From Delivery Driver to Deal Maker: How One USF Student Built Tampa Bay's Discount App

didn't set out to build a business. He was just a transfer student trying to figure out where to eat.

Working as a food delivery driver while studying at the University of South Florida (USF), Eisengrein noticed that nearly 99% of orders weren't coming from students. As a transfer student himself, he understood why.

"Being a transfer student, I didn't know the local spots either," Eisengrein said.

That observation became the seed of 9Yaps, a free discount app connecting Tampa Bay residents and students with deals from local restaurants, barbershops, bars, and more.

Starting Small

Before there was an app, there was a newsletter. Eisengrein began cold-calling local businesses with a simple pitch: pay a small fee and your deal goes out to students.

"I had not even 10 businesses and did presentations to let students know about the email with discounts," he said. "I was surprised by the amount of positive feedback from both businesses and students."

That early traction convinced him to go further.

Building the App

Turning a newsletter into a functioning app required money Eisengrein didn't have. He leaned on family funding, rasing around $20,000, to get started and applied to 20 to 30 pitch competitions over two years before finally winning one to help finish the app.

With those funds, he hired a development team in California that built roughly 90% of what the app is today. He's now looking to bring on USF students to help complete the next phase.

The technical side was built largely on user feedback, with a focus on simplicity. The app features a map, search and filter tools, and a layout similar to a delivery platform. Users browse by category, see photos alongside each deal and simply show their phone to the employee to redeem.

"No payment processing, no sign-in required," Eisengrein said. "I don't want to verify email or phone number. It's very easy."

Downloads

While 9Yaps grew out of the USF community, Eisengrein was deliberate about keeping it open to everyone.

"It was never 100% for students. If it was just for students, it would say 'school ID required,'" he said. "Faculty, alumni, anyone can use it."

About 90% of the businesses on the platform don't require a student ID to redeem their deals. The app currently features around 100 businesses, mainly restaurants and bars but has some barbershops, salons and even a drive-in movie theater. There has been over 10,000 downloads and 8,000 users who have redeemed deals.

"It's designed as a coupon book," Eisengrein said. "The main goal is to let people know this is a legitimate partnership with these businesses to make sure customers have valid deals."

Growth

Eisengrein is intentional about how 9Yaps grows. The app sends no push notifications and he has deliberately avoided scaling through outside funding in favor of community engagement. He has attended student events, put up signage and presented directly in university classrooms.

"Rather than growing through money and funding, we are growing through community," he said.

That message extends to how he talks about the company itself.

"I say 'we' a lot because it's my company as much as it is every user on the app," Eisengrein said.

His girlfriend serves as copy editor and handles quality control, flagging wording and design changes, while mentors and a handful of students have contributed along the way. He said the app is where it is today, from student and buisness feedback.

Over two years, 9Yaps has generated approximately $17,000 in revenue, has over 340 five star reviews and currently serves 100 business partners.

Businesses pay either $24 or $29 per month, with the higher tier including promotional opportunities at USF events.

"I wanted it to be a low monthly cost so businesses can try it out," he said.

Onboarding is kept simple by design. Business owners tell Eisengrein what they want to offer, he adds the deal himself along with links to menus and updates are as easy as a text message. Monthly analytics reports are shared with businesses that want them, with a self-service login portal planned for the future.

What's Next

Eisengrein's biggest challenge now is expanding beyond the student audience. This is a goal he's already working toward by reaching out to the University of Tampa through classroom presentations, email campaigns and signage in downtown Tampa.

"It's easy to get students on board," he said. "The harder part is reaching the non-student audience. That is our main goal."

He said he wants the app to be enjoyed by every in the Tampa Bay.

9Yaps is free to download on iOS and Android.