WEBVTT - Alphonzo "Phonz" Terrell and Kenya Parham, Spill

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<v Speaker 1>I'm with Lucas and this is black tech, green money.

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<v Speaker 1>Alfonso fonz Terrel is founder and CEO at Spill and

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<v Speaker 1>Kenya Parham's global VP, Community and Partnerships at the culture

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<v Speaker 1>first social media app. At launch, Spill jumped to the

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<v Speaker 1>top of the app Store. It still maintains the formidable position.

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<v Speaker 1>Even before Threads was announced and released, the landscape of

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<v Speaker 1>social media apps was heavy. Spill was founded though and

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<v Speaker 1>well funded by top tier vcs who believed. So I

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<v Speaker 1>asked Finds, what was the unique opportunity he saw when

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<v Speaker 1>creating Spill was just an idea?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I think the the insight was really deeper and

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<v Speaker 2>trying to look deeper at social media holistically from the start.

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<v Speaker 2>I've been working in social media as marketing professional entertainment

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<v Speaker 2>brands for years, and when we look at the grand

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<v Speaker 2>diasporic nature of conversation online, it's almost always driven by us, right,

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<v Speaker 2>the trends, the culture of the new lexicon, everything like that.

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<v Speaker 2>It comes from black communities, queer communities, other marginalized groups.

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<v Speaker 2>And so we were really looking at the problem set

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<v Speaker 2>that's facing our community first and saying, who's building for us?

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<v Speaker 2>No one or you know, from a macro standpoint, nothing

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<v Speaker 2>that we've really seen that really accounts for the amount

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<v Speaker 2>of impact that we have at the level that it

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<v Speaker 2>should be, right, And so that's really the opportunity that

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<v Speaker 2>we saw coming into the fall of last year, when

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<v Speaker 2>as some may know, I was working at a company

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<v Speaker 2>that has recently gone through a rebrand that I will

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<v Speaker 2>not name, and you know, we were looking at Obviously

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<v Speaker 2>a lot of people were like, Okay, what's next after this,

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<v Speaker 2>and we had no interest in trying to recreate something

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<v Speaker 2>that we knew had some flaws in it, right, that

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<v Speaker 2>platform has had just way before you know, Elon and

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<v Speaker 2>those folks came in, and we really wanted to look

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<v Speaker 2>at this, you know, the whole ecosystem and really say, hey,

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<v Speaker 2>let's push the medium forward, and let's start by centering

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<v Speaker 2>black folks, queer folks, other marginalized groups from the beginning,

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<v Speaker 2>which never happens, and really allow us to sort of

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<v Speaker 2>set the tone, the vibe, and really solve for our

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<v Speaker 2>key problem sets, which really boil down to three things.

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<v Speaker 2>One is safety, two is credit, and third is getting

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<v Speaker 2>rewarded for the contributions that we make to the online culture. Right,

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<v Speaker 2>That's really the core problem sets that we set out

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<v Speaker 2>to solve. And that's the opportunity that we saw last

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<v Speaker 2>fall that we you know, that really inspired what spill is.

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<v Speaker 3>Now.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, when you just mentioned the word, I'd like you

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<v Speaker 1>to go in on you say, you know you saw

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<v Speaker 1>some challenges inside that that that platform for, particularly for

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<v Speaker 1>our communities. Can you talk a little bit about you know,

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<v Speaker 1>black people have brought so much to social media. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>we talk over index on all social media platforms. What

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<v Speaker 1>challenges exist historically in social media which is fifty twenty

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<v Speaker 1>years old, maybe fifteen years old social media? What challenges

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<v Speaker 1>exist that when we bring so much value, we still

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<v Speaker 1>don't get recognized for that. It's institutional, It's got to

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<v Speaker 1>be institutional at this point.

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<v Speaker 3>Well, let's be honest.

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<v Speaker 2>It's a reflection of how our culture has been exploited,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, for generations across a variety of mediums that

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<v Speaker 2>go beyond social right, We've seen this in music, We've

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<v Speaker 2>seen this in you know, TV, and of course how

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<v Speaker 2>it's being expressed in the tech space.

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<v Speaker 3>This is what happens.

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<v Speaker 2>When you don't have people who are driving the most

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<v Speaker 2>culture building the platforms at the same time. And you know,

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<v Speaker 2>I know Ken, you can you know, speak to this

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<v Speaker 2>personally as well. But let's just talk about black women, right,

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<v Speaker 2>black women over index as you mentioned on heavy social

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<v Speaker 2>media usage, not just usage heavy three plus hours per day,

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<v Speaker 2>no identity group is using social more. And then two

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<v Speaker 2>on media consumption. Nobody's watching more TV, listening to more music,

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<v Speaker 2>talking about it, creating community around it, deciding you know,

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<v Speaker 2>who's going to be next. Right, So those are just

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<v Speaker 2>facts that we can you know, center on. Yet most

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<v Speaker 2>businesses only are thinking about this, you know, once or

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<v Speaker 2>twice a year. You know, it's like, hey, February is

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<v Speaker 2>coming up, what are what are we gonna do? We're

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<v Speaker 2>gonna throw a party and then you know, forget about

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<v Speaker 2>it for the rest of the year. And so that's

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<v Speaker 2>been an issue not just that you know, the platform

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<v Speaker 2>formerly known as Twitter, but many social platforms. When you

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<v Speaker 2>looked at YouTube, when you looked at you know today,

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<v Speaker 2>it's a TikTok, right, We've seen you know, black creators

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<v Speaker 2>have to go and strike literally just to you know

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<v Speaker 2>create you know, a news cycle around how they're not

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<v Speaker 2>being credited properly. So this has been going on for

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<v Speaker 2>a while and it's the type of problem that only

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<v Speaker 2>gets solved when we as a community decide to, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>just roll up our sleeves and be like it's us,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, And if I if I learned anything, I'll

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<v Speaker 2>throw this this nugget out there. If I've learned anything

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<v Speaker 2>through this process, it's that they know this better than us.

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<v Speaker 2>Nobody does. We know this space better than anyone, and

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<v Speaker 2>all we need to do is just have the audacity

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<v Speaker 2>to get after it. And that's why I think why

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<v Speaker 2>we've had some success so far.

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<v Speaker 1>I was saying, Keny, I love you to chime in

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<v Speaker 1>on this because he finds talked about a couple of

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<v Speaker 1>things that we create culture on these things, and we

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<v Speaker 1>get a chance to amplify and distribute our culture on

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<v Speaker 1>these things. If we talk about just black culture, which

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<v Speaker 1>I agree with people I trips they walk like black

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<v Speaker 1>culture rules runs all global culture. We're talking about food

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<v Speaker 1>or dance or music or sports, like we drive that

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<v Speaker 1>and even you know LGBTQ culture, if you think about camp,

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<v Speaker 1>you know fashion in that way, we set the trends.

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<v Speaker 1>And here's in so many ways we're just starting to

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<v Speaker 1>have this conversation about how creators get recognized by these platforms.

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<v Speaker 1>Are they being either compensated or recognized. Do people steal,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, their dance moves and then credit them as

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<v Speaker 1>their own, and then the platforms amplify the people who

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<v Speaker 1>don't look like us when there was somebody who looked

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<v Speaker 1>like us that created it.

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<v Speaker 3>Can you talk about that?

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<v Speaker 4>Yeah, you know, really appreciate that question.

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<v Speaker 5>One of the things that we're seeking to prove as

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<v Speaker 5>well with SPILL is that cultural and technical fluency can coexist, right.

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<v Speaker 5>We believe that we can be culturally competent and know

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<v Speaker 5>who the source of these trends are, acknowledge them, make

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<v Speaker 5>sure they receive the attribution, and also communicate to our

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<v Speaker 5>partners who are at the table to make sure that

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<v Speaker 5>they're aware of who these people are, and do so

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<v Speaker 5>in a way that creates a much healthier ecosystem for

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<v Speaker 5>the Creator economy, which we know, as Goldman Sachs has stated,

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<v Speaker 5>is set to double over the next five years. Right now,

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<v Speaker 5>we're at about two hundred and eighty million dollars. It's

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<v Speaker 5>about to double, twoting two hundred and eighty billion dollars.

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<v Speaker 5>It's about to double in that over the next couple

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<v Speaker 5>of years. And so, you know, we're really seeking to

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<v Speaker 5>make sure that these that these folks feel safe to

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<v Speaker 5>create and bring their best heat to Spill, and that

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<v Speaker 5>the partners that are here also feel really excited about

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<v Speaker 5>knowing that they're coming to a place that houses the

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<v Speaker 5>source of the best of what you know, makes culture

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<v Speaker 5>bring brings culture forward.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, Ken you I like to stay on you

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<v Speaker 1>on this because there's a lot of conversation around creators

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<v Speaker 1>being appropriately compensated for what they bring into platforms, and

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<v Speaker 1>so there's a lot of formulas, a lot of math

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<v Speaker 1>that goes into that how does how does Spill think

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<v Speaker 1>about you know, hey, X person or whatever. I'm gonna

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<v Speaker 1>I'm not to put words in your mouth, but this

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<v Speaker 1>is how we dictate based on X number of impressions,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, how we work with you as the creator?

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<v Speaker 5>Sure, I mean, you know this is a This is

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<v Speaker 5>an equation that you know, folks have been trying to

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<v Speaker 5>crack for a long time, and we are trying to

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<v Speaker 5>be as innovative and intentional as possible about coming up

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<v Speaker 5>with what that looks like. The beautiful part about that

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<v Speaker 5>is we've got everybody at the table to be able

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<v Speaker 5>to have this conversation, and it's our table that we're setting.

