1 00:00:01,880 --> 00:00:04,240 Speaker 1: I'm with Lucas and this is black tech, green money. 2 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:09,879 Speaker 1: Alfonso fonz Terrel is founder and CEO at Spill and 3 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:13,640 Speaker 1: Kenya Parham's global VP, Community and Partnerships at the culture 4 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:17,880 Speaker 1: first social media app. At launch, Spill jumped to the 5 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:21,320 Speaker 1: top of the app Store. It still maintains the formidable position. 6 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:26,159 Speaker 1: Even before Threads was announced and released, the landscape of 7 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:29,800 Speaker 1: social media apps was heavy. Spill was founded though and 8 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:33,159 Speaker 1: well funded by top tier vcs who believed. So I 9 00:00:33,240 --> 00:00:36,680 Speaker 1: asked Finds, what was the unique opportunity he saw when 10 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:38,720 Speaker 1: creating Spill was just an idea? 11 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:43,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think the the insight was really deeper and 12 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 2: trying to look deeper at social media holistically from the start. 13 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 2: I've been working in social media as marketing professional entertainment 14 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:58,240 Speaker 2: brands for years, and when we look at the grand 15 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:04,280 Speaker 2: diasporic nature of conversation online, it's almost always driven by us, right, 16 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 2: the trends, the culture of the new lexicon, everything like that. 17 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:11,840 Speaker 2: It comes from black communities, queer communities, other marginalized groups. 18 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:15,280 Speaker 2: And so we were really looking at the problem set 19 00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:19,839 Speaker 2: that's facing our community first and saying, who's building for us? 20 00:01:20,640 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 2: No one or you know, from a macro standpoint, nothing 21 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:28,639 Speaker 2: that we've really seen that really accounts for the amount 22 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:31,360 Speaker 2: of impact that we have at the level that it 23 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 2: should be, right, And so that's really the opportunity that 24 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:38,200 Speaker 2: we saw coming into the fall of last year, when 25 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 2: as some may know, I was working at a company 26 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 2: that has recently gone through a rebrand that I will 27 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:50,280 Speaker 2: not name, and you know, we were looking at Obviously 28 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:52,280 Speaker 2: a lot of people were like, Okay, what's next after this, 29 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:56,000 Speaker 2: and we had no interest in trying to recreate something 30 00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 2: that we knew had some flaws in it, right, that 31 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 2: platform has had just way before you know, Elon and 32 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 2: those folks came in, and we really wanted to look 33 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:09,600 Speaker 2: at this, you know, the whole ecosystem and really say, hey, 34 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:13,119 Speaker 2: let's push the medium forward, and let's start by centering 35 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:16,760 Speaker 2: black folks, queer folks, other marginalized groups from the beginning, 36 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:19,840 Speaker 2: which never happens, and really allow us to sort of 37 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 2: set the tone, the vibe, and really solve for our 38 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:25,800 Speaker 2: key problem sets, which really boil down to three things. 39 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:29,960 Speaker 2: One is safety, two is credit, and third is getting 40 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:33,320 Speaker 2: rewarded for the contributions that we make to the online culture. Right, 41 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:35,800 Speaker 2: That's really the core problem sets that we set out 42 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 2: to solve. And that's the opportunity that we saw last 43 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:41,640 Speaker 2: fall that we you know, that really inspired what spill is. 44 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 3: Now. 45 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:44,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, when you just mentioned the word, I'd like you 46 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:46,519 Speaker 1: to go in on you say, you know you saw 47 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 1: some challenges inside that that that platform for, particularly for 48 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 1: our communities. Can you talk a little bit about you know, 49 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:56,400 Speaker 1: black people have brought so much to social media. You know, 50 00:02:56,520 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 1: we talk over index on all social media platforms. What 51 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:04,919 Speaker 1: challenges exist historically in social media which is fifty twenty 52 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:08,560 Speaker 1: years old, maybe fifteen years old social media? What challenges 53 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:11,320 Speaker 1: exist that when we bring so much value, we still 54 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:14,239 Speaker 1: don't get recognized for that. It's institutional, It's got to 55 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:16,040 Speaker 1: be institutional at this point. 56 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:17,480 Speaker 3: Well, let's be honest. 57 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 2: It's a reflection of how our culture has been exploited, 58 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:23,120 Speaker 2: you know, for generations across a variety of mediums that 59 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:26,240 Speaker 2: go beyond social right, We've seen this in music, We've 60 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:29,000 Speaker 2: seen this in you know, TV, and of course how 61 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:30,760 Speaker 2: it's being expressed in the tech space. 62 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:32,400 Speaker 3: This is what happens. 63 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:34,520 Speaker 2: When you don't have people who are driving the most 64 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:38,000 Speaker 2: culture building the platforms at the same time. And you know, 65 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:39,880 Speaker 2: I know Ken, you can you know, speak to this 66 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:43,240 Speaker 2: personally as well. But let's just talk about black women, right, 67 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 2: black women over index as you mentioned on heavy social 68 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 2: media usage, not just usage heavy three plus hours per day, 69 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 2: no identity group is using social more. And then two 70 00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:59,280 Speaker 2: on media consumption. Nobody's watching more TV, listening to more music, 71 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:02,280 Speaker 2: talking about it, creating community around it, deciding you know, 72 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:05,240 Speaker 2: who's going to be next. Right, So those are just 73 00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 2: facts that we can you know, center on. Yet most 74 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 2: businesses only are thinking about this, you know, once or 75 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 2: twice a year. You know, it's like, hey, February is 76 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:16,520 Speaker 2: coming up, what are what are we gonna do? We're 77 00:04:16,520 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 2: gonna throw a party and then you know, forget about 78 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:21,480 Speaker 2: it for the rest of the year. And so that's 79 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:24,919 Speaker 2: been an issue not just that you know, the platform 80 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 2: formerly known as Twitter, but many social platforms. When you 81 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 2: looked at YouTube, when you looked at you know today, 82 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:35,880 Speaker 2: it's a TikTok, right, We've seen you know, black creators 83 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:38,520 Speaker 2: have to go and strike literally just to you know 84 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:41,280 Speaker 2: create you know, a news cycle around how they're not 85 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 2: being credited properly. So this has been going on for 86 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:46,480 Speaker 2: a while and it's the type of problem that only 87 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:50,200 Speaker 2: gets solved when we as a community decide to, you know, 88 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:52,160 Speaker 2: just roll up our sleeves and be like it's us, 89 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:54,360 Speaker 2: you know, And if I if I learned anything, I'll 90 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:57,000 Speaker 2: throw this this nugget out there. If I've learned anything 91 00:04:57,040 --> 00:05:01,080 Speaker 2: through this process, it's that they know this better than us. 92 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:05,200 Speaker 2: Nobody does. We know this space better than anyone, and 93 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 2: all we need to do is just have the audacity 94 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:08,640 Speaker 2: to get after it. And that's why I think why 95 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:10,039 Speaker 2: we've had some success so far. 96 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:12,720 Speaker 1: I was saying, Keny, I love you to chime in 97 00:05:12,760 --> 00:05:15,080 Speaker 1: on this because he finds talked about a couple of 98 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:17,479 Speaker 1: things that we create culture on these things, and we 99 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:20,680 Speaker 1: get a chance to amplify and distribute our culture on 100 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 1: these things. If we talk about just black culture, which 101 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:25,400 Speaker 1: I agree with people I trips they walk like black 102 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:28,760 Speaker 1: culture rules runs all global culture. We're talking about food 103 00:05:28,839 --> 00:05:32,680 Speaker 1: or dance or music or sports, like we drive that 104 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:36,559 Speaker 1: and even you know LGBTQ culture, if you think about camp, 105 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:40,120 Speaker 1: you know fashion in that way, we set the trends. 