1 00:00:02,040 --> 00:00:04,560 Speaker 1: Hey guys, It's Sammy Jay and welcome back to this 2 00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 1: week's episode of the Letsbi Real podcast. I hope your 3 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:11,320 Speaker 1: day is going well. The holidays are approaching, and I 4 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:14,120 Speaker 1: just I'm very grateful for all of you. And this 5 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:17,599 Speaker 1: week I got to chat with the incredible Amanda Zuckerman, 6 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:19,840 Speaker 1: who is the co founder of dorm if I. She's 7 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:23,800 Speaker 1: Forbes thirty Under thirty and her story is really inspiring. 8 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:26,440 Speaker 1: And if you don't know, dorrify is it's essentially your 9 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:29,800 Speaker 1: one stop shop for everything college. We talk about building 10 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:32,640 Speaker 1: a business, being an entrepreneur, and so much more in 11 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 1: this episode. I love you, guys, and thank you for listening. Amanda, 12 00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:40,120 Speaker 1: thank you so much for taking the time to come 13 00:00:40,159 --> 00:00:42,879 Speaker 1: on my podcast. I am so excited about this episode 14 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:45,919 Speaker 1: because I really want to talk about growing a business, 15 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:49,400 Speaker 1: being an entrepreneur, and also starting at any age, because 16 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:52,199 Speaker 1: I feel like that's something that's so accessible to us 17 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 1: now in the age of Google. Um. But I haven't 18 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:58,760 Speaker 1: seen you in so long. How are you. I'm doing well, 19 00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 1: it's been forever. I miss you and hopefully we can 20 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:03,960 Speaker 1: see each other soon when you're back in New York. 21 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 1: But I think they're good. Time is flying um when 22 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:11,120 Speaker 1: you are an entrepreneur on that topic, we always laugh 23 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:15,840 Speaker 1: because it's like dog years in terms of days over here, 24 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 1: so every day just feels like it's times ten. So 25 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:23,200 Speaker 1: something that happened last week, we're like, oh my god, 26 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:27,200 Speaker 1: that a month ago. But oh, it's good. I'm very 27 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 1: excited to have this conversation. I know you co founded 28 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:35,320 Speaker 1: dormifying what year. It's funny because it's it's a couple 29 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:38,400 Speaker 1: of different answers depending on how you want. It's life it, 30 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:42,480 Speaker 1: but technically in two thousand eleven, um, but I came 31 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:45,639 Speaker 1: up with the idea in two thousand nine when I 32 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:48,760 Speaker 1: was starting my freshman year, and then we really started 33 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:53,080 Speaker 1: to kind of like soft concept it in my sophomore 34 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:56,160 Speaker 1: year and then technically launched it by my junior year, 35 00:01:56,360 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 1: and that was the year that I actually had dormified 36 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:02,120 Speaker 1: betting in my apartment on campus. Coming up with a business, 37 00:02:02,120 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 1: I know, the main thing that's always important is to 38 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:07,440 Speaker 1: be passionate about the main topic that you're in. So 39 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:12,960 Speaker 1: how did you choose dorms and making dorms cute? Because 40 00:02:13,160 --> 00:02:16,240 Speaker 1: it's a problem that has been going around for a 41 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:19,080 Speaker 1: while and you're the one that really took the step 42 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 1: to make it a solution, So I appreciate that of course. 43 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:25,639 Speaker 1: Um okay, so a couple of things here, So it's 44 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 1: not only about passion. Actually, I would start with like 45 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:33,639 Speaker 1: centering a business idea around solving a problem, because sometimes 46 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 1: you might not be passionate about the business that you're building, um, 47 00:02:36,919 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 1: in terms of the subject matter, you might be passionate 48 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 1: about like solving that problem. So I think the common 49 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:47,400 Speaker 1: misconception in starting a business is you have to like 50 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:51,760 Speaker 1: love whatever that is. So I could have said, like, 51 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 1: I'm not that passionate about interior design, but I love 52 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:58,960 Speaker 1: being creative. I love finding something that you can latch 53 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:01,400 Speaker 1: it onto. But um, I have seen a lot of 54 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:06,359 Speaker 1: successful people who are not technically passionate about a certain 55 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:09,920 Speaker 1: sport or an activity, but they see an opportunity that 56 00:03:09,919 --> 00:03:13,839 Speaker 1: they're passionate about solving. For um. So without going down 57 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:16,440 Speaker 1: that rabbit hole, I can tell you about my own experience. 