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<v Speaker 5>So you know, we're looking forward to continue to have

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<v Speaker 5>these conversations with folks and to listen to the creators

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<v Speaker 5>who know just as well as everybody else, right, you know,

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<v Speaker 5>what these things are worth, and we want to make

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<v Speaker 5>sure that they're present to be able to communicate that

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<v Speaker 5>value on their own behalf. You know, so far, often

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<v Speaker 5>in whatever industry we see it in, people are having

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<v Speaker 5>conversations about creators, having conversations about tastemakers without including them

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<v Speaker 5>at the table to speak for themselves. One of my

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<v Speaker 5>favorite things about what we're doing at SPILL is the

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<v Speaker 5>communities that we're building. We have a call and response

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<v Speaker 5>relationship with these creators, and you know, creators are the

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<v Speaker 5>new athletes. I'm excited. I'm working on some stuff this week.

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<v Speaker 5>I'm here in the vineyard. I'm going to be talking

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<v Speaker 5>about the creator economy. And one of the things that

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<v Speaker 5>we're saying is, you know, creators are the new athletes,

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<v Speaker 5>and so we're bringing them to the table to be

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<v Speaker 5>able to have these conversations and communicate their value with

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<v Speaker 5>these stakeholders who are interested in accessing again the best

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<v Speaker 5>of what they bring to the social space. And we're

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<v Speaker 5>looking forward to being able to advance these conversations and

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<v Speaker 5>have some meaningful outcomes that come from these conversations around

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<v Speaker 5>the value of the cultural capital that is generated with

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<v Speaker 5>what we put in the social space.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, fines I was, I was. I don't remember

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<v Speaker 1>who I was talking to, but there was a statement

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<v Speaker 1>somebody made that made a lot of sense to me,

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<v Speaker 1>and they said, you know, one of the greatest things

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<v Speaker 1>Steve Jobs did was create the app store. But one

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<v Speaker 1>of the worst things about the app stores. It gave

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<v Speaker 1>people the idea that everything should be free, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>and so I wonder, you know, and obviously with a

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<v Speaker 1>social media app you need distribution, so free makes sense.

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<v Speaker 1>But how did you think about you know, we've got

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<v Speaker 1>to get hundreds of thousands, tens of thousands, millions of

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<v Speaker 1>people into this thing, but we still have to rethink

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<v Speaker 1>the business model. How do you think about these things?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, and I think there's a lot of discussion about

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<v Speaker 2>the pros and cons of advertising, right and having been

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<v Speaker 2>a marketer for many years, I can see both sides

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<v Speaker 2>of the argument. So from a business standpoint, let's be

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<v Speaker 2>clear the just when we talk about brands trying to

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<v Speaker 2>reach black, queer, other marginalized audiences in the United States alone,

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<v Speaker 2>it's a thirty billion dollar a year business, okay, and

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<v Speaker 2>it's growing you know, five to ten percent year on year.

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<v Speaker 2>So I think that's an incredible you know, revenue stream.

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<v Speaker 2>Now we're not going to ignore, but we're not exclusively

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<v Speaker 2>looking at that either because there are people who may

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<v Speaker 2>want an ad free experience or more importantly, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>pro tools right speaking to the creators specifically that Kenya

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<v Speaker 2>was talking about, we're actually developing a suite of tools

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<v Speaker 2>that's going to make it easier for creators and as

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<v Speaker 2>a as a social media manager by trade, right, I

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<v Speaker 2>want this to be less stressed. We don't want it

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<v Speaker 2>to be yet another thing you got to worry about.

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<v Speaker 2>But it's like, oh, it's easier to publish, I get

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<v Speaker 2>my analytics. I can you know, potentially have access to

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<v Speaker 2>data that I don't get from other platforms, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>generate email lists and things of that nature, so that

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<v Speaker 2>the creators can have a deeper relationship with their audience.

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<v Speaker 2>And those are tools that I think makes sense when

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<v Speaker 2>you're talking about you know, not a crazy fee, but

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<v Speaker 2>like a subscription mode, because we were giving you something extra,

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<v Speaker 2>you know that you probably can't get anywhere else. So

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<v Speaker 2>we're looking at that, and I think we're all so

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<v Speaker 2>interested in other services as well. I won't give the

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<v Speaker 2>whole playbook away, but one of the things that one

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<v Speaker 2>of my favorite spills I saw recently was somebody spilled

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<v Speaker 2>what's your favorite dating app? And someone quoted it saying spill.

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<v Speaker 3>And so that might give you a little a little

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<v Speaker 3>wink in the.

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<v Speaker 2>Nods to some of the ways we think we can,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, just provide additional services to against our community

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<v Speaker 2>who is genuinely being.

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<v Speaker 3>Underserved, you know.

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<v Speaker 2>Holistically in this ring, there's a whole host of things

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<v Speaker 2>that we're looking at that we think makes sense as

0:11:49.240 --> 0:11:52.760
<v Speaker 2>premium products versus just you know, ad revenue models.

0:11:53.559 --> 0:11:55.880
<v Speaker 1>You know, there was an article that came out about

0:11:55.880 --> 0:11:57.880
<v Speaker 1>you guys. It was in a fast company, but the

0:11:57.960 --> 0:11:59.679
<v Speaker 1>subtitle is what I wanted to pick up and it

0:11:59.720 --> 0:12:02.120
<v Speaker 1>said black people obade Twitter into a forty four a

0:12:02.120 --> 0:12:03.920
<v Speaker 1>business worth forty four billion dollars.

0:12:04.080 --> 0:12:07.760
<v Speaker 3>That was the subtitle of the of the article. But

0:12:07.880 --> 0:12:08.319
<v Speaker 3>you had a.

0:12:08.280 --> 0:12:11.320
<v Speaker 1>Spill where you actually a spill where you actually pushed

0:12:11.320 --> 0:12:14.040
<v Speaker 1>back against the narrative that it's food as for us

0:12:14.080 --> 0:12:16.680
<v Speaker 1>by us, But you said, like, look, it's by us,

0:12:16.679 --> 0:12:20.559
<v Speaker 1>but we're for people who champion us. I don't want

0:12:20.559 --> 0:12:23.000
<v Speaker 1>to put not to put words emouth that was a paraphrase.

0:12:23.800 --> 0:12:27.560
<v Speaker 1>Is it okay to be to amplify the food for

0:12:27.800 --> 0:12:29.600
<v Speaker 1>us but also by us?

0:12:30.840 --> 0:12:34.600
<v Speaker 3>Yeah? Well yeah, let's be clear. It's by us for sure.

0:12:35.880 --> 0:12:37.359
<v Speaker 3>We're coming from the culture.

0:12:37.040 --> 0:12:39.199
<v Speaker 2>And it is for us too, and I want to

0:12:39.200 --> 0:12:41.840
<v Speaker 2>make sure that that doesn't get confused. We are building

0:12:42.360 --> 0:12:46.079
<v Speaker 2>with black communities, queer communities in mind, like the problem

0:12:46.160 --> 0:12:49.160
<v Speaker 2>sets that are specifically a cute to us. We want

0:12:49.200 --> 0:12:51.200
<v Speaker 2>you to be able to come to a platform where

0:12:51.640 --> 0:12:53.800
<v Speaker 2>you know you don't have to code switch, you can

0:12:53.840 --> 0:12:57.040
<v Speaker 2>scroll past a bunch of amazing content without having to

0:12:57.040 --> 0:13:00.680
<v Speaker 2>worry about racist popping in your troll in your comment, right,

0:13:00.920 --> 0:13:03.600
<v Speaker 2>are dealing with those types of trolls. We want you

0:13:03.640 --> 0:13:06.640
<v Speaker 2>again to be credited, celebrated and rewarded, you know, for

0:13:06.720 --> 0:13:08.720
<v Speaker 2>the contributions that you make to the platform. So I

0:13:08.760 --> 0:13:12.120
<v Speaker 2>want to make that abundantly clear. Definitely is for us.

0:13:12.360 --> 0:13:16.679
<v Speaker 2>But I think the idea that you know, there's other communities,

0:13:16.760 --> 0:13:19.720
<v Speaker 2>especially marginalized groups, right, And one of my experiences at Twitter,

0:13:20.480 --> 0:13:24.840
<v Speaker 2>you know, it's very active when the Asian hate Stop.

0:13:24.880 --> 0:13:28.080
<v Speaker 2>Asian hate movement really started rising post COVID right where

0:13:28.080 --> 0:13:31.160
<v Speaker 2>we saw some of the most heinous actions against this

0:13:31.280 --> 0:13:35.079
<v Speaker 2>community and it was really really nasty online. And when

0:13:35.080 --> 0:13:37.760
<v Speaker 2>we think about the technology we're building, the Large Language

0:13:37.800 --> 0:13:41.000
<v Speaker 2>Model AI that is really tuned to be like a

0:13:41.040 --> 0:13:45.560
<v Speaker 2>culturally literate content moderation. But you know, it like can

0:13:45.880 --> 0:13:49.520
<v Speaker 2>it can understand the context of not just what's being said,

0:13:49.520 --> 0:13:50.600
<v Speaker 2>but who's saying it.

0:13:50.720 --> 0:13:52.080
<v Speaker 3>You know, you're on the platform.

0:13:52.120 --> 0:13:54.360
<v Speaker 2>You know, when you join the platform, you actually many

0:13:54.360 --> 0:13:55.840
<v Speaker 2>people share their ethnic.

0:13:55.559 --> 0:13:58.320
<v Speaker 3>Backgrounds, and that helps us build a safer environment because

0:13:58.320 --> 0:13:59.240
<v Speaker 3>we know who's saying what.

0:13:59.840 --> 0:14:02.160
<v Speaker 2>We should be able to apply that to any communities

0:14:02.160 --> 0:14:05.160
<v Speaker 2>that aren't feeling safe, the able community, other things like that.

