Deal Calm: Negotiation coach

Inspiration

Being a shy and introverted person, I knew that the only way to be more outspoken was putting myself in adversarial situations; the book "Never Split the Difference" gave me a solid framework yet I still lacked practicing. The Deal Calm app was born as a gym for training negotiation and conversational skills.

What it does

A conversational app that puts the user in day-to-day negotiation scenarios like asking for a salary increase, bargaining, or simply asking the kids to go to bed early, while providing real-time tips on how to drive the negotiation and what to say.

How we built it

I drew from the core principles in Never Split the Difference and used Google Gemini Live to create a role-play negotiation simulator that delivers real-time advice mid-conversation. Once the concept was refined and market demand was validated, I developed the Python backend using Google Gemini and Firebase. For the front-end I used:

• Web Frontend: Next.js + RevenueCat Web Checkouts
• Mobile: React Native (Expo) + RevenueCat Purchases SDK Building a cohesive, multiplatform experience was a massive technical feat.

Challenges we ran into

Synchronizing real-time negotiation feedback with the natural flow of conversation was a significant challenge, especially while maintaining parity across both mobile and web platforms.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Beta testers reported that the helped quiet the internal voice urging them to avoid confrontation, giving them the confidence to stop settling for unfavorable deals.

What we learned

What's next for Deal Calm: Negotiation coach

Offering negotiation learning training tailored to people in sales, management, engineering, etc.

Built With

• antigravity
• expo.io
• gemini
• react-native