-
-
ToughTalk app — 60s timer forces non-stop speaking under pressure
-
app icon
Inspiration
Inspiration
I froze in an interview when asked "Tell me about a time you failed badly?" My mind went blank. I realized mirror practice has zero pressure. Real conversations have pressure. I wanted an app that creates that pressure safely — to practice speaking when your heart is racing.
What it does
ToughTalk is a 60-second pressure speaking trainer.
- 3 modes: Interview, Confrontation, Negotiation
- Tough question cards (e.g., "Why should we pay you that much?")
- 60s countdown timer — you MUST speak non-stop
- Start / Pause / Reset
- Next Tough Question to build a streak
No AI judge, no score — just you vs the clock. Do 5 cards a day and you become unshakeable.
How we built it
- Expo SDK 57 + React Native + TypeScript
- Built in 2 days in Lagos with Samsung + HP laptop
- Used Expo Go for Android testing
- Timer with useEffect, state management with React hooks
- Deployed to GitHub: github.com/Josephine2016/ToughTalk
Challenges we ran into
- Expo CLI network issues on mobile data — fixed by switching to Expo Go tunnel
- CapCut TTS 500 char limit — solved by splitting script into 5 clips
- Recording 3-min demo at midnight with street noise — used CapCut AI voice (Rachel/Warm Storyteller)
- Pushing to GitHub from Termux — learned git push with PAT token
Accomplishments that we're proud of
- Shipped working MVP on deadline night!
- From red screen errors to public YouTube demo: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/hA4suyiFs2E
- Built something I personally need — I now practice 5 tough questions daily
What we learned
How to ship fast under pressure, use AI voice for demo when mic fails, and that confidence comes from forced repetition, not perfect preparation.
What's next for ToughTalk
V2: AI feedback on filler words ("um", "ah"), voice recording + playback, progress streaks, and community tough questions library.
Built for Shipathon 2026 by Josephine Chukwu-Onwuchuruba from Lagos, Nigeria.
Log in or sign up for Devpost to join the conversation.