106 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:42,800 Speaker 1: And here's in so many ways we're just starting to 107 00:05:42,839 --> 00:05:48,560 Speaker 1: have this conversation about how creators get recognized by these platforms. 108 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:52,840 Speaker 1: Are they being either compensated or recognized. Do people steal, 109 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:55,680 Speaker 1: you know, their dance moves and then credit them as 110 00:05:55,720 --> 00:05:58,320 Speaker 1: their own, and then the platforms amplify the people who 111 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:00,640 Speaker 1: don't look like us when there was somebody who looked 112 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 1: like us that created it. 113 00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:02,680 Speaker 3: Can you talk about that? 114 00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:06,839 Speaker 4: Yeah, you know, really appreciate that question. 115 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 5: One of the things that we're seeking to prove as 116 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:15,240 Speaker 5: well with SPILL is that cultural and technical fluency can coexist, right. 117 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:18,600 Speaker 5: We believe that we can be culturally competent and know 118 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:22,040 Speaker 5: who the source of these trends are, acknowledge them, make 119 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:25,800 Speaker 5: sure they receive the attribution, and also communicate to our 120 00:06:25,839 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 5: partners who are at the table to make sure that 121 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 5: they're aware of who these people are, and do so 122 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:36,440 Speaker 5: in a way that creates a much healthier ecosystem for 123 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:40,359 Speaker 5: the Creator economy, which we know, as Goldman Sachs has stated, 124 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:43,800 Speaker 5: is set to double over the next five years. Right now, 125 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 5: we're at about two hundred and eighty million dollars. It's 126 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:49,520 Speaker 5: about to double, twoting two hundred and eighty billion dollars. 127 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:51,720 Speaker 5: It's about to double in that over the next couple 128 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:56,039 Speaker 5: of years. And so, you know, we're really seeking to 129 00:06:56,080 --> 00:07:00,040 Speaker 5: make sure that these that these folks feel safe to 130 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:03,200 Speaker 5: create and bring their best heat to Spill, and that 131 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:07,120 Speaker 5: the partners that are here also feel really excited about 132 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:09,560 Speaker 5: knowing that they're coming to a place that houses the 133 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 5: source of the best of what you know, makes culture 134 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:14,840 Speaker 5: bring brings culture forward. 135 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 1: You know, Ken you I like to stay on you 136 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 1: on this because there's a lot of conversation around creators 137 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 1: being appropriately compensated for what they bring into platforms, and 138 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:27,239 Speaker 1: so there's a lot of formulas, a lot of math 139 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:29,440 Speaker 1: that goes into that how does how does Spill think 140 00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 1: about you know, hey, X person or whatever. I'm gonna 141 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:35,520 Speaker 1: I'm not to put words in your mouth, but this 142 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:38,840 Speaker 1: is how we dictate based on X number of impressions, 143 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 1: you know, how we work with you as the creator? 144 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:46,120 Speaker 5: Sure, I mean, you know this is a This is 145 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:49,000 Speaker 5: an equation that you know, folks have been trying to 146 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:51,560 Speaker 5: crack for a long time, and we are trying to 147 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:55,520 Speaker 5: be as innovative and intentional as possible about coming up 148 00:07:55,560 --> 00:07:58,600 Speaker 5: with what that looks like. The beautiful part about that 149 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:01,040 Speaker 5: is we've got everybody at the table to be able 150 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:04,400 Speaker 5: to have this conversation, and it's our table that we're setting. 151 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:07,360 Speaker 5: So you know, we're looking forward to continue to have 152 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:10,120 Speaker 5: these conversations with folks and to listen to the creators 153 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:14,480 Speaker 5: who know just as well as everybody else, right, you know, 154 00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 5: what these things are worth, and we want to make 155 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 5: sure that they're present to be able to communicate that 156 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:22,720 Speaker 5: value on their own behalf. You know, so far, often 157 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:26,600 Speaker 5: in whatever industry we see it in, people are having 158 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:31,360 Speaker 5: conversations about creators, having conversations about tastemakers without including them 159 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:34,040 Speaker 5: at the table to speak for themselves. One of my 160 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:36,240 Speaker 5: favorite things about what we're doing at SPILL is the 161 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:38,520 Speaker 5: communities that we're building. We have a call and response 162 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:42,880 Speaker 5: relationship with these creators, and you know, creators are the 163 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:46,600 Speaker 5: new athletes. I'm excited. I'm working on some stuff this week. 164 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:48,439 Speaker 5: I'm here in the vineyard. I'm going to be talking 165 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:50,840 Speaker 5: about the creator economy. And one of the things that 166 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:52,880 Speaker 5: we're saying is, you know, creators are the new athletes, 167 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:54,440 Speaker 5: and so we're bringing them to the table to be 168 00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:57,520 Speaker 5: able to have these conversations and communicate their value with 169 00:08:57,600 --> 00:09:01,520 Speaker 5: these stakeholders who are interested in accessing again the best 170 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:03,760 Speaker 5: of what they bring to the social space. And we're 171 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:06,720 Speaker 5: looking forward to being able to advance these conversations and 172 00:09:07,040 --> 00:09:12,439 Speaker 5: have some meaningful outcomes that come from these conversations around 173 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:16,559 Speaker 5: the value of the cultural capital that is generated with 174 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 5: what we put in the social space. 175 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:20,800 Speaker 1: You know, fines I was, I was. I don't remember 176 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:23,080 Speaker 1: who I was talking to, but there was a statement 177 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:24,680 Speaker 1: somebody made that made a lot of sense to me, 178 00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:26,480 Speaker 1: and they said, you know, one of the greatest things 179 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:29,520 Speaker 1: Steve Jobs did was create the app store. But one 180 00:09:29,559 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 1: of the worst things about the app stores. It gave 181 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:34,520 Speaker 1: people the idea that everything should be free, you know, 182 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:36,520 Speaker 1: and so I wonder, you know, and obviously with a 183 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:39,680 Speaker 1: social media app you need distribution, so free makes sense. 