1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,519 Speaker 1: I'm off my game today. No you're not. That's true. 2 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:05,360 Speaker 1: People are going to have to start making better content. 3 00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: I think we're gonna be talking about this for a 4 00:00:06,720 --> 00:00:09,840 Speaker 1: long time. When you program for everyone, you program for 5 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:11,960 Speaker 1: no one. I think it's a word purpose driven platform, 6 00:00:12,039 --> 00:00:15,200 Speaker 1: like we're trying to get to substance? How was that? 7 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:19,080 Speaker 1: Are you happy with that? This is marketing therapy right now? 8 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:23,600 Speaker 1: And it really is? What's up on? Laura Crunty and 9 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:29,160 Speaker 1: I'm Alexa Kristen. Welcome back at Landia. We made It's 10 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:32,279 Speaker 1: got us already hustling. Laura's calling in from Jersey. I'm 11 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:34,800 Speaker 1: in Connecticut. We're doing our thing. I wish I was 12 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:36,640 Speaker 1: calling in on my way to the gym, but clearly 13 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:39,839 Speaker 1: that resolution hasn't taken off yet, so better luck tomorrow. 14 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:41,879 Speaker 1: I like this new thing that people are saying. It's 15 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:46,120 Speaker 1: not a resolution, it's an intention. So I talk to 16 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:48,960 Speaker 1: go to the gym tomorrow. I intend to go, but 17 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:52,839 Speaker 1: now I'm really excited about I think there's a lot 18 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:56,560 Speaker 1: of promise. I agree. I mean, coming off the Golden 19 00:00:56,560 --> 00:00:59,600 Speaker 1: Globes this weekend, like Oprah speech. I mean, if you're 20 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:02,880 Speaker 1: noting hope and a new horizon, is ahead of us. 21 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:05,960 Speaker 1: I don't. I don't know what you're feeling. Who's your VP? 22 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 1: Pick I would say, I thought the Natalie Portman thing 23 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:12,520 Speaker 1: was hilarious, but you mentioned Michelle Obama and I agree, 24 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:15,840 Speaker 1: so Oprah Michelle twenty I'm in. I'm all yeah, there was. 25 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:17,880 Speaker 1: There was so much emotion and passion, and it was 26 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:22,320 Speaker 1: really exciting to see UM the platform of Time's Up 27 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:24,960 Speaker 1: and the women. You know, on Sundays we wear black, 28 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 1: all of the actors and actresses wearing black in solidarity 29 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:33,720 Speaker 1: around equality. And you know, we talked a lot about UM, 30 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 1: this idea of causes and building these sort of purpose 31 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 1: driven platforms, which has given way to these collaborations and 32 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:45,319 Speaker 1: unlikely pairings as you've talked much about two. Yeah, I 33 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 1: think that, you know, we don't like to do a 34 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:51,200 Speaker 1: lot of like future casting, but I think that one 35 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: thing that Laura and I are really excited about right 36 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:57,880 Speaker 1: now is in is like these unlikely partnerships UM. I 37 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:00,720 Speaker 1: think there's a ton of opportunity for people to not 38 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 1: just see what is already established, but to establish new. 39 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 1: And we've talked a lot in we talked a lot 40 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:12,040 Speaker 1: about creating new I p creating new partnerships creating new brands. 41 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 1: Um so one that I think is kind of interesting 42 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:18,040 Speaker 1: and it's a smaller one, but I think it's really 43 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:21,639 Speaker 1: interesting because a big um, you know, global brand, Duncan 44 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:24,360 Speaker 1: Donuts partner to celebrate the darkest day of the year 45 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:29,280 Speaker 1: with warm Town Brewery, which is in um Worcester, Massachusetts. 46 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 1: I think things like that, this is a signal. Right, 47 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:34,519 Speaker 1: you say, oh, it's a stunt. It was to celebrate 48 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:36,400 Speaker 1: the darkest day of the year to talk about their 49 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:40,760 Speaker 1: dark growth. Yes, but Duncan has been pivoting and really 50 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:44,080 Speaker 1: talking more about their drink category and now them going 51 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:49,240 Speaker 1: into alcoholic beverages through partnership that's local with rabid fans. 52 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:52,560 Speaker 1: Actually is very interesting. So these are the types of 53 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:55,560 Speaker 1: things that we're talking about. And they were selling out 54 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:57,760 Speaker 1: in a day. They were selling out of this beer 55 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 1: in a day. So the it's not just a stunt. 56 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:04,080 Speaker 1: It's really about how do you start getting into new categories, 57 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:06,240 Speaker 1: how do you start reaching new customers, how do you 58 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 1: actually root yourself in kind of the local fabric and 59 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:13,640 Speaker 1: local zeitgeist, but still do it at a national or 60 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:17,400 Speaker 1: global brand. And I think that's really interesting. I love that. Yeah, 61 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:19,600 Speaker 1: because there's a couple of different ways you can sort 62 00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:21,920 Speaker 1: of slice this, right, what you're talking about is creating 63 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:25,000 Speaker 1: limited edition products, and then there's other ways, like over 64 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:28,639 Speaker 1: the break, I went to a local spin studio and Hoboken, 65 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:31,480 Speaker 1: New Jersey called prime Cycle, and I just saw recently 66 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 1: that they're pairing with Birch Box UM to do certain 67 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:39,000 Speaker 1: products that are specific to the studio. Right. So again 68 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 1: this pairing of local with a national entity. And I 69 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:45,480 Speaker 1: think it's interesting to think about UM that one being 70 00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 1: around community, right Son you talk exclusive products, you're talking 71 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 1: about like mind of brands, you know, fusing together. I 72 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 1: think one of the ones Rachel Typograph alluded to in 73 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:57,760 Speaker 1: seventeen was interesting about how DTC brands are sort of 74 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:01,200 Speaker 1: galvanizing around community as well and cheering technology that allows 75 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:05,520 Speaker 1: them to create best practices and learnings to grow their audiences. 