About David Riha

The story

I spent over a decade building software products - from an award-winning mobile app to a VR gaming studio. In 2024, I built the first prototype of what would become BuddyPro: an AI companion engine called Buddy, designed for deep human-like interaction first and expert customization second.

My brother Pavel, who has been teaching online business strategy for years, wanted to create an AI version of himself that could coach his clients 24/7. So I built it for him. Within 30 days, he sold $282K in annual subscriptions to 237 people. That was the moment I knew this was bigger than one product.

Since then, I've personally built AI digital twins for 130+ coaches and experts worldwide. Together, they've generated over $4.2M in subscription revenue. Multiple experts have made six figures, and one is approaching seven figures.

Why AI coaching?

The coaching industry has a fundamental problem: experts can't scale their impact without sacrificing quality. Courses have 87% non-completion rates. Memberships require constant content delivery. Group programs dilute the methodology. One-on-one coaching maxes out at a few dozen clients.

An AI digital twin solves all of this. It delivers the expert's coaching to thousands simultaneously, with unlimited patience, perfect memory, and hyper-personalized advice. No launches, no content creation, no trading hours for dollars. Just recurring subscription revenue from a product that gets better the more people use it.

The key difference is the technology. BuddyPro's AI twins are built on Buddy - an AI companion core, not a chatbot framework. That's why users form real mentoring relationships, pay $1-2K per year, and come back every day. 60% daily retention among the most successful experts. That's unheard of for any AI product.

What I do now

I selectively build AI digital twins for world-class coaches and thought leaders - personally, one at a time. The build is complimentary for qualified experts. I analyze their books, courses, frameworks, and coaching methodology, then architect an AI twin that genuinely coaches like them.

Notable clients include a bestselling business author whose AI twin became one of the most successful AI coaching products ever built, a globally recognized transformation expert featured in The Secret, and the original conversion copywriter who founded a leading copywriting education company.

Recognition

• BuddyPro won the San Francisco AI Startups Competition, competing against 100+ startups
• 130+ AI expert twins launched on the platform
• $4.2M+ in subscription revenue generated for coaches and experts
• Industry-leading retention rates: 60% daily, 80% weekly, 95% monthly among top experts
• 36% trial-to-paid conversion rate for the most successful experts (no credit card required)

Connect

You can find me on LinkedIn, Instagram, or read my latest thoughts on the blog.

*Retention rates cited are for some of the most successful experts on the platform.