184 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:42,280 Speaker 1: But how did you think about you know, we've got 185 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:45,400 Speaker 1: to get hundreds of thousands, tens of thousands, millions of 186 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:48,120 Speaker 1: people into this thing, but we still have to rethink 187 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:51,439 Speaker 1: the business model. How do you think about these things? 188 00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:55,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I think there's a lot of discussion about 189 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:59,199 Speaker 2: the pros and cons of advertising, right and having been 190 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:01,920 Speaker 2: a marketer for many years, I can see both sides 191 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:05,000 Speaker 2: of the argument. So from a business standpoint, let's be 192 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:09,120 Speaker 2: clear the just when we talk about brands trying to 193 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:13,400 Speaker 2: reach black, queer, other marginalized audiences in the United States alone, 194 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:16,920 Speaker 2: it's a thirty billion dollar a year business, okay, and 195 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:20,040 Speaker 2: it's growing you know, five to ten percent year on year. 196 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:23,680 Speaker 2: So I think that's an incredible you know, revenue stream. 197 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:27,120 Speaker 2: Now we're not going to ignore, but we're not exclusively 198 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:30,160 Speaker 2: looking at that either because there are people who may 199 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:34,000 Speaker 2: want an ad free experience or more importantly, you know, 200 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:38,120 Speaker 2: pro tools right speaking to the creators specifically that Kenya 201 00:10:38,160 --> 00:10:40,800 Speaker 2: was talking about, we're actually developing a suite of tools 202 00:10:40,840 --> 00:10:42,959 Speaker 2: that's going to make it easier for creators and as 203 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:45,600 Speaker 2: a as a social media manager by trade, right, I 204 00:10:45,640 --> 00:10:48,160 Speaker 2: want this to be less stressed. We don't want it 205 00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:49,840 Speaker 2: to be yet another thing you got to worry about. 206 00:10:49,880 --> 00:10:51,880 Speaker 2: But it's like, oh, it's easier to publish, I get 207 00:10:51,880 --> 00:10:54,920 Speaker 2: my analytics. I can you know, potentially have access to 208 00:10:55,320 --> 00:10:57,560 Speaker 2: data that I don't get from other platforms, you know, 209 00:10:57,600 --> 00:11:00,400 Speaker 2: generate email lists and things of that nature, so that 210 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:03,200 Speaker 2: the creators can have a deeper relationship with their audience. 211 00:11:03,320 --> 00:11:05,520 Speaker 2: And those are tools that I think makes sense when 212 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:08,240 Speaker 2: you're talking about you know, not a crazy fee, but 213 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:11,400 Speaker 2: like a subscription mode, because we were giving you something extra, 214 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:13,960 Speaker 2: you know that you probably can't get anywhere else. So 215 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:16,319 Speaker 2: we're looking at that, and I think we're all so 216 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:19,719 Speaker 2: interested in other services as well. I won't give the 217 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:22,679 Speaker 2: whole playbook away, but one of the things that one 218 00:11:22,679 --> 00:11:25,960 Speaker 2: of my favorite spills I saw recently was somebody spilled 219 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:29,240 Speaker 2: what's your favorite dating app? And someone quoted it saying spill. 220 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:34,280 Speaker 3: And so that might give you a little a little 221 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:34,720 Speaker 3: wink in the. 222 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:36,680 Speaker 2: Nods to some of the ways we think we can, 223 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:40,080 Speaker 2: you know, just provide additional services to against our community 224 00:11:40,080 --> 00:11:42,000 Speaker 2: who is genuinely being. 225 00:11:41,880 --> 00:11:42,880 Speaker 3: Underserved, you know. 226 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:46,160 Speaker 2: Holistically in this ring, there's a whole host of things 227 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:49,199 Speaker 2: that we're looking at that we think makes sense as 228 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:52,760 Speaker 2: premium products versus just you know, ad revenue models. 229 00:11:53,559 --> 00:11:55,880 Speaker 1: You know, there was an article that came out about 230 00:11:55,880 --> 00:11:57,880 Speaker 1: you guys. It was in a fast company, but the 231 00:11:57,960 --> 00:11:59,679 Speaker 1: subtitle is what I wanted to pick up and it 232 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:02,120 Speaker 1: said black people obade Twitter into a forty four a 233 00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:03,920 Speaker 1: business worth forty four billion dollars. 234 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:07,760 Speaker 3: That was the subtitle of the of the article. But 235 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:08,319 Speaker 3: you had a. 236 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:11,320 Speaker 1: Spill where you actually a spill where you actually pushed 237 00:12:11,320 --> 00:12:14,040 Speaker 1: back against the narrative that it's food as for us 238 00:12:14,080 --> 00:12:16,680 Speaker 1: by us, But you said, like, look, it's by us, 239 00:12:16,679 --> 00:12:20,559 Speaker 1: but we're for people who champion us. I don't want 240 00:12:20,559 --> 00:12:23,000 Speaker 1: to put not to put words emouth that was a paraphrase. 241 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:27,560 Speaker 1: Is it okay to be to amplify the food for 242 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:29,600 Speaker 1: us but also by us? 243 00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:34,600 Speaker 3: Yeah? Well yeah, let's be clear. It's by us for sure. 244 00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:37,359 Speaker 3: We're coming from the culture. 245 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:39,199 Speaker 2: And it is for us too, and I want to 246 00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:41,840 Speaker 2: make sure that that doesn't get confused. We are building 247 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:46,079 Speaker 2: with black communities, queer communities in mind, like the problem 248 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 2: sets that are specifically a cute to us. We want 249 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:51,200 Speaker 2: you to be able to come to a platform where 250 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:53,800 Speaker 2: you know you don't have to code switch, you can 251 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:57,040 Speaker 2: scroll past a bunch of amazing content without having to 252 00:12:57,040 --> 00:13:00,680 Speaker 2: worry about racist popping in your troll in your comment, right, 253 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:03,600 Speaker 2: are dealing with those types of trolls. We want you 254 00:13:03,640 --> 00:13:06,640 Speaker 2: again to be credited, celebrated and rewarded, you know, for 255 00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:08,720 Speaker 2: the contributions that you make to the platform. So I 256 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:12,120 Speaker 2: want to make that abundantly clear. Definitely is for us. 257 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:16,679 Speaker 2: But I think the idea that you know, there's other communities, 258 00:13:16,760 --> 00:13:19,720 Speaker 2: especially marginalized groups, right, And one of my experiences at Twitter, 259 00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:24,840 Speaker 2: you know, it's very active when the Asian hate Stop. 260 00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:28,080 Speaker 2: Asian hate movement really started rising post COVID right where 261 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:31,160 Speaker 2: we saw some of the most heinous actions against this 262 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:35,079 Speaker 2: community and it was really really nasty online. And when 263 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:37,760 Speaker 2: we think about the technology we're building, the Large Language 264 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:41,000 Speaker 2: Model AI that is really tuned to be like a 265 00:13:41,040 --> 00:13:45,560 Speaker 2: culturally literate content moderation. But you know, it like can 266 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:49,520 Speaker 2: it can understand the context of not just what's being said, 267 00:13:49,520 --> 00:13:50,600 Speaker 2: but who's saying it. 268 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:52,080 Speaker 3: You know, you're on the platform. 269 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:54,360 Speaker 2: You know, when you join the platform, you actually many 270 00:13:54,360 --> 00:13:55,840 Speaker 2: people share their ethnic. 