76 00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 1: So that signal that you just said, Alex, I think 77 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:11,200 Speaker 1: it is so interesting this idea of national established brands 78 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:16,480 Speaker 1: partnering with local UM you know, sort of startup, homegrown, 79 00:04:16,520 --> 00:04:20,240 Speaker 1: community driven brands will be one that it's it's not 80 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 1: necessarily a new thing, but I think one we can 81 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:25,159 Speaker 1: probably expect to see more of one thing that I 82 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:27,919 Speaker 1: thought was so smart and UM a lot of people 83 00:04:27,920 --> 00:04:30,159 Speaker 1: were talking about was how we work invested in the 84 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 1: way if that doesn't have like layers of signals and 85 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:38,640 Speaker 1: the noise, both from kind of a female capital standpoint, 86 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 1: but also you know, the future of work and how 87 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:44,919 Speaker 1: we're going to work and working outside of offices and 88 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 1: collaborating with um, maybe somewhat unlikely partners think is what 89 00:04:50,760 --> 00:04:53,159 Speaker 1: we're really excited about. And we brought a guest on 90 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 1: to talk to us about kind of all of those things. Yeah, 91 00:04:57,200 --> 00:05:00,240 Speaker 1: andrews Dienthal, co founder of The Infatuation, who, along with 92 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:03,680 Speaker 1: his co founder Chris Stang, started a food discovery platform 93 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:07,039 Speaker 1: that was really meant to allow people to learn about 94 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:11,120 Speaker 1: new restaurants UM within certain cities that is really just 95 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:14,440 Speaker 1: meant to fulfill the context of your everyday life. Yeah, 96 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:16,600 Speaker 1: and so I think that Andrew is going to talk 97 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:19,159 Speaker 1: a lot about building a brand from the ground up, 98 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 1: of building a community from the ground up, what it takes, 99 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 1: how important trust is, and then going out and looking 100 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:29,560 Speaker 1: at different types of partners and partnerships and being kind 101 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:34,400 Speaker 1: of relentlessly focused on who they were partnering with because 102 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:38,039 Speaker 1: they wanted to make sure that their community was there. 103 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:41,400 Speaker 1: Kind of most valuable asset, and I think that is 104 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:45,479 Speaker 1: kind of key going into your audience and your community. 105 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:51,200 Speaker 1: So with that, Andrew Steinshal the Infatuation and kicking it in. 106 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:13,599 Speaker 1: So we're in the studio having spicy margarita's with not spicy, no, 107 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:16,360 Speaker 1: but they're they're damn good, Like you don't even need 108 00:06:17,080 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 1: there's a hint of spice in here. There's a spice. 109 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:23,400 Speaker 1: According to Lauren Lauren our bartender, guest bartender, I mean, 110 00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:25,320 Speaker 1: watch out, Andy Cohen. This is like watch what happens 111 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:29,719 Speaker 1: live at Landia, compliments of our guest Andrew Steinthal, the 112 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:34,200 Speaker 1: co founder and c r O of The Infatuation Eats. 113 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:39,000 Speaker 1: You did that really well, Thank you. I did. And 114 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 1: that's how do you know that Rachel typograph? Do you 115 00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:47,880 Speaker 1: know Rachel? So? She told me about eats like two 116 00:06:47,960 --> 00:06:51,080 Speaker 1: years ago and when it was like there was like 117 00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:55,840 Speaker 1: I don't know sixty people who were like hashtagging eats 118 00:06:56,440 --> 00:06:58,839 Speaker 1: and you guys created it. We didn't. The best thing 119 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:01,279 Speaker 1: anybody's ever said to us once was oh, you guys 120 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:04,479 Speaker 1: created eats. I thought that was like internet speak, like 121 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:07,240 Speaker 1: b RB. So tell our listeners who at home who 122 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:09,720 Speaker 1: for whatever reason, aren't subscribed to the Infatuation. If you aren't, 123 00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 1: you better go online right now and do it. Um 124 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:16,080 Speaker 1: what it is, how you built it, and we'll get 125 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 1: into the backstory loaded question. All right, let's do this. Uh, 126 00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:23,080 Speaker 1: The Infatuation is a restaurant discovery platform. So we help 127 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 1: you find great places to eat, drink, spicy margarita's, go 128 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:30,200 Speaker 1: on a date, go out with your friends, you know, 129 00:07:30,280 --> 00:07:34,560 Speaker 1: go somewhere late night, business lunch, situational based dining experiences, 130 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 1: you know. Yeah, we we We started because myself and 131 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:40,680 Speaker 1: my business partner, Chris Stang, we were both in the 132 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:43,480 Speaker 1: music business, right we were. I was the VP of 133 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:45,840 Speaker 1: pr at Warner Brothers Records, Chris was a VP of 134 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:48,360 Speaker 1: Marketing Atlantic Records, And we were these dudes who were 135 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:52,000 Speaker 1: out all the time, going to shows, eating meals. Because 136 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:55,880 Speaker 1: going out to shows, you're eating or drinking or whatever 137 00:07:56,720 --> 00:07:58,960 Speaker 1: three times a week and you're out, and like, there 138 00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:01,840 Speaker 1: was no resus out there for us to turn to 139 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:05,800 Speaker 1: to find situational based recommendations that