0:14:05.520 --> 0:14:07.840
<v Speaker 2>And I think that that's a really important use case

0:14:07.880 --> 0:14:11.560
<v Speaker 2>for us long term that everybody should understand. But that

0:14:11.760 --> 0:14:14.640
<v Speaker 2>doesn't in any way take away from our mission as

0:14:14.640 --> 0:14:17.920
<v Speaker 2>a platform and our identity as a platform and our brand,

0:14:18.040 --> 0:14:20.520
<v Speaker 2>which is we're going to be at AFRO Tech or

0:14:20.680 --> 0:14:23.480
<v Speaker 2>we at AFRO Future, We're going to be since you know,

0:14:24.040 --> 0:14:27.200
<v Speaker 2>like this is very much us, but we can also

0:14:28.080 --> 0:14:30.600
<v Speaker 2>you know, I think this is a question I've asked

0:14:30.600 --> 0:14:33.240
<v Speaker 2>and we've talked about as a team a lot is okay,

0:14:33.360 --> 0:14:37.000
<v Speaker 2>when we build something we as in black folks, we

0:14:37.080 --> 0:14:41.000
<v Speaker 2>as in queer folks, the groups that have historically been marginalized,

0:14:41.080 --> 0:14:43.960
<v Speaker 2>especially in tech. Can we build it in a way

0:14:44.200 --> 0:14:49.200
<v Speaker 2>that doesn't replicate the harms of other platforms prior to us?

0:14:49.520 --> 0:14:52.880
<v Speaker 3>And is that something that other people can benefit from.

0:14:52.680 --> 0:14:56.680
<v Speaker 2>And therefore our creators could benefit from those audiences too, right,

0:14:56.840 --> 0:15:00.320
<v Speaker 2>Like we have to think expansively. And then I say

0:15:00.320 --> 0:15:02.160
<v Speaker 2>the last thing and I can Sorry, I'm a preacher.

0:15:02.680 --> 0:15:04.640
<v Speaker 2>Preacher's sons are going and all you got to cover

0:15:04.760 --> 0:15:08.160
<v Speaker 2>off your butt. No, But I think when you think

0:15:08.240 --> 0:15:13.440
<v Speaker 2>about outside the United States, right, black folks are diasporic, right,

0:15:13.480 --> 0:15:16.680
<v Speaker 2>the black experience is really really very there's no one

0:15:16.800 --> 0:15:20.160
<v Speaker 2>monolithic way you know, to sort of to be black,

0:15:20.280 --> 0:15:23.120
<v Speaker 2>you know, like whether it's in South Africa or in

0:15:23.160 --> 0:15:27.200
<v Speaker 2>Brazil or you know, in Europe. And that's a varied

0:15:27.240 --> 0:15:30.760
<v Speaker 2>experience that we also really want to be home to

0:15:30.880 --> 0:15:35.080
<v Speaker 2>and welcoming to because that that's something that's needed. And

0:15:35.440 --> 0:15:36.920
<v Speaker 2>I think at the end of the day, what we're

0:15:36.960 --> 0:15:41.120
<v Speaker 2>talking about is really you know, bringing community back to

0:15:41.200 --> 0:15:44.240
<v Speaker 2>social in all the best ways where it's like, oh,

0:15:44.280 --> 0:15:47.640
<v Speaker 2>I get to meet people that are like dope and interesting.

0:15:47.800 --> 0:15:49.840
<v Speaker 2>And you know, Will Lucas is on here and I

0:15:49.840 --> 0:15:52.080
<v Speaker 2>had a little exchange with him, and oh, you know,

0:15:52.160 --> 0:15:54.120
<v Speaker 2>we're at the Afro Tech. I found out about the

0:15:54.160 --> 0:15:57.400
<v Speaker 2>Afro Tech Happy Hour in Atlanta, you know through specially

0:15:58.040 --> 0:16:01.040
<v Speaker 2>go do that. Like, we want to build a global

0:16:01.200 --> 0:16:06.200
<v Speaker 2>diasporic community, and it behooves us to be open minded

0:16:06.200 --> 0:16:09.240
<v Speaker 2>and welcoming and have big tent thinking. And we need

0:16:09.280 --> 0:16:13.560
<v Speaker 2>to trust that that's not going to, you know, disrupt

0:16:13.560 --> 0:16:14.280
<v Speaker 2>our mission at all.

0:16:14.400 --> 0:16:17.280
<v Speaker 3>Trust me when I say that our mission will never change.

0:16:18.640 --> 0:16:22.960
<v Speaker 1>There are on every almost every social media app a

0:16:23.120 --> 0:16:25.520
<v Speaker 1>play for creators.

0:16:24.840 --> 0:16:26.600
<v Speaker 3>To be on those platforms.

0:16:26.600 --> 0:16:29.520
<v Speaker 1>When you think about Twitter's doing what X is doing

0:16:29.520 --> 0:16:33.360
<v Speaker 1>it now, Facebook is making plays, Instagram subset of Facebook

0:16:33.400 --> 0:16:36.520
<v Speaker 1>is making plays. Other new entrants like you know Entrance,

0:16:36.600 --> 0:16:39.520
<v Speaker 1>like fan Base are making plays for creators. When you

0:16:39.600 --> 0:16:43.000
<v Speaker 1>are introduced to creators, what is the selling point you

0:16:43.040 --> 0:16:45.400
<v Speaker 1>said you need to be on spill? What is the

0:16:45.440 --> 0:16:49.720
<v Speaker 1>biggest selling point you have that says Okay, this works

0:16:49.800 --> 0:16:52.720
<v Speaker 1>most of the time versus the other arguments or cases

0:16:52.720 --> 0:16:53.320
<v Speaker 1>we can present.

0:16:55.120 --> 0:16:58.960
<v Speaker 5>You know, this aint no flex here I'm just gonna

0:16:58.960 --> 0:17:01.480
<v Speaker 5>call it like it is. You know, we have been

0:17:01.520 --> 0:17:05.200
<v Speaker 5>incredibly blessed. We have a team that is that has

0:17:05.359 --> 0:17:09.120
<v Speaker 5>roots in this work for a long time. And so

0:17:09.359 --> 0:17:11.640
<v Speaker 5>you know, as we have you know, put ourselves out

0:17:11.680 --> 0:17:15.000
<v Speaker 5>there and and you know, been public about you know,

0:17:15.080 --> 0:17:18.000
<v Speaker 5>who is on our team, we have found you know,

0:17:18.080 --> 0:17:20.720
<v Speaker 5>one that the receipts don't lie. Right. Fons has been

0:17:20.720 --> 0:17:23.640
<v Speaker 5>doing this work. The virus has been doing this work.

0:17:23.720 --> 0:17:26.399
<v Speaker 5>I've been doing this work. Are our engineers, We've been

0:17:26.440 --> 0:17:30.800
<v Speaker 5>doing this work. So we're grateful that Bill is really

0:17:31.000 --> 0:17:34.920
<v Speaker 5>the nexus of a lot of our lifelong bodies of work.

0:17:35.480 --> 0:17:36.200
<v Speaker 4>For one.

0:17:36.359 --> 0:17:40.159
<v Speaker 5>Two, you know, we're seeking, like Fons said, imagining a

0:17:40.200 --> 0:17:42.880
<v Speaker 5>world in which we center the needs of those who

0:17:43.880 --> 0:17:46.320
<v Speaker 5>put the most heat out in the social space but

0:17:46.400 --> 0:17:51.560
<v Speaker 5>unfortunately received the most hate. We're speaking directly to these communities, right,

0:17:51.640 --> 0:17:55.040
<v Speaker 5>And these are shared experiences. This is not observations from

0:17:55.080 --> 0:17:57.480
<v Speaker 5>outside of the window. We are of the communities that

0:17:57.520 --> 0:18:01.600
<v Speaker 5>we are seeking to center in this base. Two, you know,

0:18:01.680 --> 0:18:05.359
<v Speaker 5>and three, we've got global vision here, right, This is

0:18:05.440 --> 0:18:06.240
<v Speaker 5>so much larger.

0:18:06.240 --> 0:18:08.919
<v Speaker 4>Black culture influences the world.

0:18:08.800 --> 0:18:13.040
<v Speaker 5>Right, and you know, there's so much intersectionality in our experiences,

0:18:13.080 --> 0:18:16.800
<v Speaker 5>and so from Jump we have acknowledged that intersectionality. We've

0:18:16.800 --> 0:18:21.479
<v Speaker 5>acknowledged the diaspord reach of where we're trying to get to,

0:18:22.320 --> 0:18:25.080
<v Speaker 5>and in having these conversations with creators, it's like, listen,

0:18:25.400 --> 0:18:26.840
<v Speaker 5>we want to listen to y'all.

0:18:26.920 --> 0:18:28.840
<v Speaker 4>You know. One of the biggest lessons that.

0:18:28.800 --> 0:18:32.400
<v Speaker 5>I've enjoyed in this stage and launching Spill is that

0:18:32.440 --> 0:18:36.280
<v Speaker 5>our communities oftentimes do not get access to beta tech products, right,

0:18:36.359 --> 0:18:40.480
<v Speaker 5>so we don't even necessarily have that lived experience yet

0:18:40.760 --> 0:18:43.760
<v Speaker 5>of what it means to have access to a VC

0:18:43.960 --> 0:18:48.760
<v Speaker 5>funded you know, next best thing social media platform that

0:18:48.880 --> 0:18:51.520
<v Speaker 5>really has the potential to go out here and do

0:18:51.680 --> 0:18:54.080
<v Speaker 5>exactly what it says it does. And so part of

0:18:54.119 --> 0:18:56.280
<v Speaker 5>that has also been that engagement and the creators that

0:18:56.320 --> 0:18:59.159
<v Speaker 5>have flocked to us by the thousands, we are so

0:18:59.280 --> 0:19:02.960
<v Speaker 5>grateful for have done so organically and have done so

0:19:03.040 --> 0:19:06.080
<v Speaker 5>out of curiosity, and what has kept them here is

0:19:06.480 --> 0:19:10.440
<v Speaker 5>a very personal relationship we have have developed.

