like an in-person coach or accountability partner, is necessary? How do you view using solely tech to solve the tech problem versus incorporating outside elements?

MF: Every user is different and has varying levels of self-control with social media. Super Happy is effective because it adapts to the user instead of offering a fixed solution. Some people need to put their phone in another room at night to avoid doom scrolling. Unlike other apps, including Apple's built-in screen time, Super Happy offers a variety of tools that adapt to the user, much like different therapies work for different people.

RG: What's the early feedback been? You mentioned how the product has evolved. What has the feedback been from early users?

MF: Users have been super happy (no pun intended!). Some users find the initial friction too much, so we introduced easier versions. For example, users who tried Apple’s screen time but still used their phone during the workday found success combining it with Super Happy. This helped them not use their phone during work hours and allowed them to use their allotted 45 minutes of screen time freely at night.

RG: How are you getting those first few customers?

MF: It's been organic through posts on Reddit. Once you post on Reddit, other users start posting about it too. It's also been through word of mouth, TikTok, Instagram, and telling friends about it. I'm trying to get those first couple thousand users anywhere I can.

RG: Personally, I've gotten a lot of positive feedback from my content but also some criticism, like "you're trying to solve this by posting more content, you’re part of the problem." How do you think about creating content to promote your app?

MF: I’m not against using social media but for using it correctly and in moderation. My intention is to educate people about screen time and options to reduce it. Posting on social media helps reach users who might be struggling with overuse. It's about finding the right balance.

RG: Where do you see the future of Superhappy headed? Do you see it evolving more into a productivity tool or a tool to help people spend more time on passions?

MF: I see it as both a productivity tool and a mental health tool. I think all these screen time tools are really focused on productivity and redirecting it into hustling and grinding, which absolutely is a market, but the mental health aspect is underserved. There have been studies on how using your phone too much is basically a bad habit. Habits are best addressed when you redirect that time and energy to something else. This will reflect in our product decisions soon. Right now, it's helping you stop that bad habit, but redirecting that time and energy is something we're working towards.

If you’re interested in giving SuperHappy a try, you can download it from the App Store right here.

Three Big Takeaways

1. There continues to be a surge in demand of people seeking out tools & resources to help them reduce their phone usage. As I wrote in The Rise of Digital Wellness Coaching, there is no one size fits all solution to building a healthy relationship with technology. Some may need a small amount of friction, others need an in-person coach, apps, physical devices and more. Even the term ‘healthy’ is completely subjective. You do you.
   

2. We agreed that we’ve only seen friends talk about excessive tech use after they’ve been asked about the topic. Despite knowing it’s an issue, most people still seem embarrassed of the amount of time they spend on their devices, similar to the stigma around mental health that exist today.
   

3. This space is still tiny, but the market opportunity is massive. There will be billion dollar businesses built in this category over the next ten years. Both Miles and I aren’t betting against people using technology more, but rather that this increased usage will drive more mindfulness as negative health effects become more discussed and understood.

News & Updates

• 🌲 Roots, a new app for managing screen time and tracking digital dopamine, has emerged from stealth

•  🧮 I built a cool Screen Time Calculator and have gotten great joy from seeing my friends reactions when they realize they’re spending 10+ years of their lives on their phones. Test it out for yourself.

• 📈 Exploding Topics released a great breakdown on the state of screen time.

Another week in the books. Thank you as always for the time & attention.

If enjoyed this post, I’d love if you shared on social or with a friend who you think could resonate too.

See you next week,

Randy