were, you know, spoken 140 00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:07,680 Speaker 1: in a voice that we could relate to, you know, 141 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:10,680 Speaker 1: all the all the food and restaurant discovery you know 142 00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 1: platforms out there were you know, more catered towards people 143 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:19,040 Speaker 1: who really care about celebrity chefs or cooking or you 144 00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:21,680 Speaker 1: know that one percent of people who take this stuff 145 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:23,800 Speaker 1: really really seriously. The rest of us just want to know, 146 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 1: is this supposed to have a good burger? Can I 147 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:28,040 Speaker 1: go here? Before show at Bowery Ballroom? Can I go here? 148 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:31,480 Speaker 1: After taping an episode of at Landia in Brooklyn? You know, like, 149 00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:34,360 Speaker 1: you know, situational based dining recommendations in a way that's 150 00:08:34,400 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 1: fun and interesting and you know, speaks to the way 151 00:08:39,880 --> 00:08:41,920 Speaker 1: that we all live our lives. And you hear it's 152 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:43,840 Speaker 1: almost like hearing it from a friends, the way you guys, 153 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:48,640 Speaker 1: your editorial, your tone, everything, even like your social media, 154 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:52,320 Speaker 1: which I love, we love. We were talking about it earlier. Um, 155 00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:56,240 Speaker 1: it feels like we're sitting down with your friends. Like 156 00:08:56,360 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 1: we've always tried to relate to people the way that 157 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 1: they would relate to their friends. You know, we don't 158 00:09:00,559 --> 00:09:03,760 Speaker 1: hire professional food writers, don't really high professional writers. We've 159 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:07,720 Speaker 1: hire people to write about restaurants that experienced it the 160 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:10,120 Speaker 1: same way that your friends experienced it. And I think 161 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:12,240 Speaker 1: that's what is so relatable about our content and why 162 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:15,800 Speaker 1: initially it it really reacted with people was because it 163 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:17,520 Speaker 1: was just me and Chris talking to our friends. You know. 164 00:09:17,559 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 1: That's why it started in the first place, was because 165 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:21,040 Speaker 1: we were like, we need this for ourselves and for 166 00:09:21,080 --> 00:09:23,600 Speaker 1: our friends, and that just started to grow from there. 167 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:25,920 Speaker 1: So you have you You said that you and Chris 168 00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:30,079 Speaker 1: both got your start um in the music industry, record business. Um, 169 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 1: when we had first met, you gave me the backstory 170 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:35,280 Speaker 1: that the Infatuation really just started as a side hustle. 171 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:38,480 Speaker 1: Can you talk a little bit about, um, what that 172 00:09:38,559 --> 00:09:40,679 Speaker 1: was like in terms of growing something on the side 173 00:09:40,679 --> 00:09:43,840 Speaker 1: and at what point you and Chris knew that we've 174 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:45,920 Speaker 1: arrived at a place where we can walk away from 175 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:48,800 Speaker 1: our jobs at these labels and actually make the Infatuation 176 00:09:48,840 --> 00:09:51,680 Speaker 1: a full time gig. Yeah. Um, so we we did 177 00:09:51,679 --> 00:09:53,600 Speaker 1: this for five years while we had our full time 178 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 1: gigs in the music business. Um. It was quite quite 179 00:09:56,280 --> 00:09:58,960 Speaker 1: a journey, um from the beginning. But this was always 180 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 1: it was never something that we arted that we were like, oh, 181 00:10:02,200 --> 00:10:05,360 Speaker 1: this is a side project that we're just doing it 182 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:08,120 Speaker 1: for the passion, right, Like this was always like we're 183 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:10,840 Speaker 1: building a business. Yeah, Like we had always we met 184 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:13,520 Speaker 1: a long time. We actually met on set at TRL 185 00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:16,000 Speaker 1: of all places were amazing when we were both college 186 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:20,200 Speaker 1: music college music directors at our respective college radio stations. 187 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:22,280 Speaker 1: When we were I told you that I had a 188 00:10:22,320 --> 00:10:25,400 Speaker 1: guest appearance on the grind. That's that is amazing. Where 189 00:10:25,440 --> 00:10:30,840 Speaker 1: is that of my prom weekend? Is that it? Does 190 00:10:30,880 --> 00:10:33,920 Speaker 1: the tape exist? I hope not? All? Right? Anyway, keeping 191 00:10:34,120 --> 00:10:37,280 Speaker 1: it was cool because we've you know, we we had 192 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:40,520 Speaker 1: the luxury of working in the music business and our 193 00:10:40,559 --> 00:10:43,760 Speaker 1: bosses approved of what we were doing, which was huge, 194 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:46,800 Speaker 1: and they were really supportive. And I don't know that 195 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:50,199 Speaker 1: any other industry would have supported something like this, but 196 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:52,240 Speaker 1: they got it, and it was a compliment to what 197 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:54,360 Speaker 1: we were doing. And you know, we were able to 198 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:58,120 Speaker 1: build slowly, right. We spent so much time just in 199 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:03,360 Speaker 1: it marketing and guerrilla grassroots marketing our brand the way 200 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:04,680 Speaker 1: that we knew how to build a band. You know, 201 00:11:04,679 --> 00:11:06,480 Speaker 1: we we basically applied everything we knew about building a 202 00:11:06,520 --> 00:11:08,720 Speaker 1: band to building a brand that happened to be a 203 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:12,800 Speaker 1: brand that encapsulated restaurant reviews, right, and and we took 204 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:14,760 Speaker 1: all the tricks that we had learned in terms of 205 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:18,000 Speaker 1: building audience, building community and really connecting with them and 206 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:21,440 Speaker 1: taking the time to communicate and make people feel like 207 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:23,920 Speaker 1: they're part of something. In addition to trying to write 208 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:26,440 Speaker 1: hit songs right, trying to continue to write stuff that 209 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:28,880 Speaker 1: people were going to respond to and connect with. So 210 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:32,080 Speaker 1: it took