0:19:10.480 --> 0:19:13.919
<v Speaker 4>I've been developing with my creator community with this.

0:19:14.080 --> 0:19:16.359
<v Speaker 5>You know, we believe that we sent to these folks

0:19:16.480 --> 0:19:20.760
<v Speaker 5>we can have a world where everybody is healthier, right,

0:19:20.800 --> 0:19:23.800
<v Speaker 5>And it's essentially from a policy perspective, the same type

0:19:23.800 --> 0:19:27.600
<v Speaker 5>of attempts we see in rhetoric around around in a

0:19:27.600 --> 0:19:29.560
<v Speaker 5>lot of other spaces, sent to the people who are

0:19:29.560 --> 0:19:32.760
<v Speaker 5>in the most the most needed, who have you know,

0:19:32.800 --> 0:19:35.760
<v Speaker 5>the most harms exposed, solve for those problems and then

0:19:35.800 --> 0:19:39.120
<v Speaker 5>it's a healthier ecosystem for everybody. Second thing I'll say

0:19:39.160 --> 0:19:41.480
<v Speaker 5>with that, that that that folks have really been identifying

0:19:41.560 --> 0:19:46.920
<v Speaker 5>is you know, it is a purely domestic narrative, right

0:19:47.080 --> 0:19:50.360
<v Speaker 5>that uh, you know, being of marginalized communities. Right, if

0:19:50.359 --> 0:19:53.080
<v Speaker 5>we look at the global majority, black and brown folks

0:19:53.359 --> 0:19:57.000
<v Speaker 5>are the global majority. So when we're talking about connecting

0:19:57.000 --> 0:20:00.600
<v Speaker 5>with folks not just domestically but across you know, across

0:20:00.640 --> 0:20:04.880
<v Speaker 5>the waters in other countries, we're also seeing a lot

0:20:04.880 --> 0:20:08.439
<v Speaker 5>of resonance with creators who are in Africa, creators you know,

0:20:08.520 --> 0:20:12.320
<v Speaker 5>who are doing the dang thing out there, and they're saying, listen.

0:20:12.040 --> 0:20:13.200
<v Speaker 4>We're a global majority.

0:20:13.520 --> 0:20:16.040
<v Speaker 5>You know, in twenty thirty America is going to be

0:20:16.119 --> 0:20:19.120
<v Speaker 5>much browner, and we want to be able to link

0:20:19.200 --> 0:20:21.760
<v Speaker 5>arms with people who understand and are ready to throw

0:20:21.840 --> 0:20:25.359
<v Speaker 5>down on that cultural capital and really put on and

0:20:25.440 --> 0:20:27.639
<v Speaker 5>so that's what we're excited to do. We're building a

0:20:28.000 --> 0:20:32.120
<v Speaker 5>coalition of creators and people who are like minded, who

0:20:32.200 --> 0:20:35.000
<v Speaker 5>really want to impact this space with us, and we're

0:20:35.040 --> 0:20:36.120
<v Speaker 5>so grateful.

0:20:35.920 --> 0:20:36.359
<v Speaker 3>To do so.

0:20:36.680 --> 0:20:39.679
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I'm glad you brought up the conversation about you know,

0:20:39.720 --> 0:20:42.480
<v Speaker 1>we historically don't have beta access to so many of

0:20:42.520 --> 0:20:44.840
<v Speaker 1>these new opportunities, and I want to bring us something

0:20:44.840 --> 0:20:48.680
<v Speaker 1>that I thought was interesting from Android users. A lot

0:20:48.720 --> 0:20:51.320
<v Speaker 1>of folks people, a lot of folks talked about on

0:20:52.440 --> 0:20:55.400
<v Speaker 1>X what was Twitter at the time. You know, hey,

0:20:55.480 --> 0:20:59.520
<v Speaker 1>how come there is no Android app I can go?

0:20:59.560 --> 0:21:06.359
<v Speaker 1>Why don't even enjoy you? But why why iPhone only first?

0:21:07.480 --> 0:21:08.320
<v Speaker 1>Which I think is Okay?

0:21:08.680 --> 0:21:13.560
<v Speaker 5>Listen, you say this, and I and I love answering

0:21:13.560 --> 0:21:16.800
<v Speaker 5>this question. First, you say this, you know, UH, our

0:21:16.920 --> 0:21:21.520
<v Speaker 5>choice to build UH and and developed you know for

0:21:21.520 --> 0:21:24.840
<v Speaker 5>for iPhone first came purely from you know, our team's

0:21:24.880 --> 0:21:28.760
<v Speaker 5>internal decisions. What was of access to us UH, the

0:21:28.800 --> 0:21:30.359
<v Speaker 5>way in which we wanted to build.

0:21:30.080 --> 0:21:31.119
<v Speaker 4>And fashion this product.

0:21:31.160 --> 0:21:41.120
<v Speaker 5>It has really nothing to do with exclusivity or shade, no.

0:21:41.160 --> 0:21:43.359
<v Speaker 4>Shade in that regard. But the truth is, and and

0:21:43.400 --> 0:21:44.000
<v Speaker 4>why I really.

0:21:43.880 --> 0:21:47.840
<v Speaker 5>Appreciate this question, will it is because you know, for

0:21:47.960 --> 0:21:50.000
<v Speaker 5>every person that we welcome on the app, you know,

0:21:50.040 --> 0:21:52.720
<v Speaker 5>the same way that we build. We started with the

0:21:52.720 --> 0:21:54.719
<v Speaker 5>build for iPhone to kind of test and see how

0:21:54.760 --> 0:21:56.320
<v Speaker 5>it was going to go and integrate and how it

0:21:56.359 --> 0:21:56.960
<v Speaker 5>was going to work.

0:21:57.240 --> 0:21:57.640
<v Speaker 4>Is the same.

0:21:57.720 --> 0:22:00.560
<v Speaker 5>Also reason why we have to use invite codes, right,

0:22:00.560 --> 0:22:02.639
<v Speaker 5>And a lot of people think, oh, invite codes are

0:22:02.680 --> 0:22:06.400
<v Speaker 5>for exclusivity, and you guys are trying to build the hype, like, actually,

0:22:06.480 --> 0:22:09.280
<v Speaker 5>y'all invite codes or to make sure that our servers

0:22:09.280 --> 0:22:13.360
<v Speaker 5>can continue to run twenty four to seven, right, every

0:22:13.400 --> 0:22:16.080
<v Speaker 5>single person who is on the platform. That costs money

0:22:16.080 --> 0:22:18.159
<v Speaker 5>and time. And I know y'all see the headlines and

0:22:18.200 --> 0:22:20.399
<v Speaker 5>we did really well in preced and we're in another

0:22:20.440 --> 0:22:23.120
<v Speaker 5>funding round right now, but we got to make sure

0:22:23.119 --> 0:22:24.879
<v Speaker 5>that the lights stay on for everybody. We got to

0:22:24.920 --> 0:22:27.000
<v Speaker 5>make sure that this app continues to go. And shout

0:22:27.000 --> 0:22:31.080
<v Speaker 5>out to our phenomenal engineering team because we have yet

0:22:31.119 --> 0:22:33.840
<v Speaker 5>to have a major problem with the app, as we

0:22:33.920 --> 0:22:37.920
<v Speaker 5>have welcomed hundreds of thousands of people in the past month,

0:22:38.520 --> 0:22:41.159
<v Speaker 5>so we're really we're really grateful for that. So that's

0:22:41.200 --> 0:22:43.240
<v Speaker 5>important for our communities to know. You know, this is

0:22:43.240 --> 0:22:45.439
<v Speaker 5>not about exclusivity. This is about making sure that we

0:22:45.480 --> 0:22:48.440
<v Speaker 5>are building for the future. We're here for the long haul,

0:22:48.840 --> 0:22:51.240
<v Speaker 5>and we, you know, want to make sure that the

0:22:51.320 --> 0:22:52.439
<v Speaker 5>tech supports that.

0:22:53.200 --> 0:22:57.200
<v Speaker 1>And so finds Elon takes over. You lose your job

0:22:57.320 --> 0:22:59.600
<v Speaker 1>and you say, you know what, I'm really about it,

0:22:59.680 --> 0:23:02.159
<v Speaker 1>you know, like, this is my community. We are this

0:23:02.359 --> 0:23:05.840
<v Speaker 1>what makes this successful. I'm a part of the mindset

0:23:05.920 --> 0:23:10.639
<v Speaker 1>that you know. I'm over personally over asking for seats

0:23:10.680 --> 0:23:13.920
<v Speaker 1>at the table. I believe we can build our own tables.

0:23:14.240 --> 0:23:16.199
<v Speaker 1>And I understand there's an argument to we made like

0:23:16.240 --> 0:23:18.280
<v Speaker 1>we should be pressuring them to hire I get that.

0:23:18.400 --> 0:23:20.680
<v Speaker 1>It's just not. My fight is like we need to

0:23:20.680 --> 0:23:22.640
<v Speaker 1>see that we can do this too on our own.

0:23:23.440 --> 0:23:25.320
<v Speaker 1>What gave you that courage to say, you know what,

0:23:26.000 --> 0:23:27.840
<v Speaker 1>I'm not going to just go look for another gig.

0:23:27.920 --> 0:23:30.520
<v Speaker 1>I'm going to start this. I'm want to start my idea,

0:23:30.640 --> 0:23:32.280
<v Speaker 1>put my offering into the world.

0:23:32.400 --> 0:23:33.159
<v Speaker 3>It was us.

0:23:33.560 --> 0:23:36.919
<v Speaker 2>It was experiences such as going to Afrotech for the

0:23:36.960 --> 0:23:40.119
<v Speaker 2>past several years and connecting with folks. You know, my

0:23:41.160 --> 0:23:44.440
<v Speaker 2>co founder of ours and I met each other about

0:23:44.440 --> 0:23:48.200
<v Speaker 2>four years prior to about four years ago, same day

0:23:48.720 --> 0:23:50.439
<v Speaker 2>we started at Twitter at the same day at the

0:23:50.440 --> 0:23:51.240
<v Speaker 2>same time.