271 00:13:55,559 --> 00:13:58,320 Speaker 3: Backgrounds, and that helps us build a safer environment because 272 00:13:58,320 --> 00:13:59,240 Speaker 3: we know who's saying what. 273 00:13:59,840 --> 00:14:02,160 Speaker 2: We should be able to apply that to any communities 274 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:05,160 Speaker 2: that aren't feeling safe, the able community, other things like that. 275 00:14:05,520 --> 00:14:07,840 Speaker 2: And I think that that's a really important use case 276 00:14:07,880 --> 00:14:11,560 Speaker 2: for us long term that everybody should understand. But that 277 00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:14,640 Speaker 2: doesn't in any way take away from our mission as 278 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 2: a platform and our identity as a platform and our brand, 279 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:20,520 Speaker 2: which is we're going to be at AFRO Tech or 280 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:23,480 Speaker 2: we at AFRO Future, We're going to be since you know, 281 00:14:24,040 --> 00:14:27,200 Speaker 2: like this is very much us, but we can also 282 00:14:28,080 --> 00:14:30,600 Speaker 2: you know, I think this is a question I've asked 283 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:33,240 Speaker 2: and we've talked about as a team a lot is okay, 284 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:37,000 Speaker 2: when we build something we as in black folks, we 285 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:41,000 Speaker 2: as in queer folks, the groups that have historically been marginalized, 286 00:14:41,080 --> 00:14:43,960 Speaker 2: especially in tech. Can we build it in a way 287 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:49,200 Speaker 2: that doesn't replicate the harms of other platforms prior to us? 288 00:14:49,520 --> 00:14:52,880 Speaker 3: And is that something that other people can benefit from. 289 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:56,680 Speaker 2: And therefore our creators could benefit from those audiences too, right, 290 00:14:56,840 --> 00:15:00,320 Speaker 2: Like we have to think expansively. And then I say 291 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:02,160 Speaker 2: the last thing and I can Sorry, I'm a preacher. 292 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:04,640 Speaker 2: Preacher's sons are going and all you got to cover 293 00:15:04,760 --> 00:15:08,160 Speaker 2: off your butt. No, But I think when you think 294 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:13,440 Speaker 2: about outside the United States, right, black folks are diasporic, right, 295 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:16,680 Speaker 2: the black experience is really really very there's no one 296 00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:20,160 Speaker 2: monolithic way you know, to sort of to be black, 297 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:23,120 Speaker 2: you know, like whether it's in South Africa or in 298 00:15:23,160 --> 00:15:27,200 Speaker 2: Brazil or you know, in Europe. And that's a varied 299 00:15:27,240 --> 00:15:30,760 Speaker 2: experience that we also really want to be home to 300 00:15:30,880 --> 00:15:35,080 Speaker 2: and welcoming to because that that's something that's needed. And 301 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:36,920 Speaker 2: I think at the end of the day, what we're 302 00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:41,120 Speaker 2: talking about is really you know, bringing community back to 303 00:15:41,200 --> 00:15:44,240 Speaker 2: social in all the best ways where it's like, oh, 304 00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:47,640 Speaker 2: I get to meet people that are like dope and interesting. 305 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:49,840 Speaker 2: And you know, Will Lucas is on here and I 306 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:52,080 Speaker 2: had a little exchange with him, and oh, you know, 307 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:54,120 Speaker 2: we're at the Afro Tech. I found out about the 308 00:15:54,160 --> 00:15:57,400 Speaker 2: Afro Tech Happy Hour in Atlanta, you know through specially 309 00:15:58,040 --> 00:16:01,040 Speaker 2: go do that. Like, we want to build a global 310 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:06,200 Speaker 2: diasporic community, and it behooves us to be open minded 311 00:16:06,200 --> 00:16:09,240 Speaker 2: and welcoming and have big tent thinking. And we need 312 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:13,560 Speaker 2: to trust that that's not going to, you know, disrupt 313 00:16:13,560 --> 00:16:14,280 Speaker 2: our mission at all. 314 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:17,280 Speaker 3: Trust me when I say that our mission will never change. 315 00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:22,960 Speaker 1: There are on every almost every social media app a 316 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:25,520 Speaker 1: play for creators. 317 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:26,600 Speaker 3: To be on those platforms. 318 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:29,520 Speaker 1: When you think about Twitter's doing what X is doing 319 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 1: it now, Facebook is making plays, Instagram subset of Facebook 320 00:16:33,400 --> 00:16:36,520 Speaker 1: is making plays. Other new entrants like you know Entrance, 321 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:39,520 Speaker 1: like fan Base are making plays for creators. When you 322 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:43,000 Speaker 1: are introduced to creators, what is the selling point you 323 00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:45,400 Speaker 1: said you need to be on spill? What is the 324 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:49,720 Speaker 1: biggest selling point you have that says Okay, this works 325 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:52,720 Speaker 1: most of the time versus the other arguments or cases 326 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:53,320 Speaker 1: we can present. 327 00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:58,960 Speaker 5: You know, this aint no flex here I'm just gonna 328 00:16:58,960 --> 00:17:01,480 Speaker 5: call it like it is. You know, we have been 329 00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:05,200 Speaker 5: incredibly blessed. We have a team that is that has 330 00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:09,120 Speaker 5: roots in this work for a long time. And so 331 00:17:09,359 --> 00:17:11,640 Speaker 5: you know, as we have you know, put ourselves out 332 00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:15,000 Speaker 5: there and and you know, been public about you know, 333 00:17:15,080 --> 00:17:18,000 Speaker 5: who is on our team, we have found you know, 334 00:17:18,080 --> 00:17:20,720 Speaker 5: one that the receipts don't lie. Right. Fons has been 335 00:17:20,720 --> 00:17:23,640 Speaker 5: doing this work. The virus has been doing this work. 336 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:26,399 Speaker 5: I've been doing this work. Are our engineers, We've been 337 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:30,800 Speaker 5: doing this work. So we're grateful that Bill is really 338 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:34,920 Speaker 5: the nexus of a lot of our lifelong bodies of work. 339 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:36,200 Speaker 4: For one. 340 00:17:36,359 --> 00:17:40,159 Speaker 5: Two, you know, we're seeking, like Fons said, imagining a 341 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:42,880 Speaker 5: world in which we center the needs of those who 342 00:17:43,880 --> 00:17:46,320 Speaker 5: put the most heat out in the social space but 343 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:51,560 Speaker 5: unfortunately received the most hate. We're speaking directly to these communities, right, 344 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:55,040 Speaker 5: And these are shared experiences. This is not observations from 345 00:17:55,080 --> 00:17:57,480 Speaker 5: outside of the window. We are of the communities that 346 00:17:57,520 --> 00:18:01,600 Speaker 5: we are seeking to center in this base. Two, you know, 347 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:05,359 Speaker 5: and three, we've got global vision here, right, This is 348 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:06,240 Speaker 5: so much larger. 349 00:18:06,240 --> 00:18:08,919 Speaker 4: Black culture influences the world. 350 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:13,040 Speaker 5: Right, and you know, there's so much intersectionality in our experiences, 351 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:16,800 Speaker 5: and so from Jump we have acknowledged that intersectionality. We've 352 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:21,479 Speaker 5: acknowledged the diaspord reach of where we're trying to get to, 353 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:25,080 Speaker 5: and in having these conversations with creators, it's like, listen, 354 00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:26,840 Speaker 5: we want to listen to y'all. 355 00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:28,840 Speaker 4: You know. One of the biggest lessons that. 356 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:32,400 Speaker 5: I've enjoyed in this stage and launching Spill is that 357 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:36,280 Speaker 5: our communities oftentimes do not get access to beta tech products, right, 358 00:18:36,359 --> 00:18:40,480 Speaker 5: so we don't even necessarily have that lived experience yet 359 00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:43,760 Speaker 5: of what it means to have access to a VC 360 00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:48,760 Speaker 5: funded you know, next best thing social media platform that 361 00:18:48,880 --> 00:18:51,520 Speaker 5: really has the potential to go out here and do 362 00:18:51,680 --> 00:18:54,080 Speaker 5: exactly what it says it does. And so part of 363 00:18:54,119 --> 00:18:56,280 Speaker 5: that has also been that engagement and the creators that 364 00:18:56,320 --> 00:18:59,159 Speaker 5: have flocked to us by the thousands, we are so 365 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:02,960 Speaker 5: grateful for have done so organically and have done so 366 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:06,080 Speaker 5: out of curiosity, and what has kept them here is 367 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:10,440 Speaker 5: a very personal relationship we have have developed. 368 00:19:10,480 --> 00:19:13,919 Speaker 4: I've been developing with my creator community with this. 369 00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:16,359 Speaker 5: You know, we believe that we sent to these folks 370 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:20,760 Speaker 5: we can have a world where everybody is healthier, right, 371 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:23,800 Speaker 5: And it's essentially from a policy perspective, the same type 372 00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:27,600 Speaker 5: of attempts we see in rhetoric around around in a 373 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:29,560 Speaker 5: lot of other spaces, sent to the people who are 374 00:19:29,560 --> 00:19:32,760 Speaker 5: in the most the most needed, who have you know, 375 00:19:32,800 --> 00:19:35,760 Speaker 5: the most harms exposed, solve for those problems and then 376 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:39,120 Speaker 5: it's a healthier ecosystem for everybody. Second thing I'll say 377 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:41,480 Speaker 5: with that, that that that folks have really been identifying 378 00:19:41,560 --> 00:19:46,920 Speaker 5: is you know, it is a purely domestic narrative, right 379 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:50,360 Speaker 5: that uh, you know, being of marginalized communities. Right, if 380 00:19:50,359 --> 00:19:53,080 Speaker 5: we look at the global majority, black and brown folks 381 00:19:53,359 --> 00:19:57,000 Speaker 5: are the global majority. So when we're talking about connecting 382 00:19:57,000 --> 00:20:00,600 Speaker 5: with folks not just domestically but across you know, across 383 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:04,880 Speaker 5: the waters in other countries, we're also seeing a lot 384 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:08,439 Speaker 5: of resonance with creators who are in Africa, creators you know, 385 00:20:08,520 --> 00:20:12,320 Speaker 5: who are doing the dang thing out there, and they're saying, listen. 