Latest update February 10th, 2025 7:48 AM
Former boxing champion Hardy finding success with The Coach Desk App
By Rawle Toney
Kaieteur News – Many know him as the ‘Candy Man’ – a tactical and skilful boxer, who shot to stardom on the local scenes by putting his opponents to the canvas compliments of his ‘sweet hands’ in the Welterweight Division.
Former National and WBC CABOFE Welterweight Champion Simeon Hardy.
In his 16 professional bouts Simeon Hardy, who hails from Sophia, would capture the WBC CABOFE title, coming out victorious 14 times, winning 11 by TKO and was defeated twice.
However, after relocating to the US (Brooklyn, New York) in 2012, Hardy pushed himself in other areas, including music, becoming a fitness and boxing coach.
The former National Welterweight Champion’s latest venture though, The Coach Desk App, is gaining much attention and making its rounds around the media spectrum in the US.
“The idea was birthed during a time where everyone was reaching out to me looking for boxing trainers in 2020 while they were away in different parts of the country during unprecedented times,” Hardy told Kaieteur News.
He added, “With all the boxing gyms closed, people couldn’t find trainers unless it was by word of mouth, referrals or seeing a trainer at a park working with others like myself and stopping for a contact card.”
As an independent trainer, Hardy believes, “The inability for us to put ourselves on the map without a physical location affects the process of getting new leads. This was a problem and solving this issue was my initial goal.”
How does it work? Simple; download the app (The Coach Desk). Follow the signup instructions and connect with professional boxing coaches and trainers in your vicinity.
He noted that clients will see the price for booking a specific trainer and the packages being offered.
Hardy said the Uber concept is the new way of connecting people for service if done correctly.
The Coach Desk App
“After thinking through getting independent trainers to be found on the map, integrating a vetting system for trainers was the next step, just like (Yelp) customers can write reviews about their experiences after visiting different restaurants or businesses, this type of model can boost a Trainer’s rating if the service is phenomenal. So I designed a section where clients can leave a review after their sessions,” Hardy explained.
This idea, Hardy related, is to help boxing trainers earn in life after boxing by doing what they’re passionate about.
“I’ve bootstrapped to develop both versions of the app and now it’s valued at US$2.5M in a market size estimated at US$187.58B in 2021 and is expected to reach US$366.34B in 2030.
To get things going Hardy highlighted that he distributed fliers and placed stickers in busy areas, pointing out, “It only took days before I received my first booking from a stranger who has become a consistent client with many others to follow.”
With things back to normal credible boxing coaches can be challenging, according to Hardy.
“Friendly boxing trainers with clean backgrounds, knowledgeable with experience in the sport to teach the proper form and techniques is better than booking at a brand name gym with non-qualified boxing coaches to learn from.”
On October 29, 2010, Simeon Hardy burst onto the local boxing scene and announced his presence with a knock-out victory over Patrick Barton at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
Hardy would win his next eight fights by putting his opponents on the canvas. So sweet were his punches, the alias Candy Man was bestowed on him.
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