0:23:51.080 --> 0:23:54.560
<v Speaker 3>And have been talking for years about these issues. You

0:23:54.560 --> 0:23:55.600
<v Speaker 3>know these challenges, and I.

0:23:55.520 --> 0:23:58.760
<v Speaker 2>Think many people in the Afro tech community, we all

0:23:58.760 --> 0:23:59.480
<v Speaker 2>feel the same way.

0:24:00.200 --> 0:24:02.400
<v Speaker 3>At a major tech platform and you're black.

0:24:02.119 --> 0:24:04.719
<v Speaker 2>And you're in the ergs and we're all looking at

0:24:04.720 --> 0:24:07.520
<v Speaker 2>each other and we're like, man, we got to go

0:24:07.560 --> 0:24:09.720
<v Speaker 2>do something. So I know that this is something that

0:24:10.520 --> 0:24:13.160
<v Speaker 2>is in particularly original in terms of a feeling.

0:24:13.720 --> 0:24:16.120
<v Speaker 3>But I'll tell you two truths that happened to me the.

0:24:16.119 --> 0:24:22.959
<v Speaker 2>Night that the layoffs happened. First was I got incredibly clear.

0:24:23.720 --> 0:24:25.840
<v Speaker 2>I was incredibly focused.

0:24:25.880 --> 0:24:26.440
<v Speaker 3>It was just.

0:24:27.920 --> 0:24:30.720
<v Speaker 2>Something that I can't really explain, but I was just determined.

0:24:30.840 --> 0:24:32.159
<v Speaker 2>You know, I knew it in my heart. It was

0:24:32.240 --> 0:24:34.639
<v Speaker 2>just like, there's no going back. We're going to do this.

0:24:34.720 --> 0:24:36.919
<v Speaker 2>If I got to, you know, liquidate the four oh

0:24:36.960 --> 0:24:39.280
<v Speaker 2>one k or do whatever it takes, We're going to

0:24:39.359 --> 0:24:41.600
<v Speaker 2>do this. And that level of conviction, I think, you know,

0:24:41.720 --> 0:24:45.240
<v Speaker 2>really set the tone for everything that's happened since. But

0:24:45.320 --> 0:24:48.720
<v Speaker 2>as I mentioned before, the conviction came from two experiences

0:24:49.600 --> 0:24:53.240
<v Speaker 2>sort of feelings at that time, which was one, nobody

0:24:53.280 --> 0:24:57.440
<v Speaker 2>knows this better than us, and two, you just have

0:24:57.520 --> 0:25:00.399
<v Speaker 2>to have the audacity, the guts, that's literal. Really the

0:25:00.400 --> 0:25:03.840
<v Speaker 2>difference between us and most of those folks that we

0:25:03.920 --> 0:25:07.760
<v Speaker 2>look up to. It's just being like, grab your jones

0:25:07.880 --> 0:25:10.800
<v Speaker 2>and get out there and do it. And it's amazing

0:25:10.880 --> 0:25:13.000
<v Speaker 2>to see what has happened in the time since then.

0:25:13.040 --> 0:25:15.560
<v Speaker 2>I mean, it's it's crazy to have this conversation that

0:25:15.680 --> 0:25:18.160
<v Speaker 2>in less than a year we've gone from there. I've

0:25:18.160 --> 0:25:21.439
<v Speaker 2>gone from fire to funded to the number one social

0:25:21.440 --> 0:25:24.560
<v Speaker 2>app in the App Store in less than eight months.

0:25:25.119 --> 0:25:28.320
<v Speaker 1>It's amazing, you know, And I got to ask you

0:25:28.359 --> 0:25:32.080
<v Speaker 1>this also finds like, you know, the timing of notable

0:25:32.160 --> 0:25:36.160
<v Speaker 1>social media apps has them dropping, has you know, created

0:25:36.720 --> 0:25:39.760
<v Speaker 1>an even more challenging task to build a social media

0:25:39.960 --> 0:25:42.080
<v Speaker 1>It's going to be challenging regardless, but that just makes

0:25:42.160 --> 0:25:45.720
<v Speaker 1>it even harder when very well funded and you know,

0:25:45.840 --> 0:25:52.520
<v Speaker 1>previously successful entrance get into the space. What do you

0:25:52.640 --> 0:25:56.320
<v Speaker 1>lean into when you own the road to building something

0:25:57.119 --> 0:26:01.040
<v Speaker 1>and a powerful rival sets their sites on that same territory.

0:26:03.040 --> 0:26:04.000
<v Speaker 3>Well, it's a couple of things.

0:26:04.200 --> 0:26:07.240
<v Speaker 2>First, this has been happening since the beginning of this journey, right,

0:26:07.280 --> 0:26:08.480
<v Speaker 2>there's been all kinds.

0:26:08.280 --> 0:26:12.120
<v Speaker 3>Of you know, innovation, and I actually think it's fantastic.

0:26:12.400 --> 0:26:16.199
<v Speaker 2>I think we haven't really seen a true innovation and

0:26:16.280 --> 0:26:18.879
<v Speaker 2>social in about a decade. You know, we've had a

0:26:18.880 --> 0:26:22.600
<v Speaker 2>couple of you know, new kind of you know, gimmicky

0:26:22.600 --> 0:26:25.359
<v Speaker 2>things here or there, but there's you know, like a

0:26:25.440 --> 0:26:28.200
<v Speaker 2>truly a new wave of how do you think about

0:26:28.240 --> 0:26:31.240
<v Speaker 2>social and community and you know, business models and all

0:26:31.240 --> 0:26:34.080
<v Speaker 2>of that we haven't seen really since since the last

0:26:34.160 --> 0:26:36.119
<v Speaker 2>you know, year or so, and so I think that's

0:26:36.440 --> 0:26:37.840
<v Speaker 2>really exciting.

0:26:37.920 --> 0:26:40.680
<v Speaker 3>And I don't look at that at all as a negative.

0:26:40.720 --> 0:26:41.240
<v Speaker 3>I think it.

0:26:41.280 --> 0:26:44.119
<v Speaker 2>Creates a lot of conversation and actually gets you know,

0:26:44.240 --> 0:26:45.920
<v Speaker 2>opens a lot of doors for a lot of people

0:26:45.960 --> 0:26:47.199
<v Speaker 2>to be like, hey, did you hear about this?

0:26:47.240 --> 0:26:49.760
<v Speaker 3>So you're talking about that? Okay, you know, let's talk

0:26:49.760 --> 0:26:51.760
<v Speaker 3>about this and maybe check it out.

0:26:52.560 --> 0:26:55.840
<v Speaker 2>And at the same time, it is so obviously clear

0:26:56.119 --> 0:26:58.960
<v Speaker 2>and again, you know, you're on the platform, and as

0:26:59.040 --> 0:27:01.280
<v Speaker 2>Kenya mentioned to everyone, and we can't wait to welcome

0:27:01.760 --> 0:27:04.879
<v Speaker 2>many more folks onto it in the coming months as

0:27:05.400 --> 0:27:08.600
<v Speaker 2>we move through our beta process. But you'll see the

0:27:08.640 --> 0:27:11.640
<v Speaker 2>minute you get on Spill it's different. I mean it's

0:27:11.680 --> 0:27:15.520
<v Speaker 2>as different as walking around Times Square versus Brooklyn, you know,

0:27:15.920 --> 0:27:22.520
<v Speaker 2>like you can just feel a difference automatically. It's different conversations,

0:27:22.560 --> 0:27:26.720
<v Speaker 2>different content, the way the platform is designed, it's colorful,

0:27:27.400 --> 0:27:30.679
<v Speaker 2>there's motion, Our brand is you know.

0:27:31.000 --> 0:27:32.520
<v Speaker 3>The language to lexicon.

0:27:32.600 --> 0:27:36.359
<v Speaker 2>The name Spill obviously comes from the black Wood community, right, like,

0:27:36.880 --> 0:27:38.240
<v Speaker 2>this is different.

0:27:38.359 --> 0:27:39.600
<v Speaker 3>We haven't really seen.

0:27:39.400 --> 0:27:41.639
<v Speaker 2>Something like this at this level, I think in a while.

0:27:42.160 --> 0:27:46.639
<v Speaker 2>So I'm really animated and grounded in our purpose and

0:27:46.680 --> 0:27:49.480
<v Speaker 2>our mission and know that the problems that we're looking

0:27:49.520 --> 0:27:51.840
<v Speaker 2>to solve are fundamentally different.

0:27:51.520 --> 0:27:53.480
<v Speaker 3>Than I think any other players in the space.

0:27:53.640 --> 0:27:57.760
<v Speaker 5>Put me to tackle them, and the differentiators are proven,

0:27:57.760 --> 0:28:00.400
<v Speaker 5>that thesis has proven in you know, the the fact

0:28:00.400 --> 0:28:02.720
<v Speaker 5>that we get from our community in real time right

0:28:02.880 --> 0:28:06.200
<v Speaker 5>data is testing. So people are telling us how they're

0:28:06.200 --> 0:28:08.520
<v Speaker 5>feeling every single time we open up the app on

0:28:08.560 --> 0:28:10.960
<v Speaker 5>a daily basis, And what warms my heart so much

0:28:11.000 --> 0:28:13.119
<v Speaker 5>as we see people saying, hey, I just told my

0:28:13.200 --> 0:28:17.399
<v Speaker 5>therapist about Spill, right, I'm feeling better about being on

0:28:17.440 --> 0:28:20.679
<v Speaker 5>social media. I didn't even notice y'all, But y'all have

0:28:20.760 --> 0:28:22.879
<v Speaker 5>my phone battery dying on a daily basis. I have

0:28:22.920 --> 0:28:31.520
<v Speaker 5>to carry around a portable charger around my house. But

0:28:31.920 --> 0:28:34.960
<v Speaker 5>it's because people are finding not just finding community, but

0:28:35.160 --> 0:28:40.680
<v Speaker 5>creating brand new communities around shared experiences amongst themselves and

0:28:40.760 --> 0:28:43.880
<v Speaker 5>so much about the product design lends itself to feeling

0:28:44.240 --> 0:28:49.240
<v Speaker 5>like a healthier, happier, more vibrant ecosystem that they want

0:28:49.280 --> 0:28:51.040
<v Speaker 5>to be a part of and continue to develop.