386 00:20:12,040 --> 00:20:13,200 Speaker 4: We're a global majority. 387 00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:16,040 Speaker 5: You know, in twenty thirty America is going to be 388 00:20:16,119 --> 00:20:19,120 Speaker 5: much browner, and we want to be able to link 389 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:21,760 Speaker 5: arms with people who understand and are ready to throw 390 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:25,359 Speaker 5: down on that cultural capital and really put on and 391 00:20:25,440 --> 00:20:27,639 Speaker 5: so that's what we're excited to do. We're building a 392 00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:32,120 Speaker 5: coalition of creators and people who are like minded, who 393 00:20:32,200 --> 00:20:35,000 Speaker 5: really want to impact this space with us, and we're 394 00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:36,120 Speaker 5: so grateful. 395 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:36,359 Speaker 3: To do so. 396 00:20:36,680 --> 00:20:39,679 Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm glad you brought up the conversation about you know, 397 00:20:39,720 --> 00:20:42,480 Speaker 1: we historically don't have beta access to so many of 398 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:44,840 Speaker 1: these new opportunities, and I want to bring us something 399 00:20:44,840 --> 00:20:48,680 Speaker 1: that I thought was interesting from Android users. A lot 400 00:20:48,720 --> 00:20:51,320 Speaker 1: of folks people, a lot of folks talked about on 401 00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:55,400 Speaker 1: X what was Twitter at the time. You know, hey, 402 00:20:55,480 --> 00:20:59,520 Speaker 1: how come there is no Android app I can go? 403 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:06,359 Speaker 1: Why don't even enjoy you? But why why iPhone only first? 404 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:08,320 Speaker 1: Which I think is Okay? 405 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:13,560 Speaker 5: Listen, you say this, and I and I love answering 406 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:16,800 Speaker 5: this question. First, you say this, you know, UH, our 407 00:21:16,920 --> 00:21:21,520 Speaker 5: choice to build UH and and developed you know for 408 00:21:21,520 --> 00:21:24,840 Speaker 5: for iPhone first came purely from you know, our team's 409 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:28,760 Speaker 5: internal decisions. What was of access to us UH, the 410 00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:30,359 Speaker 5: way in which we wanted to build. 411 00:21:30,080 --> 00:21:31,119 Speaker 4: And fashion this product. 412 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:41,120 Speaker 5: It has really nothing to do with exclusivity or shade, no. 413 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:43,359 Speaker 4: Shade in that regard. But the truth is, and and 414 00:21:43,400 --> 00:21:44,000 Speaker 4: why I really. 415 00:21:43,880 --> 00:21:47,840 Speaker 5: Appreciate this question, will it is because you know, for 416 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:50,000 Speaker 5: every person that we welcome on the app, you know, 417 00:21:50,040 --> 00:21:52,720 Speaker 5: the same way that we build. We started with the 418 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:54,719 Speaker 5: build for iPhone to kind of test and see how 419 00:21:54,760 --> 00:21:56,320 Speaker 5: it was going to go and integrate and how it 420 00:21:56,359 --> 00:21:56,960 Speaker 5: was going to work. 421 00:21:57,240 --> 00:21:57,640 Speaker 4: Is the same. 422 00:21:57,720 --> 00:22:00,560 Speaker 5: Also reason why we have to use invite codes, right, 423 00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:02,639 Speaker 5: And a lot of people think, oh, invite codes are 424 00:22:02,680 --> 00:22:06,400 Speaker 5: for exclusivity, and you guys are trying to build the hype, like, actually, 425 00:22:06,480 --> 00:22:09,280 Speaker 5: y'all invite codes or to make sure that our servers 426 00:22:09,280 --> 00:22:13,360 Speaker 5: can continue to run twenty four to seven, right, every 427 00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:16,080 Speaker 5: single person who is on the platform. That costs money 428 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:18,159 Speaker 5: and time. And I know y'all see the headlines and 429 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:20,399 Speaker 5: we did really well in preced and we're in another 430 00:22:20,440 --> 00:22:23,120 Speaker 5: funding round right now, but we got to make sure 431 00:22:23,119 --> 00:22:24,879 Speaker 5: that the lights stay on for everybody. We got to 432 00:22:24,920 --> 00:22:27,000 Speaker 5: make sure that this app continues to go. And shout 433 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:31,080 Speaker 5: out to our phenomenal engineering team because we have yet 434 00:22:31,119 --> 00:22:33,840 Speaker 5: to have a major problem with the app, as we 435 00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:37,920 Speaker 5: have welcomed hundreds of thousands of people in the past month, 436 00:22:38,520 --> 00:22:41,159 Speaker 5: so we're really we're really grateful for that. So that's 437 00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:43,240 Speaker 5: important for our communities to know. You know, this is 438 00:22:43,240 --> 00:22:45,439 Speaker 5: not about exclusivity. This is about making sure that we 439 00:22:45,480 --> 00:22:48,440 Speaker 5: are building for the future. We're here for the long haul, 440 00:22:48,840 --> 00:22:51,240 Speaker 5: and we, you know, want to make sure that the 441 00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:52,439 Speaker 5: tech supports that. 442 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:57,200 Speaker 1: And so finds Elon takes over. You lose your job 443 00:22:57,320 --> 00:22:59,600 Speaker 1: and you say, you know what, I'm really about it, 444 00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:02,159 Speaker 1: you know, like, this is my community. We are this 445 00:23:02,359 --> 00:23:05,840 Speaker 1: what makes this successful. I'm a part of the mindset 446 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:10,639 Speaker 1: that you know. I'm over personally over asking for seats 447 00:23:10,680 --> 00:23:13,920 Speaker 1: at the table. I believe we can build our own tables. 448 00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:16,199 Speaker 1: And I understand there's an argument to we made like 449 00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:18,280 Speaker 1: we should be pressuring them to hire I get that. 450 00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:20,680 Speaker 1: It's just not. My fight is like we need to 451 00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:22,640 Speaker 1: see that we can do this too on our own. 452 00:23:23,440 --> 00:23:25,320 Speaker 1: What gave you that courage to say, you know what, 453 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:27,840 Speaker 1: I'm not going to just go look for another gig. 454 00:23:27,920 --> 00:23:30,520 Speaker 1: I'm going to start this. I'm want to start my idea, 455 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:32,280 Speaker 1: put my offering into the world. 456 00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:33,159 Speaker 3: It was us. 457 00:23:33,560 --> 00:23:36,919 Speaker 2: It was experiences such as going to Afrotech for the 458 00:23:36,960 --> 00:23:40,119 Speaker 2: past several years and connecting with folks. You know, my 459 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:44,440 Speaker 2: co founder of ours and I met each other about 460 00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:48,200 Speaker 2: four years prior to about four years ago, same day 461 00:23:48,720 --> 00:23:50,439 Speaker 2: we started at Twitter at the same day at the 462 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:51,240 Speaker 2: same time. 463 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:54,560 Speaker 3: And have been talking for years about these issues. You 464 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:55,600 Speaker 3: know these challenges, and I. 465 00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:58,760 Speaker 2: Think many people in the Afro tech community, we all 466 00:23:58,760 --> 00:23:59,480 Speaker 2: feel the same way. 467 00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:02,400 Speaker 3: At a major tech platform and you're black. 468 00:24:02,119 --> 00:24:04,719 Speaker 2: And you're in the ergs and we're all looking at 469 00:24:04,720 --> 00:24:07,520 Speaker 2: each other and we're like, man, we got to go 470 00:24:07,560 --> 00:24:09,720 Speaker 2: do something. So I know that this is something that 471 00:24:10,520 --> 00:24:13,160 Speaker 2: is in particularly original in terms of a feeling. 472 00:24:13,720 --> 00:24:16,120 Speaker 3: But I'll tell you two truths that happened to me the. 473 00:24:16,119 --> 00:24:22,959 Speaker 2: Night that the layoffs happened. First was I got incredibly clear. 474 00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:25,840 Speaker 2: I was incredibly focused. 475 00:24:25,880 --> 00:24:26,440 Speaker 3: It was just. 476 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:30,720 Speaker 2: Something that I can't really explain, but I was just determined. 