58 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 1: And my experience is that I was shopping for my 59 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 1: freshman year dorm room, like everyone gets excited to do, 60 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:27,680 Speaker 1: and back then, which was a different world than now, 61 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 1: and it wasn't that long ago. No, I know, it's 62 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:32,440 Speaker 1: crazy though, but try to like think about a world 63 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 1: where Instagram and Pinterest did not exist. In TikTok, social 64 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 1: media did not exist when this was going on, so 65 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 1: kind of like try to put yourself in my shoes 66 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 1: there where you're going to physical stores. Online shopping wasn't 67 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:48,680 Speaker 1: what it is today. You couldn't just find like an 68 00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:52,640 Speaker 1: etcy maker to find something very specific based on TikTok 69 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:55,800 Speaker 1: or you saw on Pinterest or whatever. Um So it 70 00:03:55,880 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 1: was really challenging to find twin XL betting that's required 71 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:03,120 Speaker 1: for edge in styles that were really made for someone 72 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 1: might age. And we meaning my mom and I quickly 73 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 1: saw an opportunity and a white space in the market 74 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 1: to totally like grab hold on because we were literally 75 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:18,640 Speaker 1: in bed back and beyond. I remember it clear as day. Um. 76 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:21,240 Speaker 1: I was in New York City shopping because I had 77 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 1: one day to do it. I was a camp counselor 78 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:25,840 Speaker 1: and I literally, like on an off day, came to 79 00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:28,839 Speaker 1: the city the shop from my dorm room and I 80 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:31,839 Speaker 1: was in the chelsea that up and beyond and looking 81 00:04:31,839 --> 00:04:34,800 Speaker 1: at the shelves, I was like, this is crazy. Why 82 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:37,360 Speaker 1: isn't there anyone who's making cute betting for your dorm room. 83 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 1: So I was kind of nuts, and I decided to 84 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 1: crrate a look based upon pulling tons of different items 85 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:48,719 Speaker 1: from different places and really mixing and matching my future 86 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 1: room look, which most people do today. It's just a 87 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:54,520 Speaker 1: lot more accessible to be able to find one thing 88 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:57,279 Speaker 1: from urban and one thing from dorm of by, so 89 00:04:57,839 --> 00:05:00,160 Speaker 1: there's just so much more access. But I ended up 90 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 1: mixing and matching a ton of stuff that I liked, 91 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:06,040 Speaker 1: and it all started with a Urban Outfitters pillow case 92 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 1: that I was really drawn to, and I built the 93 00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:10,200 Speaker 1: entire room around it, and it ended up being a 94 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 1: really fun, easy ish process for my mom and I 95 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 1: because we're both creative. But we quickly saw when I 96 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:20,560 Speaker 1: went to move in day that many other students and 97 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:23,400 Speaker 1: their parents were dealing with the struggles of how to 98 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:25,160 Speaker 1: set up a room and not only how to make 99 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 1: it cute, but also like functionally, what do you need 100 00:05:28,520 --> 00:05:30,560 Speaker 1: in your space? How do you rerange the furniture to 101 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:34,240 Speaker 1: maximize the space? What are your hacks? So we wanted 102 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:36,560 Speaker 1: to sort of bring what we knew we were good 103 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:40,800 Speaker 1: at two other students and other families that were struggling, 104 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:45,159 Speaker 1: and hence the idea for dorm if I was born. Um, 105 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:47,600 Speaker 1: but really it goes back to that shopping trip at 106 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 1: the bath where I was standing there and I really 107 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:53,000 Speaker 1: said out loud to my mom, we should design our 108 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:55,880 Speaker 1: own line of that thing, and she was like, okay, 109 00:05:56,040 --> 00:06:01,440 Speaker 1: let's do it. Um, so that's amazing, I know, like gravy. No, 110 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:03,960 Speaker 1: that doesn't always happen. But you might be standing next 111 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:06,800 Speaker 1: to a friend or like a classmate, and you see 112 00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:09,919 Speaker 1: an opportunity to solve a problem and you're like, whoa, 113 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:14,160 Speaker 1: this is a horrible, horrible experience. Let me figure out 114 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 1: how to make it better and let me solve it. 115 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:19,440 Speaker 1: And then someone figger with might say, oh, that's really interesting, 116 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:21,480 Speaker 1: like I'd love to think about that with you, or 117 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:24,760 Speaker 1: something along those lines. But happened to be my mom anyway. 118 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:29,920 Speaker 1: So um that was my freshman year. Then my sophomore year, 119 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 1: we actually put a blog up of all things dorm, 120 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:38,960 Speaker 1: all things college. Um. It was students like myself, friends 121 00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:41,039 Speaker 1: of mine, friends of friends who are writing for the 122 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:44,880 Speaker 1: blog so that we could have some online presence that 123 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:47,880 Speaker 1: gave us some credibility to be talking about dorm decor. 