0:28:51.160 --> 0:28:53.200
<v Speaker 4>You know, we've got the who's who of culture.

0:28:52.800 --> 0:28:56.680
<v Speaker 5>On the platform, you know, celebs and music legends, and

0:28:56.720 --> 0:28:59.239
<v Speaker 5>you're getting to see conversations between people that you may

0:28:59.280 --> 0:29:01.680
<v Speaker 5>now they've even knew knew each other, and perhaps they

0:29:01.720 --> 0:29:05.560
<v Speaker 5>didn't know each other before spill talking about what's more influential,

0:29:05.640 --> 0:29:09.160
<v Speaker 5>you know, album covers or album titles, right, you know,

0:29:09.240 --> 0:29:12.240
<v Speaker 5>And we're also seeing folks who have a love for

0:29:12.520 --> 0:29:15.400
<v Speaker 5>UX and UI design who perhaps have never had the

0:29:15.440 --> 0:29:18.240
<v Speaker 5>opportunity to work in a field like that, give their

0:29:18.240 --> 0:29:20.720
<v Speaker 5>two cents and three cents about you know what they

0:29:20.720 --> 0:29:23.080
<v Speaker 5>think about this as well, and again receive a call

0:29:23.160 --> 0:29:26.120
<v Speaker 5>and response from our team too about thank you so

0:29:26.200 --> 0:29:28.400
<v Speaker 5>much for that idea and we appreciate that. And then

0:29:28.440 --> 0:29:30.760
<v Speaker 5>the next build they get to see their uplate update,

0:29:31.320 --> 0:29:35.280
<v Speaker 5>their their idea updated and implemented, and so it is

0:29:35.320 --> 0:29:38.800
<v Speaker 5>just it's just such an awesome experience. Nothing like it

0:29:38.840 --> 0:29:42.720
<v Speaker 5>exists on social media, and we know that those differentiating

0:29:42.720 --> 0:29:46.360
<v Speaker 5>factors are what keep people coming back. But also what's

0:29:46.400 --> 0:29:49.440
<v Speaker 5>going to have us continue to receive more success like

0:29:49.480 --> 0:29:50.240
<v Speaker 5>this in the future.

0:29:50.800 --> 0:29:53.520
<v Speaker 1>And so this one is more of a startup building

0:29:53.600 --> 0:29:56.320
<v Speaker 1>question and fundraising question when you go to build a

0:29:56.360 --> 0:30:00.320
<v Speaker 1>startup how because I asked Marlon Nichols this question on

0:30:00.360 --> 0:30:02.520
<v Speaker 1>the episode that's not a drop yet, but by the

0:30:02.520 --> 0:30:05.080
<v Speaker 1>time this comes out, that will have dropped. And I

0:30:05.120 --> 0:30:07.720
<v Speaker 1>asked him, how do you know as a founder how

0:30:07.800 --> 0:30:12.120
<v Speaker 1>much to raise? And since you're in such a tumultuous

0:30:12.240 --> 0:30:16.560
<v Speaker 1>vertical social media how much of the thinking of we

0:30:16.600 --> 0:30:20.280
<v Speaker 1>need a war chest, not just engineers, not just you know,

0:30:20.400 --> 0:30:22.480
<v Speaker 1>talent and et cetera, but we also need a war chest.

0:30:22.480 --> 0:30:25.440
<v Speaker 1>How much of that goes into the calculation on this

0:30:25.480 --> 0:30:26.800
<v Speaker 1>is the number we're gonna raise.

0:30:29.000 --> 0:30:30.520
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, I can. I can chime in here.

0:30:30.600 --> 0:30:33.600
<v Speaker 2>I think, first of all, shout out to Marlin, I'm

0:30:33.640 --> 0:30:36.400
<v Speaker 2>one of our lead funders in Spill, and shout out

0:30:36.440 --> 0:30:39.120
<v Speaker 2>to the entire Magneture Capital team and Charles King.

0:30:38.960 --> 0:30:39.880
<v Speaker 3>And everyone over there.

0:30:40.480 --> 0:30:44.440
<v Speaker 2>We really had a I had a learning curve in

0:30:44.520 --> 0:30:47.120
<v Speaker 2>this cycle as well, because this is my first venture

0:30:47.120 --> 0:30:49.680
<v Speaker 2>back startup, and I was lucky enough to have a

0:30:49.720 --> 0:30:52.840
<v Speaker 2>co founder like Thevirs, who has been through these cycles

0:30:52.840 --> 0:30:56.160
<v Speaker 2>a couple of times, and when we look at the fundraising,

0:30:56.200 --> 0:30:57.640
<v Speaker 2>you know, you're you're definitely.

0:30:57.280 --> 0:30:58.959
<v Speaker 3>Going in there like, Okay, what do I need right now?

0:30:58.960 --> 0:30:59.800
<v Speaker 3>And I'm gonna get to this.

0:31:00.160 --> 0:31:02.760
<v Speaker 2>It always takes longer, and it always costs way more

0:31:03.520 --> 0:31:07.000
<v Speaker 2>than you think it's going to take. And sometimes that's

0:31:07.000 --> 0:31:10.080
<v Speaker 2>really hard, especially for black founders, where I think we

0:31:10.280 --> 0:31:14.800
<v Speaker 2>raise two percent of overall venture capital in this country

0:31:14.840 --> 0:31:17.440
<v Speaker 2>goes to black founders, and then for black women's even

0:31:17.440 --> 0:31:20.360
<v Speaker 2>a fraction of that. So it's often hard for us

0:31:20.400 --> 0:31:23.120
<v Speaker 2>to say, hey, yeah, we want to raise more as

0:31:23.160 --> 0:31:27.200
<v Speaker 2>if we, you know, can dictate the terms, the business

0:31:27.200 --> 0:31:30.480
<v Speaker 2>has to justify it, of course, but I think ultimately

0:31:31.240 --> 0:31:33.520
<v Speaker 2>when you have and this is a great message to

0:31:33.560 --> 0:31:36.720
<v Speaker 2>the VC community and especially for all founders out there,

0:31:37.480 --> 0:31:41.000
<v Speaker 2>you have to think, not just to your point what

0:31:41.040 --> 0:31:44.520
<v Speaker 2>do I need now, but let's plan for success and

0:31:44.720 --> 0:31:49.880
<v Speaker 2>really challenge venture capital to invest in black founders, especially

0:31:50.440 --> 0:31:53.600
<v Speaker 2>with the vision of success right this is you know,

0:31:53.640 --> 0:31:56.400
<v Speaker 2>we need a couple of cycles maybe, and sometimes we

0:31:56.440 --> 0:31:59.440
<v Speaker 2>don't always get that as black founders, and even you know,

0:31:59.560 --> 0:32:02.720
<v Speaker 2>black funds are black lead funds sometimes have the same

0:32:03.040 --> 0:32:06.000
<v Speaker 2>sort of you know, challenges and restrictions, and so it

0:32:06.120 --> 0:32:08.480
<v Speaker 2>is a mind shift for us to really go in

0:32:08.520 --> 0:32:10.440
<v Speaker 2>there not thinking Okay, I can I can get to

0:32:10.520 --> 0:32:14.160
<v Speaker 2>this bar just just eke it out, you know, But no, actually,

0:32:14.240 --> 0:32:17.360
<v Speaker 2>let's plan for success. Our vision is to create the

0:32:17.400 --> 0:32:21.880
<v Speaker 2>first multi billion dollar valued social platform that's been black

0:32:21.920 --> 0:32:25.720
<v Speaker 2>owned and black operated that we've ever seen before. What

0:32:25.760 --> 0:32:28.360
<v Speaker 2>does that actually take? How do we work backwards from

0:32:28.400 --> 0:32:31.240
<v Speaker 2>that vision and ensure that we have everything we need

0:32:31.680 --> 0:32:34.040
<v Speaker 2>to give us the greatest chance to get there. And

0:32:34.200 --> 0:32:37.320
<v Speaker 2>credit to Marlon and our backers who have been really

0:32:37.360 --> 0:32:40.840
<v Speaker 2>really fantastic and being like, you're going to need more

0:32:41.120 --> 0:32:42.640
<v Speaker 2>and it's going to take more time.

0:32:43.040 --> 0:32:45.520
<v Speaker 3>So plan for that. Yeah.

0:32:45.560 --> 0:32:47.960
<v Speaker 1>So when you go to investors who are very smart,

0:32:48.080 --> 0:32:51.880
<v Speaker 1>very reputable on the leaders in their category, mac Freinsure Capital,

0:32:52.320 --> 0:32:55.560
<v Speaker 1>KP or Capital, you know, roughly a year and a half,

0:32:55.600 --> 0:32:58.160
<v Speaker 1>two years ago, like, what is it that you sell

0:32:58.200 --> 0:33:01.320
<v Speaker 1>them one? Because the idea is one thing. What is

0:33:01.320 --> 0:33:04.360
<v Speaker 1>it that you sell them on that says, you know,

0:33:04.400 --> 0:33:06.880
<v Speaker 1>I'm going to write them in check? What do you

0:33:06.880 --> 0:33:09.520
<v Speaker 1>think you bring to that meaning that gets you that

0:33:09.640 --> 0:33:10.560
<v Speaker 1>level of confidence?