477 00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:32,159 Speaker 2: You know, I knew it in my heart. It was 478 00:24:32,240 --> 00:24:34,639 Speaker 2: just like, there's no going back. We're going to do this. 479 00:24:34,720 --> 00:24:36,919 Speaker 2: If I got to, you know, liquidate the four oh 480 00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:39,280 Speaker 2: one k or do whatever it takes, We're going to 481 00:24:39,359 --> 00:24:41,600 Speaker 2: do this. And that level of conviction, I think, you know, 482 00:24:41,720 --> 00:24:45,240 Speaker 2: really set the tone for everything that's happened since. But 483 00:24:45,320 --> 00:24:48,720 Speaker 2: as I mentioned before, the conviction came from two experiences 484 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:53,240 Speaker 2: sort of feelings at that time, which was one, nobody 485 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:57,440 Speaker 2: knows this better than us, and two, you just have 486 00:24:57,520 --> 00:25:00,399 Speaker 2: to have the audacity, the guts, that's literal. Really the 487 00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:03,840 Speaker 2: difference between us and most of those folks that we 488 00:25:03,920 --> 00:25:07,760 Speaker 2: look up to. It's just being like, grab your jones 489 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:10,800 Speaker 2: and get out there and do it. And it's amazing 490 00:25:10,880 --> 00:25:13,000 Speaker 2: to see what has happened in the time since then. 491 00:25:13,040 --> 00:25:15,560 Speaker 2: I mean, it's it's crazy to have this conversation that 492 00:25:15,680 --> 00:25:18,160 Speaker 2: in less than a year we've gone from there. I've 493 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:21,439 Speaker 2: gone from fire to funded to the number one social 494 00:25:21,440 --> 00:25:24,560 Speaker 2: app in the App Store in less than eight months. 495 00:25:25,119 --> 00:25:28,320 Speaker 1: It's amazing, you know, And I got to ask you 496 00:25:28,359 --> 00:25:32,080 Speaker 1: this also finds like, you know, the timing of notable 497 00:25:32,160 --> 00:25:36,160 Speaker 1: social media apps has them dropping, has you know, created 498 00:25:36,720 --> 00:25:39,760 Speaker 1: an even more challenging task to build a social media 499 00:25:39,960 --> 00:25:42,080 Speaker 1: It's going to be challenging regardless, but that just makes 500 00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:45,720 Speaker 1: it even harder when very well funded and you know, 501 00:25:45,840 --> 00:25:52,520 Speaker 1: previously successful entrance get into the space. What do you 502 00:25:52,640 --> 00:25:56,320 Speaker 1: lean into when you own the road to building something 503 00:25:57,119 --> 00:26:01,040 Speaker 1: and a powerful rival sets their sites on that same territory. 504 00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:04,000 Speaker 3: Well, it's a couple of things. 505 00:26:04,200 --> 00:26:07,240 Speaker 2: First, this has been happening since the beginning of this journey, right, 506 00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:08,480 Speaker 2: there's been all kinds. 507 00:26:08,280 --> 00:26:12,120 Speaker 3: Of you know, innovation, and I actually think it's fantastic. 508 00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:16,199 Speaker 2: I think we haven't really seen a true innovation and 509 00:26:16,280 --> 00:26:18,879 Speaker 2: social in about a decade. You know, we've had a 510 00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:22,600 Speaker 2: couple of you know, new kind of you know, gimmicky 511 00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:25,359 Speaker 2: things here or there, but there's you know, like a 512 00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:28,200 Speaker 2: truly a new wave of how do you think about 513 00:26:28,240 --> 00:26:31,240 Speaker 2: social and community and you know, business models and all 514 00:26:31,240 --> 00:26:34,080 Speaker 2: of that we haven't seen really since since the last 515 00:26:34,160 --> 00:26:36,119 Speaker 2: you know, year or so, and so I think that's 516 00:26:36,440 --> 00:26:37,840 Speaker 2: really exciting. 517 00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:40,680 Speaker 3: And I don't look at that at all as a negative. 518 00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:41,240 Speaker 3: I think it. 519 00:26:41,280 --> 00:26:44,119 Speaker 2: Creates a lot of conversation and actually gets you know, 520 00:26:44,240 --> 00:26:45,920 Speaker 2: opens a lot of doors for a lot of people 521 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:47,199 Speaker 2: to be like, hey, did you hear about this? 522 00:26:47,240 --> 00:26:49,760 Speaker 3: So you're talking about that? Okay, you know, let's talk 523 00:26:49,760 --> 00:26:51,760 Speaker 3: about this and maybe check it out. 524 00:26:52,560 --> 00:26:55,840 Speaker 2: And at the same time, it is so obviously clear 525 00:26:56,119 --> 00:26:58,960 Speaker 2: and again, you know, you're on the platform, and as 526 00:26:59,040 --> 00:27:01,280 Speaker 2: Kenya mentioned to everyone, and we can't wait to welcome 527 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:04,879 Speaker 2: many more folks onto it in the coming months as 528 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:08,600 Speaker 2: we move through our beta process. But you'll see the 529 00:27:08,640 --> 00:27:11,640 Speaker 2: minute you get on Spill it's different. I mean it's 530 00:27:11,680 --> 00:27:15,520 Speaker 2: as different as walking around Times Square versus Brooklyn, you know, 531 00:27:15,920 --> 00:27:22,520 Speaker 2: like you can just feel a difference automatically. It's different conversations, 532 00:27:22,560 --> 00:27:26,720 Speaker 2: different content, the way the platform is designed, it's colorful, 533 00:27:27,400 --> 00:27:30,679 Speaker 2: there's motion, Our brand is you know. 534 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:32,520 Speaker 3: The language to lexicon. 535 00:27:32,600 --> 00:27:36,359 Speaker 2: The name Spill obviously comes from the black Wood community, right, like, 536 00:27:36,880 --> 00:27:38,240 Speaker 2: this is different. 537 00:27:38,359 --> 00:27:39,600 Speaker 3: We haven't really seen. 538 00:27:39,400 --> 00:27:41,639 Speaker 2: Something like this at this level, I think in a while. 539 00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:46,639 Speaker 2: So I'm really animated and grounded in our purpose and 540 00:27:46,680 --> 00:27:49,480 Speaker 2: our mission and know that the problems that we're looking 541 00:27:49,520 --> 00:27:51,840 Speaker 2: to solve are fundamentally different. 542 00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:53,480 Speaker 3: Than I think any other players in the space. 543 00:27:53,640 --> 00:27:57,760 Speaker 5: Put me to tackle them, and the differentiators are proven, 544 00:27:57,760 --> 00:28:00,400 Speaker 5: that thesis has proven in you know, the the fact 545 00:28:00,400 --> 00:28:02,720 Speaker 5: that we get from our community in real time right 546 00:28:02,880 --> 00:28:06,200 Speaker 5: data is testing. So people are telling us how they're 547 00:28:06,200 --> 00:28:08,520 Speaker 5: feeling every single time we open up the app on 548 00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:10,960 Speaker 5: a daily basis, And what warms my heart so much 549 00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:13,119 Speaker 5: as we see people saying, hey, I just told my 550 00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:17,399 Speaker 5: therapist about Spill, right, I'm feeling better about being on 551 00:28:17,440 --> 00:28:20,679 Speaker 5: social media. I didn't even notice y'all, But y'all have 552 00:28:20,760 --> 00:28:22,879 Speaker 5: my phone battery dying on a daily basis. I have 553 00:28:22,920 --> 00:28:31,520 Speaker 5: to carry around a portable charger around my house. But 554 00:28:31,920 --> 00:28:34,960 Speaker 5: it's because people are finding not just finding community, but 555 00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:40,680 Speaker 5: creating brand new communities around shared experiences amongst themselves and 556 00:28:40,760 --> 00:28:43,880 Speaker 5: so much about the product design lends itself to feeling 557 00:28:44,240 --> 00:28:49,240 Speaker 5: like a healthier, happier, more vibrant ecosystem that they want 558 00:28:49,280 --> 00:28:51,040 Speaker 5: to be a part of and continue to develop. 559 00:28:51,160 --> 00:28:53,200 Speaker 4: You know, we've got the who's who of culture. 560 00:28:52,800 --> 00:28:56,680 Speaker 5: On the platform, you know, celebs and music legends, and 561 00:28:56,720 --> 00:28:59,239 Speaker 5: you're getting to see conversations between people that you may 562 00:28:59,280 --> 00:29:01,680 Speaker 5: now they've even knew knew each other, and perhaps they 563 00:29:01,720 --> 00:29:05,560 Speaker 5: didn't know each other before spill talking about what's more influential, 564 00:29:05,640 --> 00:29:09,160 Speaker 5: you know, album covers or album titles, right, you know, 565 00:29:09,240 --> 00:29:12,240 Speaker 5: And we're also seeing folks who have a love for 566 00:29:12,520 --> 00:29:15,400 Speaker 5: UX and UI design who perhaps have never had the 567 00:29:15,440 --> 00:29:18,240 Speaker 5: opportunity to work in a field like that, give their 568 00:29:18,240 --> 00:29:20,720 Speaker 5: two cents and three cents about you know what they 569 00:29:20,720 --> 00:29:23,080 Speaker 5: think about this as well, and again receive a call 570 00:29:23,160 --> 00:29:26,120 Speaker 5: and response from our team too about thank you so 571 00:29:26,200 --> 00:29:28,400 Speaker 5: much for that idea and we appreciate that. And then 572 00:29:28,440 --> 00:29:30,760 Speaker 5: the next build they get to see their uplate update, 573 00:29:31,320 --> 00:29:35,280 Speaker 5: their their idea updated and implemented, and so it is 574 00:29:35,320 --> 00:29:38,800 Speaker 5: just it's just such an awesome experience. Nothing like it 575 00:29:38,840 --> 00:29:42,720 Speaker 5: exists on social media, and we know that those differentiating 576 00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:46,360 Speaker 5: factors are what keep people coming back. But also what's 577 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:49,440 Speaker 5: going to have us continue to receive more success like 578 00:29:49,480 --> 00:29:50,240 Speaker 5: this in the future. 579 00:29:50,800 --> 00:29:53,520 Speaker 1: And so this one is more of a startup building 580 00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:56,320 Speaker 1: question and fundraising question when you go to build a 581 00:29:56,360 --> 00:30:00,320 Speaker 1: startup how because I asked Marlon Nichols this question on 582 00:30:00,360 --> 00:30:02,520 Speaker 1: the episode that's not a drop yet, but by the 583 00:30:02,520 --> 00:30:05,080 Speaker 1: time this comes out, that will have dropped. And I 584 00:30:05,120 --> 00:30:07,720 Speaker 1: asked him, how do you know as a founder how 585 00:30:07,800 --> 00:30:12,120 Speaker 1: much to raise? And since you're in such a tumultuous 586 00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:16,560 Speaker 1: vertical social media how much of the thinking of we 587 00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:20,280 Speaker 1: need a war chest, not just engineers, not just you know, 588 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:22,480 Speaker 1: talent and et cetera, but we also need a war chest. 589 00:30:22,480 --> 00:30:25,440 Speaker 1: How much of that goes into the calculation on this 590 00:30:25,480 --> 00:30:26,800 Speaker 1: is the number we're gonna raise. 