From a 4 a.m. Idea
to 0+ Users
A story about solving real problems, unexpected users, and the power of personal connection.
The Origin
I'm Zak Kline, and over a decade ago I was a student at UC Berkeley, working for Professor Ken Singer on a project involving wristband technology. That work brought me into the world of nightclub promoters, and I started receiving texts like:
Kali
-Kali
Six hours a day. That's when I knew I had to help.
"Dude, I can make you an app that will do that pretty easily.
That night at 4 a.m., I coded the very first version of Hit Em Up—my first app ever as a twenty-something solo entrepreneur. When he asked for the ability to send different messages to different groups, I built that too. Then I put it out into the world, not expecting much.
Sinners and Saints
✝️As the reviews started rolling in, I noticed something unexpected. Sure, we had nightclub promoters—that was our first audience. But we also had pastors. Priests. Youth ministers. Community leaders.
"I used to joke that we had a lot of sinners and saints on the app.
It was the saints who showed me what Hit Em Up could really become.
One night at 4 a.m., a man called me (back then, I kept my phone number on the website—I still share it with those who ask). He was having trouble with the app and needed help.
But what stuck with me wasn't the technical issue. It was what he told me he used Hit Em Up for.
He worked with people in recovery—alcoholics getting back on their feet, people overcoming addiction—and he used our app to send them daily messages of encouragement. For some of them, if they didn't hear from him, they didn't hear from anyone that day. His messages were a lifeline.
That phone call changed everything for me. I realized Hit Em Up wasn't just a productivity tool. It was a way to help people stay connected to the people who need them most.
Built to Serve
Today, Hit Em Up serves over 250,000 users—real estate agents, teachers, coaches, university administrators, small business owners, and yes, still plenty of pastors and community leaders sending scripture, encouragement, and check-ins to their people.
Over the years, this work has shaped me personally. Through countless conversations with customers—many of them people of deep faith—I eventually converted to Catholicism. Now we run Hit Em Up guided by the principle that's at the heart of that faith: to be in service of others, and to love them deeply.
That doesn't mean Hit Em Up is only for people who share my beliefs. Far from it. We serve anyone who wants to communicate more personally, more meaningfully, and more efficiently with the people in their lives. Whatever your reason for reaching out—whether it's to grow your business, rally your team, or simply let someone know they're not alone—we're here to help you do it better.
The Team Behind the Mission
What started as a solo 4 a.m. coding session is now so much more.
HitEmUp has grown far beyond a one-person operation. Today, we're powered by a team of brave souls who share the same mission: helping people stay connected to the people who matter most.
Engineers
Builders who obsess over every millisecond, every edge case, every "what if." They turn impossible features into seamless experiences.
Support Heroes
Real humans who answer real questions—often within minutes. They're the reason our users call us "the company that actually responds."
Designers
Artists who believe powerful software should feel simple. They sweat the pixels so you don't have to think twice.
Every bug fix at midnight. Every feature shipped. Every "let me check on that for you" in the support chat. It all comes from people who genuinely care.
We're not a faceless corporation. We're a small team doing big things—together.
And we're always looking for more passionate people to join us.
Our Promise
Every feature we build, every decision we make, comes back to one question:
Does this help our users serve their people better?
Because at the end of the day, Hit Em Up is about connection. Real, personal, human connection—at scale.
Thank you for being part of our story.
Zak Kline
Founder, Hit Em Up
Questions? I still love hearing from users. Reach out anytime.
Ready to connect with your people?