0:33:12.760 --> 0:33:16.680
<v Speaker 2>As ken you mentioned, not to not to be that,

0:33:16.840 --> 0:33:20.760
<v Speaker 2>but we can inflect a little bit. There's nobody better

0:33:20.760 --> 0:33:23.120
<v Speaker 2>in the social media marketing space in the world than

0:33:23.160 --> 0:33:25.200
<v Speaker 2>me and the teams that I've been able to lead

0:33:25.240 --> 0:33:27.360
<v Speaker 2>over the past i'd say five years.

0:33:27.680 --> 0:33:29.160
<v Speaker 3>And that's not just my opinion.

0:33:29.280 --> 0:33:32.920
<v Speaker 2>I won best Overall Social for my team at HBO

0:33:33.000 --> 0:33:37.080
<v Speaker 2>and then two years later or Twitter, we do this

0:33:37.440 --> 0:33:41.440
<v Speaker 2>and we do this well. So understanding and owning our space, right,

0:33:41.480 --> 0:33:44.560
<v Speaker 2>it's really the founding team, right, Like, we know what

0:33:44.600 --> 0:33:47.040
<v Speaker 2>we're doing. Between Devirus and EI, there's nothing that we

0:33:47.120 --> 0:33:50.440
<v Speaker 2>haven't seen in the social space from a bill side

0:33:50.520 --> 0:33:54.160
<v Speaker 2>or from a community and content side. So that's number one,

0:33:54.160 --> 0:33:57.200
<v Speaker 2>and I think that that's what resonated. I think number two,

0:33:57.760 --> 0:34:02.400
<v Speaker 2>we are tackling a really challenge problem that's really pervasive

0:34:02.800 --> 0:34:06.959
<v Speaker 2>and really really easy to understand. Hate online has been

0:34:06.960 --> 0:34:09.920
<v Speaker 2>a problem for a long time, right, hate towards black

0:34:09.960 --> 0:34:13.520
<v Speaker 2>communities and especially you know, creators not going to commentate

0:34:13.600 --> 0:34:15.480
<v Speaker 2>all of that. It's been a problem for a long time.

0:34:15.520 --> 0:34:18.680
<v Speaker 2>A lot of people have, you know, taken attempts to

0:34:19.120 --> 0:34:22.680
<v Speaker 2>solve this problem, and so I think that's meaningful too.

0:34:22.800 --> 0:34:25.680
<v Speaker 2>Sometimes it's a little scary to be like, we're going

0:34:25.719 --> 0:34:28.560
<v Speaker 2>to tackle this monster, you know, but that actually gets

0:34:28.960 --> 0:34:31.919
<v Speaker 2>you know, funds excited because it's like, if they can

0:34:31.960 --> 0:34:36.719
<v Speaker 2>solve this, that's your mode, right, Like they've come through

0:34:36.760 --> 0:34:39.919
<v Speaker 2>and you know, as we're cracking our large language model

0:34:39.960 --> 0:34:42.720
<v Speaker 2>technology and we were focused on this before chat, GBT,

0:34:42.840 --> 0:34:46.400
<v Speaker 2>blew up and everything else. This is something that really

0:34:46.440 --> 0:34:49.040
<v Speaker 2>is a game changer. It's you know, no bs and

0:34:49.080 --> 0:34:50.960
<v Speaker 2>so that was the second thing that I think got

0:34:51.000 --> 0:34:53.759
<v Speaker 2>people excited, and then I'd say, yeah, the third thing

0:34:53.840 --> 0:34:56.800
<v Speaker 2>is just passion, right, Like this wasn't a side project,

0:34:57.080 --> 0:35:01.560
<v Speaker 2>This wasn't something that I was, you know, oh, let's

0:35:01.600 --> 0:35:03.760
<v Speaker 2>see what happens. It's like, no, I'm betting my life

0:35:03.760 --> 0:35:07.920
<v Speaker 2>on it. And people can feel that and whatever comes,

0:35:08.239 --> 0:35:10.319
<v Speaker 2>I'm going to be in this and the team you know,

0:35:10.440 --> 0:35:14.080
<v Speaker 2>Kenya and Varus and shout out to everybody on Team

0:35:14.160 --> 0:35:17.920
<v Speaker 2>Spill who's been grinding literally seven days a week for

0:35:18.040 --> 0:35:21.000
<v Speaker 2>the past eight months, like no breaks. Not that we're

0:35:21.040 --> 0:35:22.799
<v Speaker 2>trying to build that as the company and culture, but

0:35:22.840 --> 0:35:26.160
<v Speaker 2>it's just from passion, right, I think that goes a

0:35:26.160 --> 0:35:27.560
<v Speaker 2>long way. People can feel that.

0:35:27.560 --> 0:35:28.040
<v Speaker 3>In the run.

0:35:28.560 --> 0:35:32.480
<v Speaker 1>You know, Kenya, there is historically even with newspapers, you know,

0:35:32.520 --> 0:35:35.560
<v Speaker 1>there's this quote that if it bleeds it leads. And

0:35:35.600 --> 0:35:40.319
<v Speaker 1>there's a reason why hate is pervasive on historical you

0:35:40.360 --> 0:35:42.600
<v Speaker 1>know apps we've been using for a long time. And

0:35:42.680 --> 0:35:46.960
<v Speaker 1>I wonder, because if hate didn't make you know, the

0:35:47.000 --> 0:35:49.840
<v Speaker 1>register ring, people would stop it from happening.

0:35:49.920 --> 0:35:51.160
<v Speaker 3>But it works.

0:35:51.160 --> 0:35:53.239
<v Speaker 1>That's why you have trending topics because people want to

0:35:53.239 --> 0:35:55.080
<v Speaker 1>know who just got shot, you know, people want to

0:35:55.120 --> 0:35:57.880
<v Speaker 1>know who just slapped somebody at the oscar like people

0:35:57.920 --> 0:35:59.680
<v Speaker 1>want to know those kinds of things. And so I

0:35:59.719 --> 0:36:05.480
<v Speaker 1>wonder what is your take on is does things that

0:36:05.680 --> 0:36:11.160
<v Speaker 1>amplify positivity? Do those things work when we we can

0:36:11.320 --> 0:36:13.319
<v Speaker 1>be our own worst enemy as communities.

0:36:13.760 --> 0:36:16.200
<v Speaker 5>You know, well, I'm going to share something with you

0:36:16.320 --> 0:36:17.719
<v Speaker 5>that I haven't I haven't shared with.

0:36:17.680 --> 0:36:20.160
<v Speaker 4>Anybody else yet. This is this is this is this

0:36:20.280 --> 0:36:23.880
<v Speaker 4>is specific that we related to this one of the

0:36:25.560 --> 0:36:25.919
<v Speaker 4>we are.

0:36:25.960 --> 0:36:29.399
<v Speaker 5>We are super clear that hate has existed well long

0:36:29.480 --> 0:36:33.640
<v Speaker 5>before us, and unfortunately, you know, it will probably exist

0:36:33.840 --> 0:36:36.640
<v Speaker 5>long after us. But what we are doing with our

0:36:36.680 --> 0:36:41.160
<v Speaker 5>build is making sure that hate doesn't live on spill

0:36:41.480 --> 0:36:45.400
<v Speaker 5>right for an extended amount of time. And so you know,

0:36:45.440 --> 0:36:50.839
<v Speaker 5>we're adding protections here. We're not silly enough to think that, uh,

0:36:51.160 --> 0:36:55.600
<v Speaker 5>you know, we can prevent people from acting out and

0:36:55.760 --> 0:36:59.080
<v Speaker 5>doing the things, especially since there's a lot of courage

0:36:59.080 --> 0:37:01.799
<v Speaker 5>that happens when you're behind screen and people behave in

0:37:01.840 --> 0:37:06.200
<v Speaker 5>ways differently than they would in everyday life. Right. But

0:37:06.760 --> 0:37:11.680
<v Speaker 5>with the bravery, with the courage, with the very clarity

0:37:11.719 --> 0:37:14.319
<v Speaker 5>that we have with our community guidelines and our terms

0:37:14.360 --> 0:37:18.640
<v Speaker 5>of service, we are making it extra clear with what

0:37:18.680 --> 0:37:21.280
<v Speaker 5>we stand for and what we don't. Our moderation teams

0:37:21.280 --> 0:37:24.800
<v Speaker 5>are very active. We've got you know, human lines of defense,

0:37:24.880 --> 0:37:28.560
<v Speaker 5>We've got you know, culturally competent AI lines of defense,

0:37:29.480 --> 0:37:32.399
<v Speaker 5>and so you know, we're seeing that because of all

0:37:32.480 --> 0:37:35.480
<v Speaker 5>of that, an amazing thing that's happening is the community

0:37:35.800 --> 0:37:39.240
<v Speaker 5>is starting to speak up for itself and be very

0:37:39.280 --> 0:37:42.120
<v Speaker 5>clear about what they want and what they don't want.

0:37:42.360 --> 0:37:45.280
<v Speaker 5>Right and it's not even on some just hate stuff.

0:37:45.320 --> 0:37:48.160
<v Speaker 5>It's like, come correct, you know, you'll see spills in

0:37:48.160 --> 0:37:50.120
<v Speaker 5>the Spill of verse. This is the house that my

0:37:50.200 --> 0:37:53.000
<v Speaker 5>friends may take your shoes off, right, Like, that is

0:37:53.040 --> 0:37:55.520
<v Speaker 5>the sentiment that is the energy when you come on

0:37:55.600 --> 0:37:56.080
<v Speaker 5>to Spill.

0:37:56.600 --> 0:37:58.719
<v Speaker 4>You know, we want.

0:38:00.280 --> 0:38:03.120
<v Speaker 5>Brands to feel excited to come into the space, and

0:38:03.160 --> 0:38:06.280
<v Speaker 5>we have honest conversations with our partners, just like a cookout.