you know, not building a brand is it 211 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:35,000 Speaker 1: takes a long time. You know, learning trust is something 212 00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:38,080 Speaker 1: that you cannot as Chris, my business partner, says all 213 00:11:38,080 --> 00:11:40,320 Speaker 1: the time, you can't growth hack trust. There's just no 214 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:44,160 Speaker 1: way to do it. And you know, we're we've been 215 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:46,520 Speaker 1: at you know, it took a minute, but you know, 216 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:48,839 Speaker 1: slowly but surely, you would just see it. Every point 217 00:11:48,920 --> 00:11:51,440 Speaker 1: we would get another hit or something would happen and 218 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:53,680 Speaker 1: like we move up a notch and it would keep growing, 219 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:56,480 Speaker 1: slowly but surely, and you you know, I first our 220 00:11:56,480 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 1: friends and our friends and friends and then strangers, and 221 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:00,440 Speaker 1: then all of a sudden we were d having people 222 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:02,880 Speaker 1: into restaurants and making a difference and you just could 223 00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:05,280 Speaker 1: see it growing and at you know, one point and 224 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:06,680 Speaker 1: it was just like, all right, if this is going 225 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:11,400 Speaker 1: to be fully realized, um to its full potential, it's 226 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:13,200 Speaker 1: time to jump. And it took us like a year 227 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:15,800 Speaker 1: to fully unwind from our jobs and like convince people 228 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:18,440 Speaker 1: that we were actually going to do this time and 229 00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:20,120 Speaker 1: this is gonna be our thing, even though we knew 230 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:22,000 Speaker 1: deep down that this was what we were going to do. 231 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:24,319 Speaker 1: Let's go into the community, because Alex and I kind 232 00:12:24,760 --> 00:12:27,320 Speaker 1: of about what it takes, because I don't think a 233 00:12:27,320 --> 00:12:30,120 Speaker 1: lot of people understand, especially in the fact that you 234 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:33,199 Speaker 1: talked a lot about this off Mike, that you didn't 235 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:35,959 Speaker 1: put paid investment behind, that you haven't taken money from 236 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:38,679 Speaker 1: vcs to investigate. Everything was very grassroots in the same 237 00:12:38,679 --> 00:12:41,920 Speaker 1: way as you you um referenced, in the same way 238 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:44,000 Speaker 1: you would build a band or a following up a band. 239 00:12:44,160 --> 00:12:46,960 Speaker 1: Can you talk about what community building look like at 240 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:50,160 Speaker 1: the Infatuation early days and how that plan has evolved 241 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:52,720 Speaker 1: like early early days. I mean, look, we we we 242 00:12:52,800 --> 00:12:56,000 Speaker 1: launched the Infatuation in April two nine, right, and the 243 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:58,800 Speaker 1: iPhone was like two years old. Twitter was brand new, 244 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:03,720 Speaker 1: and we knew that this was going to be a 245 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:06,319 Speaker 1: business and a you know, brand that was built on 246 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:10,000 Speaker 1: the back of social media. And we spent hours on 247 00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:12,679 Speaker 1: Twitter building community. I mean, like we would go in 248 00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:16,599 Speaker 1: there and just start responding to anybody talking about Momofuku 249 00:13:16,760 --> 00:13:20,000 Speaker 1: or shake Shack or any of the restaurants that were 250 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:22,680 Speaker 1: popular and cool and people were talking about on social 251 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:25,720 Speaker 1: Media's hop into conversations like posts, follow people and hope 252 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:27,839 Speaker 1: they would follow us back. And I would sit there 253 00:13:27,880 --> 00:13:30,079 Speaker 1: for three hours literally a day, just doing stuff. And 254 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:31,520 Speaker 1: at that point it was like I'll go on chow 255 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:34,600 Speaker 1: Hound and start like jumping into conversations because it was 256 00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:36,800 Speaker 1: like a message board back then that like people actually 257 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:39,280 Speaker 1: kind of used to get recommendations, and I would. I 258 00:13:39,280 --> 00:13:40,960 Speaker 1: had no business, I've never been on it before in 259 00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:43,439 Speaker 1: my life, but like I started going in there and 260 00:13:43,880 --> 00:13:47,480 Speaker 1: posting part of our reviews to relevant things, and you know, 261 00:13:47,760 --> 00:13:49,439 Speaker 1: hoping that people would click on our links and we'd 262 00:13:49,480 --> 00:13:51,480 Speaker 1: go on Yelp. We got kicked off Yelp like three 263 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:54,520 Speaker 1: times because because I'd basically go on all the restaurant 264 00:13:54,520 --> 00:13:57,160 Speaker 1: pages and then be like, here's two or three lines 265 00:13:57,200 --> 00:13:58,600 Speaker 1: from our review, go check out the whole thing. At 266 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:01,960 Speaker 1: that point, it was a maculate infatuation dot com and 267 00:14:02,360 --> 00:14:04,000 Speaker 1: they kicked me off because they like, see you later. 268 00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:06,360 Speaker 1: What are you're doing? Stop? Stop using this to self promote. 269 00:14:06,360 --> 00:14:08,760 Speaker 1: But it's all about trying to find audience that might 270 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:11,480 Speaker 1: be interested in what you're doing and spending the time 271 00:14:11,520 --> 00:14:13,400 Speaker 1: to go connect with people in those worlds. And like 272 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:17,319 Speaker 1: that's what we did for literally five years. And how 273 00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:20,480 Speaker 1: big is the community today. It's tough to I mean, 274 00:14:20,480 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 1: like across all platforms, we probably reach about three million 275 00:14:23,760 --> 00:14:25,840 Speaker 1: people a month. But you know we have like Instagram 276 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:29,080 Speaker 1: is also a huge piece of our community, puzzle right, 277 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:31,840 Speaker 1: And and so we're events, Like we started doing events 278 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:34,600 Speaker 1: one year in as a company. We put tickets on 279 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:36,800 Speaker 1: sale though an event that we called Turkey Leg Ball 280 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:40,400 Speaker 1: and it was like a fun just like ridiculous party 281 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:42,280 Speaker 1: where we got a couple of brands to come in 282 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:45,680 Speaker 1: