“I hear and I forget. I see and I remember.
I do and I understand.”
~Confucius
It’s well understood that people learn best when they have opportunities to apply, practice, and engage with the material they’re learning. In the classroom, or when working one on one with a coach or trainer, this method works well – but when it comes to books, even the most useful wisdom from brilliant experts struggles to make the leap from recorded knowledge to meaningful, actionable change.
In every field, writers spend significant time and money writing and promoting their books, condensing decades of knowledge into a few hundred pages with the goal of teaching readers how to improve their lives.
Unfortunately, books alone are rarely able to help authors or readers meet that lofty goal.
Today, although most people express a desire to invest in their personal development and remain lifelong learners, we also struggle to make time for reading, instead, spending thousands of hours on passive media consumption.
In fact, of the 4 million books published annually, most sell fewer than 200 copies each.
It’s clear, then, that despite our access to a massive library of expert wisdom, the promises of self-improvement and lifelong learning are not fully realized by books alone.
hiitide was founded on the Confucian principle that we must do in order to understand. We take the advice, explanations, and knowledge contained in books and turn it into something you can do. On the hiitide platform, readers use action prompts, journaling exercises, and community discussions to apply what they read so they can make meaningful, lasting changes to their lives, careers, relationships, and wellness.
“I think the measure of good content is easily measured by how eager a person is to engage. When I woke up every morning I couldn’t wait to check-in and see what my next assignment was going to be.” -Alisa M (hiitide hero)
1% Better, Every Day
At hiitide, we believe in setting real, achievable goals. That’s why our bite-sized lessons take 14 minutes each day to complete – that’s 1% of your day, devoted to expanding your mind and improving your life.
We don’t just walk readers through a book. Our curricula, developed by pedagogy experts in partnership with authors, make the book’s content accessible, actionable, and collaborative.
Each book forms the foundation for a 28 day MicroCourse packed with lessons and activities that a Book Club of readers participates in together. This community-based approach means that reading is no longer a solitary pursuit, but instead an opportunity to share insights, encounter new perspectives, and find accountability and support.
“A life-changing experience in a community of like-minded people. This book club has been more than just discussing what we’ve read. It’s been a catalyst for change. With exercises every day focused to mind, body & soul, I have been able to focus and work on my goals one day at a time. Highly recommend!” - Anonymous hiitide hero
Giving Ancient Methods A 21st Century Platform
For millennia, humans have used written methods to pass down stories, knowledge, and advice. From cave drawings to ancient Egyptian scrolls to the epic of Gilgamesh, we’ve done our best to record what we know so we can share it with others.
This strategy, however, must be updated to serve both authors and readers in today’s tech-saturated, highly competitive world. As a PhD candidate at UofI, hiitide’s founder Evan Shy discovered this firsthand when he tried to translate his research on nutrition and exercise into a book that would be actionable and applicable for readers. Despite spending hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars working with editors and marketers, his book wasn’t able to do what he intended it to; teach people how to make healthy lifestyle changes based on cutting-edge research.
Realizing that a book alone wasn’t the right method for helping people make those changes, Evan launched hiitide’s first mobile application in 2019. Initially focused on turning his own book into an actionable daily program that would integrate into a user’s fast-paced, high-tech lifestyle, he soon realized the value that this new platform held.
Evan wasn’t alone in facing the limitations of traditional publishing. Today, almost 80% of authors have to find other methods of earning income. Despite their wealth of knowledge, subject matter experts struggle to turn writing into a profession. hiitide works to bridge that gap, giving authors a platform to do what they do best – share their expertise – but with support from the hiitide team with a scalable and profitable model.
hiitide In 2021
Today, hiitide works with authors across genres, from spiritual growth to productivity and leadership, expanding their reach and bringing their book’s content to a whole new level.
Since our product launch in 2019, hiitide has grown to become a premier platform for community, personal growth, and connections between authors and audiences. After beginning 2020 with a modest catalog of three books, we’ve now launched over seventy different Virtual Book Clubs and MicroCourses, working with authors like Byron Katie, Ryan Holiday, Evan Carmichael, and Dr. Ian Smith to bring their bestsellers to life in a digital world. To date, nearly 15,000 heroes have joined, with over 62% coming back for more.
And it’s not just our heroes and authors who are excited. In 2021, we joined the TechStars NYC Accelerator’s newest cohort and closed a round of pre-seed funding from VitalizeVC. As we continue to innovate, we’re thrilled to partner with TechStars and VitalizeVC to help everyone – including ourselves! – get 1% better every day.
As lifelong learners at hiitide, we continue to explore the boundaries of digital, high-scale teaching and learning. Inspired by the brilliant minds we work with each day, we’re looking ahead to new avenues of growth, including corporate wellness programs, professional learning and development, and more.
Join Us and inspirational authors on our Mission to unlock the transformative value of books and community through ground-breaking technology and services. Career Openings
About the Authors: Evan Shy
As a published author, scientist, and the founder and CEO of hiitide, Evan has earned experience building teams and technology that help people live positively, better. Growing up in a family of professional athletes and entrepreneurs, Evan started his first business before leaving high school and would go on to found a number of wellness businesses while conducting physiology research and teaching at the University of Illinois at Champaign. His research has been published across scientific journals, college textbooks, and our own titles.