0:38:06.719 --> 0:38:09.640
<v Speaker 5>Don't come to the cookout before the food's ready, right

0:38:10.160 --> 0:38:12.680
<v Speaker 5>and ask for a plate. You better bring something, you

0:38:12.719 --> 0:38:15.520
<v Speaker 5>better offer something, right. And so there is this amazing

0:38:15.640 --> 0:38:21.160
<v Speaker 5>culture that is brewing and developing on Spill where the

0:38:21.200 --> 0:38:23.239
<v Speaker 5>community is starting to be clear about what it is

0:38:23.280 --> 0:38:25.720
<v Speaker 5>that they want and what they don't and in funny ways,

0:38:26.080 --> 0:38:29.839
<v Speaker 5>that old behavior, that hateful behavior, is being branded as

0:38:29.920 --> 0:38:32.440
<v Speaker 5>what was permitted on some of those other apps. And

0:38:32.480 --> 0:38:35.080
<v Speaker 5>so you'll literally also see as you scroll through the timeline,

0:38:35.080 --> 0:38:36.799
<v Speaker 5>like don't bring none of that stuff over here.

0:38:36.920 --> 0:38:38.960
<v Speaker 4>This is new fresh air over here. We got a

0:38:39.000 --> 0:38:41.440
<v Speaker 4>new age back in the still verse, right, like we

0:38:42.239 --> 0:38:43.080
<v Speaker 4>want some new air.

0:38:43.239 --> 0:38:46.160
<v Speaker 5>So, you know, I'm really grateful, I'm really really grateful

0:38:46.520 --> 0:38:47.680
<v Speaker 5>to see that happenings.

0:38:47.719 --> 0:38:48.000
<v Speaker 4>Again.

0:38:48.040 --> 0:38:50.200
<v Speaker 5>That is just proof of the thesis that is the

0:38:50.239 --> 0:38:53.480
<v Speaker 5>community taking you know, the principles and the policies that

0:38:53.520 --> 0:38:56.200
<v Speaker 5>we are putting in place, and they're adopting it as

0:38:56.239 --> 0:38:58.040
<v Speaker 5>their own and they're saying, yes, we like this and

0:38:58.080 --> 0:38:59.680
<v Speaker 5>we want this, and we're gonna take it even a

0:38:59.680 --> 0:39:02.920
<v Speaker 5>step further, which is what should happen, right hack this

0:39:03.200 --> 0:39:04.920
<v Speaker 5>you know, with us, you know, this is what we

0:39:04.960 --> 0:39:08.319
<v Speaker 5>think and we intent and and you know, tell us

0:39:08.440 --> 0:39:10.919
<v Speaker 5>how it works and how it doesn't and the things

0:39:10.960 --> 0:39:13.360
<v Speaker 5>that work run with it, and we're gonna build with y'all.

0:39:13.440 --> 0:39:15.360
<v Speaker 5>And and they've said that they want spill to be

0:39:15.400 --> 0:39:18.920
<v Speaker 5>a positive place full of beautiful affirmation. You know, you

0:39:18.960 --> 0:39:21.920
<v Speaker 5>can click on you know, certain hashtags like art spill

0:39:22.000 --> 0:39:24.560
<v Speaker 5>and go on a virtual date with your spill bay

0:39:24.600 --> 0:39:27.120
<v Speaker 5>and all kinds of fun things that happen, right, And

0:39:27.160 --> 0:39:28.680
<v Speaker 5>that's the type of positivity that.

0:39:28.640 --> 0:39:33.520
<v Speaker 1>We're find finds. I want to leave this last one

0:39:33.520 --> 0:39:35.160
<v Speaker 1>with you, and I want you to talk about because

0:39:35.160 --> 0:39:38.000
<v Speaker 1>we mentioned the courage it takes to build your own table,

0:39:38.480 --> 0:39:40.279
<v Speaker 1>and there's a lot of us who are out here

0:39:40.360 --> 0:39:44.240
<v Speaker 1>who were in the position or are in the position

0:39:44.320 --> 0:39:48.600
<v Speaker 1>that you are in where you believe in something so passionately,

0:39:48.920 --> 0:39:51.719
<v Speaker 1>this one being community, not just a technology, but a

0:39:51.719 --> 0:39:56.440
<v Speaker 1>community that deserves a platform that recognizes its its importance

0:39:56.480 --> 0:39:59.239
<v Speaker 1>and its value to the world. And so when you

0:39:59.360 --> 0:40:05.759
<v Speaker 1>see found who are who you were two years ago? Well,

0:40:06.000 --> 0:40:08.840
<v Speaker 1>knowing what you know now, what would you say to

0:40:09.040 --> 0:40:10.360
<v Speaker 1>the fines two years ago?

0:40:11.440 --> 0:40:15.800
<v Speaker 3>Great question? A couple of things. I would say, First,

0:40:16.120 --> 0:40:19.719
<v Speaker 3>you are more right than you even know. You are

0:40:19.760 --> 0:40:21.600
<v Speaker 3>more right than you even.

0:40:21.400 --> 0:40:24.840
<v Speaker 2>Know, and if you're feeling it in your gut, trust

0:40:24.880 --> 0:40:27.480
<v Speaker 2>that there is many many other people who are probably

0:40:27.480 --> 0:40:30.560
<v Speaker 2>feeling the same way. So that's number one. I'd say

0:40:30.640 --> 0:40:35.080
<v Speaker 2>number two, there's a wave happening. There's a wave of

0:40:35.320 --> 0:40:40.520
<v Speaker 2>black entrepreneurship that is exciting and beautiful. And I know

0:40:40.600 --> 0:40:44.359
<v Speaker 2>we're in the fiftieth anniversary of hip hop mode right now,

0:40:44.400 --> 0:40:46.399
<v Speaker 2>so it actually reminds me of you.

0:40:46.360 --> 0:40:48.680
<v Speaker 3>Know, hip hop labels in the eighties and nineties.

0:40:48.719 --> 0:40:51.319
<v Speaker 2>You know what Russell and Puff and Jay and Dame

0:40:51.400 --> 0:40:53.919
<v Speaker 2>and all those folks did, where it was like, let's

0:40:53.920 --> 0:40:57.200
<v Speaker 2>go from being you know, not just the performers right,

0:40:57.280 --> 0:41:00.719
<v Speaker 2>not just the products ourselves, but we actually make it right,

0:41:00.760 --> 0:41:02.080
<v Speaker 2>we actually platform it.

0:41:02.600 --> 0:41:06.240
<v Speaker 3>And that this wave is happening.

0:41:06.440 --> 0:41:10.839
<v Speaker 2>I've met so many other incredible you know founders during

0:41:10.840 --> 0:41:11.560
<v Speaker 2>this journey.

0:41:11.320 --> 0:41:13.879
<v Speaker 3>Already and want to work with everyone and shout out.

0:41:13.800 --> 0:41:16.360
<v Speaker 2>Again to the afrotech community because you guys have really

0:41:16.360 --> 0:41:19.440
<v Speaker 2>built you know, an amazing platform for black folks in

0:41:19.520 --> 0:41:24.440
<v Speaker 2>tec to come together and that that wave is happening

0:41:24.480 --> 0:41:27.680
<v Speaker 2>and this is just the latest, the next big you

0:41:27.719 --> 0:41:31.359
<v Speaker 2>know shift in in that. So I would say you're

0:41:31.520 --> 0:41:33.560
<v Speaker 2>you're not alone because there's a whole bunch of other

0:41:33.640 --> 0:41:36.880
<v Speaker 2>folks coming along this journey too, and we got to

0:41:36.920 --> 0:41:39.120
<v Speaker 2>talk to each other, We got to share information, we

0:41:39.239 --> 0:41:41.879
<v Speaker 2>got to you know, connect, and you know, put each

0:41:41.880 --> 0:41:44.080
<v Speaker 2>other on game and put each other on real spill

0:41:44.440 --> 0:41:46.799
<v Speaker 2>so that we can all benefit from this journey, because

0:41:46.800 --> 0:41:50.000
<v Speaker 2>that's how we win, We win collectively. And so I

0:41:50.000 --> 0:41:53.080
<v Speaker 2>would say those are the two big things. One trust

0:41:53.120 --> 0:41:54.880
<v Speaker 2>your gut. You are more right than you know.

0:41:55.000 --> 0:41:58.920
<v Speaker 3>And number two, there's a wave happening, and jump on,

0:41:59.239 --> 0:41:59.680
<v Speaker 3>let's go.

0:41:59.719 --> 0:42:02.080
<v Speaker 2>If you're thinking about it, go do it. Come holler

0:42:02.080 --> 0:42:04.680
<v Speaker 2>at us, poporn the spill. We're gonna help it apply

0:42:04.719 --> 0:42:05.440
<v Speaker 2>you even elevent you.

0:42:20.440 --> 0:42:23.000
<v Speaker 1>Black Tech Green Money is a production of Blavity Afro

0:42:23.120 --> 0:42:26.320
<v Speaker 1>Tech on the Black Effect podcast network in night Heart Media,

0:42:26.520 --> 0:42:29.560
<v Speaker 1>and it's produced by Morgan Debonne and me Well Lucas,

0:42:29.800 --> 0:42:33.200
<v Speaker 1>with additional production support by Sarah Ergan and Rose McLucas.

0:42:34.280 --> 0:42:37.520
<v Speaker 1>Special thank you to Michael Davis, Vanessa Serrano or Maya Moldrew.

0:42:38.200 --> 0:42:40.279
<v Speaker 1>Learn more about my guests and other tech distructors an

0:42:40.280 --> 0:42:44.160
<v Speaker 1>innovators at afrotech dot com enjoying Black Tech Green Money.

0:42:44.800 --> 0:42:48.960
<v Speaker 1>Shi it is somebody, go get your money. Peace and

0:42:49.040 --> 0:42:49.239
<v Speaker 1>love