McCallan being one of them, and come poor drinks and 283 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:48,000 Speaker 1: serve food and have a good time. And you know, 284 00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:50,440 Speaker 1: we had remember going into a meeting at work we 285 00:14:50,440 --> 00:14:52,640 Speaker 1: had put tickets on sale, went into a meeting, came 286 00:14:52,640 --> 00:14:54,160 Speaker 1: out an hour later and we were sold out three 287 00:14:54,480 --> 00:14:56,360 Speaker 1: tickets and we were like are they before we could 288 00:14:56,400 --> 00:14:57,600 Speaker 1: even go to friends and family and we were like 289 00:14:57,600 --> 00:14:59,880 Speaker 1: who are these people? But like the reality is that 290 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:02,600 Speaker 1: people want to come and hang, they want they want 291 00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:06,680 Speaker 1: to meet like minded people, create something, you know, a 292 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:10,160 Speaker 1: community around an idea that people want to share on 293 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:11,800 Speaker 1: and it's it's similar, like what you guys are doing 294 00:15:11,880 --> 00:15:13,600 Speaker 1: right now. I think people who listened to this show 295 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:15,800 Speaker 1: want more. Like I started listening to the show and 296 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:18,240 Speaker 1: I'm like, this is amazing because I'm really interested in 297 00:15:18,280 --> 00:15:21,600 Speaker 1: this world, and I think you guys know what you know? 298 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:23,920 Speaker 1: You you connect on a real level. How did you 299 00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:27,560 Speaker 1: find it? I was tipped off by a girl we 300 00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:30,080 Speaker 1: were interviewing, who was like, do you listen to this podcast? 301 00:15:30,120 --> 00:15:32,480 Speaker 1: And I was like, what did you hire? I tried 302 00:15:32,520 --> 00:15:36,240 Speaker 1: to started binging all but and then immediately I hopped 303 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:37,520 Speaker 1: on Twitter and it was like, what are you guys doing? 304 00:15:37,840 --> 00:15:41,240 Speaker 1: Because it's something that I think is necessary and interesting, 305 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:42,880 Speaker 1: and I think there's a there's a big need for 306 00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:46,200 Speaker 1: a fresh voice in the whole advertising stings. There is, 307 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:48,320 Speaker 1: and I think it's the same the same. It was 308 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:50,560 Speaker 1: the same thing for food, right, like the same want 309 00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:52,840 Speaker 1: to say, the same voices had been around for so 310 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:55,840 Speaker 1: long it was you know they all do who are 311 00:15:55,880 --> 00:16:00,280 Speaker 1: those voices? So it's like New York Times and New 312 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:02,840 Speaker 1: York Meg and Food and Wine and the Food Network 313 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 1: and like those those are all great publications, right like 314 00:16:05,680 --> 00:16:07,880 Speaker 1: they all serve a specific audience and they do it 315 00:16:08,240 --> 00:16:11,600 Speaker 1: really really well. But like for a community that is 316 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:15,840 Speaker 1: being you know, connected to each other via social and 317 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:18,280 Speaker 1: the Internet, it's it's a different thing. I think what 318 00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:20,240 Speaker 1: Alex and I are after marketing is the very same 319 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:22,320 Speaker 1: thing you know you're talking about in the food business. 320 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:25,600 Speaker 1: It's it's access. It's sort of that underground niche we've 321 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:28,440 Speaker 1: been talking about this rat pack community that we're creating 322 00:16:28,480 --> 00:16:32,240 Speaker 1: that um really speaks to the author that, like you 323 00:16:32,240 --> 00:16:33,880 Speaker 1: talked about, I just want to get a review about 324 00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:35,840 Speaker 1: where to get a burger with my buddy, and we 325 00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:38,480 Speaker 1: want to talk about the conversations over spicy margarita that 326 00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:41,560 Speaker 1: people don't hear and they're not having these kind of 327 00:16:41,560 --> 00:16:43,760 Speaker 1: provocative conversations that they need to have and bring it 328 00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:46,640 Speaker 1: mainstream and stereo sound, you know, totally. And it's also 329 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:49,120 Speaker 1: about empowering people with knowledge, right, I think I think 330 00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:51,200 Speaker 1: it's like the one of the best things that people 331 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:53,400 Speaker 1: have always said to us is that, like you make 332 00:16:53,480 --> 00:16:55,240 Speaker 1: me look so good because you give us all this 333 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:57,480 Speaker 1: information and we pass it on as our own and 334 00:16:57,520 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 1: like we look like a million bucks. And that's the 335 00:16:59,840 --> 00:17:01,960 Speaker 1: whole point for us at least. Right, It's like this 336 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:05,119 Speaker 1: discovery platform where we want people to know all the 337 00:17:05,160 --> 00:17:07,520 Speaker 1: great spots and like, if we're helping you pack a 338 00:17:07,560 --> 00:17:09,680 Speaker 1: great restaurant for a first date and that works out, 339 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:12,920 Speaker 1: you're gonna So what are brands when they are coming 340 00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:15,760 Speaker 1: to you? Because I assume a lot of them, I 341 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:18,800 Speaker 1: know are coming to you. Yeah, I mean they come, 342 00:17:18,840 --> 00:17:21,160 Speaker 1: we go to them. That's been our like, we we 343 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:23,359 Speaker 1: were really pretty you say I want to work with 344 00:17:23,400 --> 00:17:25,840 Speaker 1: you because we we we I mean, our whole world 345 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:29,240 Speaker 1: is curation, right, So like we've been really specific about 346 00:17:29,840 --> 00:17:31,679 Speaker 1: the brands that we work with from the beginning, and 347 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:34,720 Speaker 1: we knew that coming from the music business, brands underwriting 348 00:17:34,720 --> 00:17:37,200 Speaker 1: a lot of the music because like music business is 349 00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:38,840 Speaker 1: great because you've got to learn how to market with 350 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:43,119 Speaker 1: no money, right, So that is always a challenge that 351 00:17:43,160 --> 00:17:45,679 Speaker 1: we you know, we had underwrite videos or you know, 352 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:47,639 Speaker 1: back then it was like Diesel was a big brand 353 00:17:47,680 --> 00:17:49,560 Speaker 1: and like you they have a community people you could 354 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:55,600 Speaker 1: get a song on their seeing Yeah, well sure, um, 355 00:17:55,640 --> 00:17:58,120 Speaker 1: but you know they would create you can they could 356 00:17:58,119 --> 00:18:01,200 Speaker 1: bring in money, they could create new audience to market 357 