591 00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:30,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, I can. I can chime in here. 592 00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:33,600 Speaker 2: I think, first of all, shout out to Marlin, I'm 593 00:30:33,640 --> 00:30:36,400 Speaker 2: one of our lead funders in Spill, and shout out 594 00:30:36,440 --> 00:30:39,120 Speaker 2: to the entire Magneture Capital team and Charles King. 595 00:30:38,960 --> 00:30:39,880 Speaker 3: And everyone over there. 596 00:30:40,480 --> 00:30:44,440 Speaker 2: We really had a I had a learning curve in 597 00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:47,120 Speaker 2: this cycle as well, because this is my first venture 598 00:30:47,120 --> 00:30:49,680 Speaker 2: back startup, and I was lucky enough to have a 599 00:30:49,720 --> 00:30:52,840 Speaker 2: co founder like Thevirs, who has been through these cycles 600 00:30:52,840 --> 00:30:56,160 Speaker 2: a couple of times, and when we look at the fundraising, 601 00:30:56,200 --> 00:30:57,640 Speaker 2: you know, you're you're definitely. 602 00:30:57,280 --> 00:30:58,959 Speaker 3: Going in there like, Okay, what do I need right now? 603 00:30:58,960 --> 00:30:59,800 Speaker 3: And I'm gonna get to this. 604 00:31:00,160 --> 00:31:02,760 Speaker 2: It always takes longer, and it always costs way more 605 00:31:03,520 --> 00:31:07,000 Speaker 2: than you think it's going to take. And sometimes that's 606 00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:10,080 Speaker 2: really hard, especially for black founders, where I think we 607 00:31:10,280 --> 00:31:14,800 Speaker 2: raise two percent of overall venture capital in this country 608 00:31:14,840 --> 00:31:17,440 Speaker 2: goes to black founders, and then for black women's even 609 00:31:17,440 --> 00:31:20,360 Speaker 2: a fraction of that. So it's often hard for us 610 00:31:20,400 --> 00:31:23,120 Speaker 2: to say, hey, yeah, we want to raise more as 611 00:31:23,160 --> 00:31:27,200 Speaker 2: if we, you know, can dictate the terms, the business 612 00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:30,480 Speaker 2: has to justify it, of course, but I think ultimately 613 00:31:31,240 --> 00:31:33,520 Speaker 2: when you have and this is a great message to 614 00:31:33,560 --> 00:31:36,720 Speaker 2: the VC community and especially for all founders out there, 615 00:31:37,480 --> 00:31:41,000 Speaker 2: you have to think, not just to your point what 616 00:31:41,040 --> 00:31:44,520 Speaker 2: do I need now, but let's plan for success and 617 00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:49,880 Speaker 2: really challenge venture capital to invest in black founders, especially 618 00:31:50,440 --> 00:31:53,600 Speaker 2: with the vision of success right this is you know, 619 00:31:53,640 --> 00:31:56,400 Speaker 2: we need a couple of cycles maybe, and sometimes we 620 00:31:56,440 --> 00:31:59,440 Speaker 2: don't always get that as black founders, and even you know, 621 00:31:59,560 --> 00:32:02,720 Speaker 2: black funds are black lead funds sometimes have the same 622 00:32:03,040 --> 00:32:06,000 Speaker 2: sort of you know, challenges and restrictions, and so it 623 00:32:06,120 --> 00:32:08,480 Speaker 2: is a mind shift for us to really go in 624 00:32:08,520 --> 00:32:10,440 Speaker 2: there not thinking Okay, I can I can get to 625 00:32:10,520 --> 00:32:14,160 Speaker 2: this bar just just eke it out, you know, But no, actually, 626 00:32:14,240 --> 00:32:17,360 Speaker 2: let's plan for success. Our vision is to create the 627 00:32:17,400 --> 00:32:21,880 Speaker 2: first multi billion dollar valued social platform that's been black 628 00:32:21,920 --> 00:32:25,720 Speaker 2: owned and black operated that we've ever seen before. What 629 00:32:25,760 --> 00:32:28,360 Speaker 2: does that actually take? How do we work backwards from 630 00:32:28,400 --> 00:32:31,240 Speaker 2: that vision and ensure that we have everything we need 631 00:32:31,680 --> 00:32:34,040 Speaker 2: to give us the greatest chance to get there. And 632 00:32:34,200 --> 00:32:37,320 Speaker 2: credit to Marlon and our backers who have been really 633 00:32:37,360 --> 00:32:40,840 Speaker 2: really fantastic and being like, you're going to need more 634 00:32:41,120 --> 00:32:42,640 Speaker 2: and it's going to take more time. 635 00:32:43,040 --> 00:32:45,520 Speaker 3: So plan for that. Yeah. 636 00:32:45,560 --> 00:32:47,960 Speaker 1: So when you go to investors who are very smart, 637 00:32:48,080 --> 00:32:51,880 Speaker 1: very reputable on the leaders in their category, mac Freinsure Capital, 638 00:32:52,320 --> 00:32:55,560 Speaker 1: KP or Capital, you know, roughly a year and a half, 639 00:32:55,600 --> 00:32:58,160 Speaker 1: two years ago, like, what is it that you sell 640 00:32:58,200 --> 00:33:01,320 Speaker 1: them one? Because the idea is one thing. What is 641 00:33:01,320 --> 00:33:04,360 Speaker 1: it that you sell them on that says, you know, 642 00:33:04,400 --> 00:33:06,880 Speaker 1: I'm going to write them in check? What do you 643 00:33:06,880 --> 00:33:09,520 Speaker 1: think you bring to that meaning that gets you that 644 00:33:09,640 --> 00:33:10,560 Speaker 1: level of confidence? 645 00:33:12,760 --> 00:33:16,680 Speaker 2: As ken you mentioned, not to not to be that, 646 00:33:16,840 --> 00:33:20,760 Speaker 2: but we can inflect a little bit. There's nobody better 647 00:33:20,760 --> 00:33:23,120 Speaker 2: in the social media marketing space in the world than 648 00:33:23,160 --> 00:33:25,200 Speaker 2: me and the teams that I've been able to lead 649 00:33:25,240 --> 00:33:27,360 Speaker 2: over the past i'd say five years. 650 00:33:27,680 --> 00:33:29,160 Speaker 3: And that's not just my opinion. 651 00:33:29,280 --> 00:33:32,920 Speaker 2: I won best Overall Social for my team at HBO 652 00:33:33,000 --> 00:33:37,080 Speaker 2: and then two years later or Twitter, we do this 653 00:33:37,440 --> 00:33:41,440 Speaker 2: and we do this well. So understanding and owning our space, right, 654 00:33:41,480 --> 00:33:44,560 Speaker 2: it's really the founding team, right, Like, we know what 655 00:33:44,600 --> 00:33:47,040 Speaker 2: we're doing. Between Devirus and EI, there's nothing that we 656 00:33:47,120 --> 00:33:50,440 Speaker 2: haven't seen in the social space from a bill side 657 00:33:50,520 --> 00:33:54,160 Speaker 2: or from a community and content side. So that's number one, 658 00:33:54,160 --> 00:33:57,200 Speaker 2: and I think that that's what resonated. I think number two, 659 00:33:57,760 --> 00:34:02,400 Speaker 2: we are tackling a really challenge problem that's really pervasive 660 00:34:02,800 --> 00:34:06,959 Speaker 2: and really really easy to understand. Hate online has been 661 00:34:06,960 --> 00:34:09,920 Speaker 2: a problem for a long time, right, hate towards black 662 00:34:09,960 --> 00:34:13,520 Speaker 2: communities and especially you know, creators not going to commentate 663 00:34:13,600 --> 00:34:15,480 Speaker 2: all of that. It's been a problem for a long time. 664 00:34:15,520 --> 00:34:18,680 Speaker 2: A lot of people have, you know, taken attempts to 665 00:34:19,120 --> 00:34:22,680 Speaker 2: solve this problem, and so I think that's meaningful too. 666 00:34:22,800 --> 00:34:25,680 Speaker 2: Sometimes it's a little scary to be like, we're going 667 00:34:25,719 --> 00:34:28,560 Speaker 2: to tackle this monster, you know, but that actually gets 668 00:34:28,960 --> 00:34:31,919 Speaker 2: you know, funds excited because it's like, if they can 669 00:34:31,960 --> 00:34:36,719 Speaker 2: solve this, that's your mode, right, Like they've come through 670 00:34:36,760 --> 00:34:39,919 Speaker 2: and you know, as we're cracking our large language model 671 00:34:39,960 --> 00:34:42,720 Speaker 2: technology and we were focused on this before chat, GBT, 672 00:34:42,840 --> 00:34:46,400 Speaker 2: blew up and everything else. This is something that really 673 00:34:46,440 --> 00:34:49,040 Speaker 2: is a game changer. It's you know, no bs and 674 00:34:49,080 --> 00:34:50,960 Speaker 2: so that was the second thing that I think got 675 00:34:51,000 --> 00:34:53,759 Speaker 2: people excited, and then I'd say, yeah, the third thing 676 00:34:53,840 --> 00:34:56,800 Speaker 2: is just passion, right, Like this wasn't a side project, 677 00:34:57,080 --> 00:35:01,560 Speaker 2: This wasn't something that I was, you know, oh, let's 678 00:35:01,600 --> 00:35:03,760 Speaker 2: see what happens. It's like, no, I'm betting my life 679 00:35:03,760 --> 00:35:07,920 Speaker 2: on it. And people can feel that and whatever comes, 680 00:35:08,239 --> 00:35:10,319 Speaker 2: I'm going to be in this and the team you know, 681 00:35:10,440 --> 00:35:14,080 Speaker 2: Kenya and Varus and shout out to everybody on Team 682 00:35:14,160 --> 00:35:17,920 Speaker 2: Spill who's been grinding literally seven days a week for 683 00:35:18,040 --> 00:35:21,000 Speaker 2: the past eight months, like no breaks. Not that we're 684 00:35:21,040 --> 00:35:22,799 Speaker 2: trying to build that as the company and culture, but 685 00:35:22,840 --> 00:35:26,160 Speaker 2: it's just from passion, right, I think that goes a 686 00:35:26,160 --> 00:35:27,560 Speaker 2: long way. People can feel that. 687 00:35:27,560 --> 00:35:28,040 Speaker 3: In the run. 688 00:35:28,560 --> 00:35:32,480 Speaker 1: You know, Kenya, there is historically even with newspapers, you know, 689 00:35:32,520 --> 00:35:35,560 Speaker 1: there's this quote that if it bleeds it leads. And 690 00:35:35,600 --> 00:35:40,319 Speaker 1: there's a reason why hate is pervasive on historical you 691 00:35:40,360 --> 00:35:42,600 Speaker 1: know apps we've been using for a long time. And 692 00:35:42,680 --> 00:35:46,960 Speaker 1: I wonder, because if hate didn't make you know, the 693 00:35:47,000 --> 00:35:49,840 Speaker 1: register ring, people would stop it from happening. 694 00:35:49,920 --> 00:35:51,160 Speaker 3: But it works. 695 00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:53,239 Speaker 1: That's why you have trending topics because people want to 696 00:35:53,239 --> 00:35:55,080 Speaker 1: know who just got shot, you know, people want to 697 00:35:55,120 --> 00:35:57,880 Speaker 1: know who just slapped somebody at the oscar like people 698 00:35:57,920 --> 00:35:59,680 Speaker 1: want to know those kinds of things. And so I 699 00:35:59,719 --> 00:36:05,480 Speaker 1: wonder what is your take on is does things that 700 00:36:05,680 --> 00:36:11,160 Speaker 1: amplify positivity? Do those things work when we we can 701 00:36:11,320 --> 00:36:13,319 Speaker 1: be our own worst enemy as communities. 