00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:03,680 Speaker 1: yourself towards. So you know, we we when we started 358 00:18:03,680 --> 00:18:05,400 Speaker 1: the company, we made a list of brands that were 359 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:07,160 Speaker 1: on our hit list from the beginning, from day one 360 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:10,680 Speaker 1: that we're like American Express and Nike and Whole Foods 361 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 1: and at that time like Seamless and Delta, and you know, 362 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:18,160 Speaker 1: we just started hacking away, you know, trying to figure 363 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:20,720 Speaker 1: out how to make relationships with these people. And it 364 00:18:20,760 --> 00:18:22,320 Speaker 1: took a lot of time. Like I was knocking on 365 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:26,119 Speaker 1: the m X door for literally five years before I 366 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:28,920 Speaker 1: finally cracked it open to get in there. And now 367 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:31,480 Speaker 1: there are longest tenured and biggest partner and we do 368 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:33,320 Speaker 1: all kinds of interesting stuff with them. So what are 369 00:18:33,359 --> 00:18:35,879 Speaker 1: you focusing on? Because you told me, like, I'm not 370 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:38,640 Speaker 1: from this industry. I didn't grow up in media. I'm 371 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:42,560 Speaker 1: not beholden to legacy. What is that experience? Right? It's 372 00:18:42,560 --> 00:18:44,479 Speaker 1: like this, So what is your social experience? Where do 373 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:47,959 Speaker 1: consumers and real human beings spend their time? Right, they 374 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:50,760 Speaker 1: spend their time on their phones. They are scrolling through Instagram, 375 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:54,159 Speaker 1: they are on Twitter, They're on whatever platforms they are 376 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:57,400 Speaker 1: choosing right there, messaging with their friends, like texting back 377 00:18:57,440 --> 00:19:00,800 Speaker 1: and forth, and they're going to do ship do cool things. Right. 378 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:03,520 Speaker 1: They want to go and experience things and meet new 379 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:06,639 Speaker 1: people and post stuff on their social media about how 380 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:09,719 Speaker 1: cool their lives are. Right like, and so that's what 381 00:19:09,760 --> 00:19:12,439 Speaker 1: we do. We create experiences online and off and like 382 00:19:12,520 --> 00:19:14,800 Speaker 1: in a great brand into our world. So right like, 383 00:19:14,840 --> 00:19:17,480 Speaker 1: we're a restaurant discovery platform. All the guides and content 384 00:19:17,520 --> 00:19:19,639 Speaker 1: that we do on the web, it's all based around 385 00:19:20,240 --> 00:19:23,840 Speaker 1: you know, food dining restaurants. You know, we don't do 386 00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:25,920 Speaker 1: news or anything like that, but we are able to 387 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:28,760 Speaker 1: underwrite a lot of that stuff around a narrative or 388 00:19:28,760 --> 00:19:30,600 Speaker 1: a theme that we would do anyway that we can 389 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:33,000 Speaker 1: fit a brand into. And you have a very editorial, 390 00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:37,880 Speaker 1: right perspective. It is absolutely editorial, and it's a very 391 00:19:37,880 --> 00:19:40,399 Speaker 1: specific voice and p O V and and we'll do 392 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:43,240 Speaker 1: like a package of content like our Summer Guide, for example, 393 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:46,040 Speaker 1: which we've now done for six straight years. We've sold 394 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:47,600 Speaker 1: it for five straight years that we sell for a 395 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 1: ton of money. That's a big content package that a 396 00:19:50,400 --> 00:19:53,199 Speaker 1: brand underwrites the stellar artois and what does that look like? 397 00:19:53,359 --> 00:19:56,600 Speaker 1: What does that incorporate Here incorporates a big launch of content. 398 00:19:56,720 --> 00:19:58,719 Speaker 1: They own a couple of the guides inside of it. 399 00:19:58,760 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 1: We do a ton of social content tent where we'll 400 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:04,880 Speaker 1: go to a bunch of accounts that they have UM 401 00:20:05,080 --> 00:20:07,679 Speaker 1: that they serve at and create social first content that 402 00:20:07,720 --> 00:20:10,600 Speaker 1: live across our twenty four instagrams. I mean like we 403 00:20:11,280 --> 00:20:13,399 Speaker 1: you know, we have a main infatuation account, we have 404 00:20:13,440 --> 00:20:17,640 Speaker 1: localized accounts and markets. You have like at burger, at pasta, 405 00:20:17,720 --> 00:20:21,119 Speaker 1: at tacos. The fact that you actually have those at 406 00:20:21,119 --> 00:20:24,800 Speaker 1: ice cream at wild and that helps us fill the 407 00:20:24,840 --> 00:20:27,560 Speaker 1: spreadsheet with impression. It's like that Internet so and then 408 00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:30,159 Speaker 1: and then we go and we create cool experiences, will 409 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:32,120 Speaker 1: go to a bar restaurant, take it over and invite 410 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:36,840 Speaker 1: either consumers or you know people like land listeners, correct, 411 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:39,720 Speaker 1: like cool you know, tastemakers, cool people, people with big 412 00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:43,360 Speaker 1: social followings, the bad eye word that nobody wants to say, 413 00:20:43,359 --> 00:20:46,080 Speaker 1: but that every brand is interested in all the influencers. 414 00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:48,439 Speaker 1: So talk to us a little bit about how the 415 00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:50,360 Speaker 1: infatuation over the course of five years has been able 416 00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:52,639 Speaker 1: to get the three million plus. You were talking a 417 00:20:52,640 --> 00:20:56,520 Speaker 1: little bit earlier about how UM you've been able to 418 00:20:56,560 --> 00:20:58,480 Speaker 1: stick to the script, You've been able to follow what 419 00:20:58,520 --> 00:21:02,960 Speaker 1: I would say is probably a finely tuned UM algorithm 420 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:08,639 Speaker 1: formula in a formula yourself. How you've been able to 421 00:21:08,720 --> 00:21:11,600 Speaker 1: stay the course, continue to grow last episode, Alex and 422 00:21:11,600 --> 00:21:13,719 Speaker 1: I were talking a lot about how many of these 423 00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:16,239 Speaker 1: digital first platforms, some of which you know, we use 424 00:21:16,280 --> 00:21:19,359 Speaker 1: social in the same capacity that you were that Chase scale, 425 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:24,040 Speaker 1: So three million in their world would seem very small thing. Um, 426 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:27,080 Speaker 1: why do you think what the approach you're doing has 427 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:30,480 Speaker 1: been able to and will presumably outlast some of these 428 00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:34,000 Speaker 1: others that are either having to sell or Um, you know, 429 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:35,960 Speaker 1: I think it's just because it's real, you know, I 430 00:21:36,280 --> 00:21:39,840 Speaker 1: think that. Yeah, And it's also like there's value, right, 431 00:21:39,840 --> 00:21:42,840 Speaker 1: and I think that you know, Chris and our editorial 432 00:21:43,520 --> 00:21:46,959 Speaker 1: editor in chief Hillary Reinsburg like there it's all about 433 00:21:47,240 --> 00:21:50,320 Speaker 1: value to the consumer. Like every single piece of content 434 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:52,959 Speaker 1: that we do on the web and on social, it's 435 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:55,280 Speaker 1: all based around discovery and about value. And like if 436 00:21:55,280 --> 00:21:58,240 Speaker 1: it's if it's just throw away content garbage, like we're 437 00:21:58,240 --> 00:22:00,320 Speaker 1: not going to do it, you know. So it all 438 00:22:00,359 --> 00:22:02,080 Speaker 1: comes down to that, are you a part of people's 439 00:22:02,160 --> 00:22:04,520 Speaker 1: lives in the day to day? Like that? That's that's 440 00:22:04,520 --> 00:22:06,320 Speaker 1: what we strive to be, and that's what we've kind 441 00:22:06,320 --> 00:22:07,879 Speaker 1: of become for a lot of people. There's also a 442 00:22:07,920 --> 00:22:11,840 Speaker 1: ton of you know, there's passion behind our brand and 443 00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:14,159 Speaker 1: what we're doing. People really connect with it. So if 444 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:16,160 Speaker 1: you can, if you can figure out how to become 445 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:20,240 Speaker 1: a part of people's lives, then that's massive, right, People 446 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:22,560 Speaker 1: that that that there's so much more power in that. 447 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:24,159 Speaker 1: And that's why it's it's also a challenge for us 448 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:26,560 Speaker 1: because we're small. Right. That's three that three million people 449 00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:30,520 Speaker 1: a month, right, that's spread across web, Instagram, our messaging 450 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:33,040 Speaker 1: platform text Rex, which you text us and you can 451 00:22:33,040 --> 00:22:36,600 Speaker 1: get you know, real time restaurant recommendations back from humans, 452 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:39,439 Speaker 1: you know, and our newsletter and whatever. There's a lot 453 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:43,040 Speaker 1: of different platforms. Um our app that we have. You 454 00:22:43,040 --> 00:22:45,680 Speaker 1: talk about your appy and can you talk about text 455 00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:48,560 Speaker 1: backs humanizational and I think is really interesting. Ye app 456 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:51,520 Speaker 1: is kind of uh, you know, as as our product 457 00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:53,760 Speaker 1: team says, a diet version of the website so that 458 00:22:53,880 --> 00:22:56,560 Speaker 1: it's it's really about like nearby and when you're out 459 00:22:56,640 --> 00:22:58,800 Speaker 1: running around you can pull up our app and then 460 00:22:58,800 --> 00:23:02,400 Speaker 1: our our messaging services it's called text rex and it's 461 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:06,200 Speaker 1: we're live in New York and l A now. And 462 00:23:06,920 --> 00:23:09,200 Speaker 1: you know, we heard for a long time that people 463 00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:11,000 Speaker 1: will come to us and be like, I know you 464 00:23:11,040 --> 00:23:12,600 Speaker 1: have website and I have an app, but just tell 465 00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:15,200 Speaker 1: me where to go. Because it's two thousand, two fifteen 466 00:23:15,240 --> 00:23:16,920 Speaker 1: we launched it. But like people don't, I don't have 467 00:23:16,960 --> 00:23:18,960 Speaker 1: the attention span. They don't want to spend so much 468 00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:20,320 Speaker 1: time looking for something. They just want you to tell 469 00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:23,840 Speaker 1: them what to do. So like this was human versus 470 00:23:23,840 --> 00:23:28,119 Speaker 1: because because because automation, it's not correct. Someday a I 471 00:23:28,160 --> 00:23:30,080 Speaker 1: will be there and and we'll be able to combine 472 00:23:30,119 --> 00:23:32,360 Speaker 1: what we've got with all the conversation data that we've 473 00:23:32,359 --> 00:23:34,840 Speaker 1: got over the last uh, you know, the last couple 474 00:23:34,840 --> 00:23:37,680 Speaker 1: of years running the service. But right now, like you can't. 475 00:23:37,720 --> 00:23:40,560 Speaker 1: There is no robot that can tell you that when 476 00:23:40,760 --> 00:23:42,520 Speaker 1: you're a party of six and you have a couple 477 00:23:42,520 --> 00:23:44,320 Speaker 1: of vegetarian friends and you want to eat on the 478 00:23:44,320 --> 00:23:47,440 Speaker 1: lorry side, that like, you know, this restaurant is the 479 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:49,720 Speaker 1: answer for although I will say, like, you know, we're 480 00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:52,240 Speaker 1: all excited about the future of AI and the ability 481 00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:55,080 Speaker 1: to program these things, but I over people talking about 482 00:23:55,119 --> 00:23:57,960 Speaker 1: I have to say every any person that I've talked 483 00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:00,720 Speaker 1: to that is obsessed, and I feel like you're platform 484 00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:02,600 Speaker 1: is one that you're either you're either all in or 485 00:24:02,760 --> 00:24:04,720 Speaker 1: you don't know about it. Like that's like literally the 486 00:24:05,119 --> 00:24:09,879 Speaker 1: different um. When they talk about that feature, the first 487 00:24:09,920 --> 00:24:11,840 Speaker 1: thing they say is that they're talking to a human. 488 00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:15,040 Speaker 1: The value that we get outside of like from the 489 00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:19,960 Speaker 1: messaging platform is invaluable, Like it's crazy. It basically drives 490 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:22,960 Speaker 1: like the trends that we see inside, right, Like we're 491 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:25,919 Speaker 1: doing a lot of conversations every day, we have stuff 492 00:24:25,960 --> 00:24:29,600 Speaker 1: coming in all the all this so like so so 493 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:32,719 Speaker 1: the data inside of text rex informs our editorial, right, 494 00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:35,320 Speaker 1: Like we see trends, We're like, oh, people are having 495 00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:37,920 Speaker 1: trouble finding this, let's do this right, Like, some people 496 00:24:37,920 --> 00:24:40,600 Speaker 1: in the platform are using the word casual, like that's 497 00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:43,760 Speaker 1: one of the most popular terms in the in text 498 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:46,400 Speaker 1: rects outside of high and by and like you see 499 00:24:46,440 --> 00:24:47,879 Speaker 1: it over and over again, and we never thought casual, 500 00:24:47,960 --> 00:24:50,520 Speaker 1: what does casual actually mean? People use the word right, 501 00:24:50,520 --> 00:24:53,199 Speaker 1: so they want and they want content based around the 502 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:55,320 Speaker 1: words that they use. So we started doing casual this 503 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:57,800 Speaker 1: and casual that, casual, Italian, casual sushi and it does 504 00:24:57,880 --> 00:25:00,480 Speaker 1: really well. Or like the super cute you know guy 505 00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:02,000 Speaker 1: to go in and hanging out with your friends. I 506 00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:04,560 Speaker 1: just want to super cute restaurant. That's what are you really? 