702 00:36:13,760 --> 00:36:16,200 Speaker 5: You know, well, I'm going to share something with you 703 00:36:16,320 --> 00:36:17,719 Speaker 5: that I haven't I haven't shared with. 704 00:36:17,680 --> 00:36:20,160 Speaker 4: Anybody else yet. This is this is this is this 705 00:36:20,280 --> 00:36:23,880 Speaker 4: is specific that we related to this one of the 706 00:36:25,560 --> 00:36:25,919 Speaker 4: we are. 707 00:36:25,960 --> 00:36:29,399 Speaker 5: We are super clear that hate has existed well long 708 00:36:29,480 --> 00:36:33,640 Speaker 5: before us, and unfortunately, you know, it will probably exist 709 00:36:33,840 --> 00:36:36,640 Speaker 5: long after us. But what we are doing with our 710 00:36:36,680 --> 00:36:41,160 Speaker 5: build is making sure that hate doesn't live on spill 711 00:36:41,480 --> 00:36:45,400 Speaker 5: right for an extended amount of time. And so you know, 712 00:36:45,440 --> 00:36:50,839 Speaker 5: we're adding protections here. We're not silly enough to think that, uh, 713 00:36:51,160 --> 00:36:55,600 Speaker 5: you know, we can prevent people from acting out and 714 00:36:55,760 --> 00:36:59,080 Speaker 5: doing the things, especially since there's a lot of courage 715 00:36:59,080 --> 00:37:01,799 Speaker 5: that happens when you're behind screen and people behave in 716 00:37:01,840 --> 00:37:06,200 Speaker 5: ways differently than they would in everyday life. Right. But 717 00:37:06,760 --> 00:37:11,680 Speaker 5: with the bravery, with the courage, with the very clarity 718 00:37:11,719 --> 00:37:14,319 Speaker 5: that we have with our community guidelines and our terms 719 00:37:14,360 --> 00:37:18,640 Speaker 5: of service, we are making it extra clear with what 720 00:37:18,680 --> 00:37:21,280 Speaker 5: we stand for and what we don't. Our moderation teams 721 00:37:21,280 --> 00:37:24,800 Speaker 5: are very active. We've got you know, human lines of defense, 722 00:37:24,880 --> 00:37:28,560 Speaker 5: We've got you know, culturally competent AI lines of defense, 723 00:37:29,480 --> 00:37:32,399 Speaker 5: and so you know, we're seeing that because of all 724 00:37:32,480 --> 00:37:35,480 Speaker 5: of that, an amazing thing that's happening is the community 725 00:37:35,800 --> 00:37:39,240 Speaker 5: is starting to speak up for itself and be very 726 00:37:39,280 --> 00:37:42,120 Speaker 5: clear about what they want and what they don't want. 727 00:37:42,360 --> 00:37:45,280 Speaker 5: Right and it's not even on some just hate stuff. 728 00:37:45,320 --> 00:37:48,160 Speaker 5: It's like, come correct, you know, you'll see spills in 729 00:37:48,160 --> 00:37:50,120 Speaker 5: the Spill of verse. This is the house that my 730 00:37:50,200 --> 00:37:53,000 Speaker 5: friends may take your shoes off, right, Like, that is 731 00:37:53,040 --> 00:37:55,520 Speaker 5: the sentiment that is the energy when you come on 732 00:37:55,600 --> 00:37:56,080 Speaker 5: to Spill. 733 00:37:56,600 --> 00:37:58,719 Speaker 4: You know, we want. 734 00:38:00,280 --> 00:38:03,120 Speaker 5: Brands to feel excited to come into the space, and 735 00:38:03,160 --> 00:38:06,280 Speaker 5: we have honest conversations with our partners, just like a cookout. 736 00:38:06,719 --> 00:38:09,640 Speaker 5: Don't come to the cookout before the food's ready, right 737 00:38:10,160 --> 00:38:12,680 Speaker 5: and ask for a plate. You better bring something, you 738 00:38:12,719 --> 00:38:15,520 Speaker 5: better offer something, right. And so there is this amazing 739 00:38:15,640 --> 00:38:21,160 Speaker 5: culture that is brewing and developing on Spill where the 740 00:38:21,200 --> 00:38:23,239 Speaker 5: community is starting to be clear about what it is 741 00:38:23,280 --> 00:38:25,720 Speaker 5: that they want and what they don't and in funny ways, 742 00:38:26,080 --> 00:38:29,839 Speaker 5: that old behavior, that hateful behavior, is being branded as 743 00:38:29,920 --> 00:38:32,440 Speaker 5: what was permitted on some of those other apps. And 744 00:38:32,480 --> 00:38:35,080 Speaker 5: so you'll literally also see as you scroll through the timeline, 745 00:38:35,080 --> 00:38:36,799 Speaker 5: like don't bring none of that stuff over here. 746 00:38:36,920 --> 00:38:38,960 Speaker 4: This is new fresh air over here. We got a 747 00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:41,440 Speaker 4: new age back in the still verse, right, like we 748 00:38:42,239 --> 00:38:43,080 Speaker 4: want some new air. 749 00:38:43,239 --> 00:38:46,160 Speaker 5: So, you know, I'm really grateful, I'm really really grateful 750 00:38:46,520 --> 00:38:47,680 Speaker 5: to see that happenings. 751 00:38:47,719 --> 00:38:48,000 Speaker 4: Again. 752 00:38:48,040 --> 00:38:50,200 Speaker 5: That is just proof of the thesis that is the 753 00:38:50,239 --> 00:38:53,480 Speaker 5: community taking you know, the principles and the policies that 754 00:38:53,520 --> 00:38:56,200 Speaker 5: we are putting in place, and they're adopting it as 755 00:38:56,239 --> 00:38:58,040 Speaker 5: their own and they're saying, yes, we like this and 756 00:38:58,080 --> 00:38:59,680 Speaker 5: we want this, and we're gonna take it even a 757 00:38:59,680 --> 00:39:02,920 Speaker 5: step further, which is what should happen, right hack this 758 00:39:03,200 --> 00:39:04,920 Speaker 5: you know, with us, you know, this is what we 759 00:39:04,960 --> 00:39:08,319 Speaker 5: think and we intent and and you know, tell us 760 00:39:08,440 --> 00:39:10,919 Speaker 5: how it works and how it doesn't and the things 761 00:39:10,960 --> 00:39:13,360 Speaker 5: that work run with it, and we're gonna build with y'all. 762 00:39:13,440 --> 00:39:15,360 Speaker 5: And and they've said that they want spill to be 763 00:39:15,400 --> 00:39:18,920 Speaker 5: a positive place full of beautiful affirmation. You know, you 764 00:39:18,960 --> 00:39:21,920 Speaker 5: can click on you know, certain hashtags like art spill 765 00:39:22,000 --> 00:39:24,560 Speaker 5: and go on a virtual date with your spill bay 766 00:39:24,600 --> 00:39:27,120 Speaker 5: and all kinds of fun things that happen, right, And 767 00:39:27,160 --> 00:39:28,680 Speaker 5: that's the type of positivity that. 768 00:39:28,640 --> 00:39:33,520 Speaker 1: We're find finds. I want to leave this last one 769 00:39:33,520 --> 00:39:35,160 Speaker 1: with you, and I want you to talk about because 770 00:39:35,160 --> 00:39:38,000 Speaker 1: we mentioned the courage it takes to build your own table, 771 00:39:38,480 --> 00:39:40,279 Speaker 1: and there's a lot of us who are out here 772 00:39:40,360 --> 00:39:44,240 Speaker 1: who were in the position or are in the position 773 00:39:44,320 --> 00:39:48,600 Speaker 1: that you are in where you believe in something so passionately, 774 00:39:48,920 --> 00:39:51,719 Speaker 1: this one being community, not just a technology, but a 775 00:39:51,719 --> 00:39:56,440 Speaker 1: community that deserves a platform that recognizes its its importance 776 00:39:56,480 --> 00:39:59,239 Speaker 1: and its value to the world. And so when you 777 00:39:59,360 --> 00:40:05,759 Speaker 1: see found who are who you were two years ago? Well, 778 00:40:06,000 --> 00:40:08,840 Speaker 1: knowing what you know now, what would you say to 779 00:40:09,040 --> 00:40:10,360 Speaker 1: the fines two years ago? 780 00:40:11,440 --> 00:40:15,800 Speaker 3: Great question? A couple of things. I would say, First, 781 00:40:16,120 --> 00:40:19,719 Speaker 3: you are more right than you even know. You are 782 00:40:19,760 --> 00:40:21,600 Speaker 3: more right than you even. 783 00:40:21,400 --> 00:40:24,840 Speaker 2: Know, and if you're feeling it in your gut, trust 784 00:40:24,880 --> 00:40:27,480 Speaker 2: that there is many many other people who are probably 785 00:40:27,480 --> 00:40:30,560 Speaker 2: feeling the same way. So that's number one. I'd say 786 00:40:30,640 --> 00:40:35,080 Speaker 2: number two, there's a wave happening. There's a wave of 787 00:40:35,320 --> 00:40:40,520 Speaker 2: black entrepreneurship that is exciting and beautiful. And I know 788 00:40:40,600 --> 00:40:44,359 Speaker 2: we're in the fiftieth anniversary of hip hop mode right now, 789 00:40:44,400 --> 00:40:46,399 Speaker 2: so it actually reminds me of you. 790 00:40:46,360 --> 00:40:48,680 Speaker 3: Know, hip hop labels in the eighties and nineties. 791 00:40:48,719 --> 00:40:51,319 Speaker 2: You know what Russell and Puff and Jay and Dame 792 00:40:51,400 --> 00:40:53,919 Speaker 2: and all those folks did, where it was like, let's 793 00:40:53,920 --> 00:40:57,200 Speaker 2: go from being you know, not just the performers right, 794 00:40:57,280 --> 00:41:00,719 Speaker 2: not just the products ourselves, but we actually make it right, 795 00:41:00,760 --> 00:41:02,080 Speaker 2: we actually platform it. 796 00:41:02,600 --> 00:41:06,240 Speaker 3: And that this wave is happening. 797 00:41:06,440 --> 00:41:10,839 Speaker 2: I've met so many other incredible you know founders during 798 00:41:10,840 --> 00:41:11,560 Speaker 2: this journey. 799 00:41:11,320 --> 00:41:13,879 Speaker 3: Already and want to work with everyone and shout out. 800 00:41:13,800 --> 00:41:16,360 Speaker 2: Again to the afrotech community because you guys have really 801 00:41:16,360 --> 00:41:19,440 Speaker 2: built you know, an amazing platform for black folks in 802 00:41:19,520 --> 00:41:24,440 Speaker 2: tec to come together and that that wave is happening 803 00:41:24,480 --> 00:41:27,680 Speaker 2: and this is just the latest, the next big you 804 00:41:27,719 --> 00:41:31,359 Speaker 2: know shift in in that. So I would say you're 805 00:41:31,520 --> 00:41:33,560 Speaker 2: you're not alone because there's a whole bunch of other 806 00:41:33,640 --> 00:41:36,880 Speaker 2: folks coming along this journey too, and we got to 807 00:41:36,920 --> 00:41:39,120 Speaker 2: talk to each other, We got to share information, we 808 00:41:39,239 --> 00:41:41,879 Speaker 2: got to you know, connect, and you know, put each 809 00:41:41,880 --> 00:41:44,080 Speaker 2: other on game and put each other on real spill 810 00:41:44,440 --> 00:41:46,799 Speaker 2: so that we can all benefit from this journey, because 811 00:41:46,800 --> 00:41:50,000 Speaker 2: that's how we win, We win collectively. And so I 812 00:41:50,000 --> 00:41:53,080 Speaker 2: would say those are the two big things. One trust 813 00:41:53,120 --> 00:41:54,880 Speaker 2: your gut. You are more right than you know. 814 00:41:55,000 --> 00:41:58,920 Speaker 3: And number two, there's a wave happening, and jump on, 815 00:41:59,239 --> 00:41:59,680 Speaker 3: let's go. 816 00:41:59,719 --> 00:42:02,080 Speaker 2: If you're thinking about it, go do it. Come holler 817 00:42:02,080 --> 00:42:04,680 Speaker 2: at us, poporn the spill. We're gonna help it apply 818 00:42:04,719 --> 00:42:05,440 Speaker 2: you even elevent you. 819 00:42:20,440 --> 00:42:23,000 Speaker 1: Black Tech Green Money is a production of Blavity Afro 820 00:42:23,120 --> 00:42:26,320 Speaker 1: Tech on the Black Effect podcast network in night Heart Media, 821 00:42:26,520 --> 00:42:29,560 Speaker 1: and it's produced by Morgan Debonne and me Well Lucas, 822 00:42:29,800 --> 00:42:33,200 Speaker 1: with additional production support by Sarah Ergan and Rose McLucas. 823 00:42:34,280 --> 00:42:37,520 Speaker 1: Special thank you to Michael Davis, Vanessa Serrano or Maya Moldrew. 824 00:42:38,200 --> 00:42:40,279 Speaker 1: Learn more about my guests and other tech distructors an 825 00:42:40,280 --> 00:42:44,160 Speaker 1: innovators at afrotech dot com enjoying Black Tech Green Money. 826 00:42:44,800 --> 00:42:48,960 Speaker 1: Shi it is somebody, go get your money. Peace and 827 00:42:49,040 --> 00:42:49,239 Speaker 1: love