507 00:25:05,400 --> 00:25:10,160 Speaker 1: And yes, are you're redefining the food and travel category 508 00:25:10,280 --> 00:25:12,840 Speaker 1: based on these sort of what I wouldn't call demographics. 509 00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:15,000 Speaker 1: I think there are new types of psychographics that you 510 00:25:15,040 --> 00:25:18,760 Speaker 1: wouldn't be able to get based on traditional media insights. Right, 511 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:21,440 Speaker 1: Like people are telling you, they're giving you the vernacular, 512 00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:23,560 Speaker 1: I think. I think it's definitely a different audience. And 513 00:25:23,680 --> 00:25:26,159 Speaker 1: before we came around a really hard audience, especially in 514 00:25:26,160 --> 00:25:27,919 Speaker 1: food to reach, I don't know where you would go 515 00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:30,919 Speaker 1: to reach our audience of you know, twenty something and 516 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:35,679 Speaker 1: thirty somethings that are maybe really into food, but like 517 00:25:35,880 --> 00:25:38,399 Speaker 1: or passively into food. Right, It's it's you know, for 518 00:25:38,480 --> 00:25:41,000 Speaker 1: a lot of the other publications, they've focused on the 519 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:42,920 Speaker 1: one percent, right, like of people that are like that's 520 00:25:42,960 --> 00:25:45,119 Speaker 1: really into it. And for us, our audience, we look 521 00:25:45,160 --> 00:25:47,639 Speaker 1: at it and it's like it's everybody, because you know, 522 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:50,760 Speaker 1: there's a lot of social capital in knowing where to go, 523 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:52,199 Speaker 1: I mean look and get to get back to the 524 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:54,119 Speaker 1: tex UXs thing. One last point is like there's just 525 00:25:54,160 --> 00:25:55,879 Speaker 1: there's so much data inside of that. We we are 526 00:25:55,920 --> 00:26:00,119 Speaker 1: sitting on a treasure trove of like real time eight 527 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:03,560 Speaker 1: as it pertains to like millennial drinking, dining, you know, 528 00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:06,080 Speaker 1: trends right that that we're going to start hacking up, 529 00:26:06,080 --> 00:26:09,879 Speaker 1: putting a Dice data scientist on and like serving as 530 00:26:09,920 --> 00:26:11,800 Speaker 1: our offering as part of the packages that we offer 531 00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:16,400 Speaker 1: to brands. What's your most valuable asset? Trust? I mean, 532 00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:18,840 Speaker 1: that's that's what the audience so people pay for us, 533 00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:22,600 Speaker 1: that our audience trusts us, and you know, that's what 534 00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:25,240 Speaker 1: the brands kind of come in for. And that's why 535 00:26:25,280 --> 00:26:28,560 Speaker 1: people while while while users come back is because they 536 00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:30,240 Speaker 1: you know, they're never going to agree with us every 537 00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:32,480 Speaker 1: single time. You're not gonna be right about every single restaurant, 538 00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:35,200 Speaker 1: but at least they know where we stand. So it's time, Lauren, 539 00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:37,159 Speaker 1: we could probably use one more shake before we go. 540 00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:41,760 Speaker 1: Um killed by d I y. He's slamming his margarite 541 00:26:41,760 --> 00:26:46,840 Speaker 1: and they prepare for this. I'm nervous somebody who's not 542 00:26:46,880 --> 00:26:49,800 Speaker 1: for me to this should be easy. You answer pretty quickly, 543 00:26:49,920 --> 00:26:52,560 Speaker 1: you've got it all, okay? Can we kill you? Help? 544 00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:58,240 Speaker 1: I mean, aren't you? Isn't Yelp already dead? Is it? 545 00:26:58,640 --> 00:27:01,760 Speaker 1: I think it's it's so it's so terrible and no 546 00:27:01,800 --> 00:27:04,480 Speaker 1: one uses it. You said it, not me, it is. 547 00:27:04,520 --> 00:27:07,399 Speaker 1: It is terrible. Even the Bard's under agrees, what are 548 00:27:07,440 --> 00:27:11,560 Speaker 1: you buying? I'm gonna buy anchor, of course we do, 549 00:27:12,000 --> 00:27:13,680 Speaker 1: and and tell people what you're going to do with 550 00:27:13,720 --> 00:27:15,560 Speaker 1: anchor when you buy it. I'm gonna put I'm gonna 551 00:27:15,720 --> 00:27:19,040 Speaker 1: move everything into that platform. That's that's it. But it'd 552 00:27:19,080 --> 00:27:20,959 Speaker 1: be interesting to be in your car and be like, hey, 553 00:27:21,119 --> 00:27:23,439 Speaker 1: what what's near me right now? Using voice and then 554 00:27:23,480 --> 00:27:25,119 Speaker 1: it comes back to you with like these are this 555 00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:27,880 Speaker 1: is the Infatuation recommended burger. That's right, And we talked 556 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:30,680 Speaker 1: about what's the audio cue for that will be tell 557 00:27:30,680 --> 00:27:36,720 Speaker 1: everyone eats and what are you killing or what are 558 00:27:36,760 --> 00:27:43,639 Speaker 1: you doing yourself? How about rebuilding like food TV, but 559 00:27:43,680 --> 00:27:45,680 Speaker 1: not on TV. If people want to find you, where 560 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:47,879 Speaker 1: they're gonna find you, They're going to find us at 561 00:27:47,920 --> 00:27:52,120 Speaker 1: the Infatuation dot com, at infatuation on all social platforms. 562 00:27:53,119 --> 00:27:55,919 Speaker 1: You can find my email on the Infatuation website, but 563 00:27:55,960 --> 00:27:59,119 Speaker 1: it's Steinthalt the Infatuation dot Com. Hit me up or 564 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:04,480 Speaker 1: schmooey on all social platforms, and I love SCHMILLI Well, Andrews, 565 00:28:04,520 --> 00:28:06,840 Speaker 1: thank you for bringing Lauren, and thank you for bringing 566 00:28:06,880 --> 00:28:13,120 Speaker 1: done Julia for having me guys, thank you. So that's 567 00:28:13,119 --> 00:28:16,920 Speaker 1: our first episode, totally interesting that we decided to start 568 00:28:16,960 --> 00:28:20,720 Speaker 1: the year with a conversation around food and intentions to 569 00:28:20,760 --> 00:28:24,359 Speaker 1: go to the gym, but attentions be better. But like 570 00:28:24,560 --> 00:28:28,120 Speaker 1: the new sol cycle campaign, screw resolutions. We are here 571 00:28:28,160 --> 00:28:31,280 Speaker 1: for healthy living in and really really good conversations with 572 00:28:31,320 --> 00:28:34,400 Speaker 1: our community. And with that, thank you, Cameron Drews. You're 573 00:28:34,440 --> 00:28:37,800 Speaker 1: stuck with us for another year. Matt Turk, Andy Bowers, 574 00:28:37,800 --> 00:28:40,880 Speaker 1: all our friends and family up Panoply and Atlantia. Let's 575 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:49,959 Speaker 1: do this. We'll talk to you in two weeks. Full disclosure, 576 00:28:49,960 --> 00:28:53,840 Speaker 1: our opinions, our own I told you that I had 577 00:28:53,840 --> 00:28:55,640 Speaker 1: a guest appearance on the grind is that it does 578 00:28:55,680 --> 00:29:00,719 Speaker 1: the tape exist? I hope not promos at media? Actually 579 00:29:00,760 --> 00:29:03,200 Speaker 1: should well, I know people, we know people of viatcom. 580 00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:05,400 Speaker 1: Just give him a call. Let's keep moving. That's so 581 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:08,239 Speaker 1: really good. So so we brought it up. By the way, 582 00:29:08,280 --> 00:29:09,800 Speaker 1: I just want to be clear that you brought it 583 00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:13,440 Speaker 1: up because you wanted it brought up. Anyway, it's moving. 584 00:29:13,600 --> 00:29:16,480 Speaker 1: It was cool because we you know, we we had