124 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:51,440 Speaker 1: And most importantly, um, this actually served as our proof 125 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:54,320 Speaker 1: of concept. Of course, we quickly saw that people did 126 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:56,159 Speaker 1: care about what the rooms looked like. We got to 127 00:06:56,200 --> 00:07:00,919 Speaker 1: gather UM tons of great images from these brand ambassadors 128 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:03,719 Speaker 1: that joined the brand UM, and they ended up being 129 00:07:04,200 --> 00:07:07,160 Speaker 1: a network of hundreds and hundreds of college students that 130 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 1: I knew or were complete strangers to me, because it 131 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 1: just became this viral like friends of friends of friends 132 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:16,600 Speaker 1: type of community, which was exactly what we were trying 133 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:19,720 Speaker 1: to do UM. So once we had that proof of concept, 134 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 1: we started working on what that brand was going to 135 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:25,080 Speaker 1: look like, how we were going to actually make products, 136 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:29,160 Speaker 1: because neither of us had any experience in UM textiles, 137 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:32,120 Speaker 1: and we weren't just going to go find some vendors 138 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:33,920 Speaker 1: that we could buy products from and put it on 139 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 1: a website. It didn't exist, So we had to go 140 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:39,720 Speaker 1: make betting ourselves. How do you go about making betting? 141 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:43,680 Speaker 1: No experience? So I can speak to some of the 142 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:47,600 Speaker 1: more like tactical ways that we did this, but more generally, 143 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 1: it's about learning from experts in the space and immersing 144 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:57,000 Speaker 1: yourself in environments where you can really learn. So what 145 00:07:57,040 --> 00:07:59,680 Speaker 1: I mean by that and how we did it UM, 146 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:02,440 Speaker 1: there's a few different trade shows that happen all over 147 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 1: the country, but there's plenty in New York, and we 148 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:09,520 Speaker 1: just walked the aisles and started asking questions, getting contact information. 149 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:12,920 Speaker 1: We didn't even have business cards, I don't think at 150 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:15,600 Speaker 1: the time. But we were sharing the idea and selling 151 00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:17,680 Speaker 1: the idea, and people were really interested in the fact 152 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:19,880 Speaker 1: that we were filling a niche and we're putting a 153 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:24,040 Speaker 1: brand around a very pivotal life moment, and um, there 154 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:26,160 Speaker 1: was a lot of interest because they knew that the 155 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:30,920 Speaker 1: back to school shopping moment is so huge, but no 156 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 1: one was really owning that space. So UM, I think 157 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:38,960 Speaker 1: the takeaway here is even if you don't have anything 158 00:08:39,040 --> 00:08:43,200 Speaker 1: formal to share with someone, they'll remember your story. And 159 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:46,520 Speaker 1: it's important to be like pitching at all times. So 160 00:08:46,559 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 1: if you come across someone who could help you down 161 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:51,439 Speaker 1: the line, whether it's with an introduction to a future 162 00:08:51,880 --> 00:08:54,560 Speaker 1: contact that you need to meet, or just like someone 163 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:56,680 Speaker 1: who has a lot of great historical knowledge on a 164 00:08:56,760 --> 00:09:00,200 Speaker 1: certain subject matter, make sure that you're making those connections 165 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:03,360 Speaker 1: and you have a way of staying in touch with people. 166 00:09:03,400 --> 00:09:06,240 Speaker 1: And we were just selling the idea, which is hard 167 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:09,280 Speaker 1: to do, which is a skill in an art in itself. 168 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:12,120 Speaker 1: What was your elevator pitch? Well, I think this all 169 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 1: goes back to my original point of if you are 170 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:18,640 Speaker 1: not solving a problem, it's hard to get someone to care. 171 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 1: So if it's kind of like a nice to have, 172 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 1: like I believe in this because it's a nice to have, 173 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:27,880 Speaker 1: I'm totally generalizing, it's a lot harder to explain why 174 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:31,920 Speaker 1: someone should care. Um. Then if you like have identified 175 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:34,640 Speaker 1: a problem and you are creating a solution even if 176 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:37,600 Speaker 1: it doesn't exist yet. Um. So that's why I think 177 00:09:37,640 --> 00:09:41,000 Speaker 1: the elevator pitch, to your point, is really really important 178 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:43,880 Speaker 1: because you have to grab someone's attention within I don't know, 179 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:47,680 Speaker 1: less than thirty seconds probably within the first ten seconds 180 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:50,560 Speaker 1: five seconds in what you're talking to them. Why should 181 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:53,840 Speaker 1: they care? How is this going to benefit them? And 182 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:56,200 Speaker 1: what does this look like? Is there a timeline? Is 183 00:09:56,240 --> 00:10:00,440 Speaker 1: this real? So as you're building this company in you're 184 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:03,840 Speaker 1: in college, how did you balance the school work as well? 185 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:07,320 Speaker 1: As you know this is something it fills a need 186 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 1: and it's you're creating a business and you can see 187 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:12,520 Speaker 1: potential with it, So how do you compartmentalize and be 188 00:10:12,559 --> 00:10:15,640 Speaker 1: a student as well? If you talk to a group 189 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:19,360 Speaker 1: of founders. I'm sure people would have very different perspectives 190 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:22,040 Speaker 1: on this question, but I think it depends on what 191 00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:24,840 Speaker 1: you're doing right. So there's lots of people who have 192 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:28,760 Speaker 1: started incredible businesses where they have to just move really 193 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:33,400 Speaker 1: quickly in order to not lose the opportunity to be 194 00:10:33,480 --> 00:10:36,480 Speaker 1: the market leader in whatever they're doing right, So people 195 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:40,160 Speaker 1: might drop out. People might totally prioritize their business because 196 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:42,000 Speaker 1: if they don't do it now, someone's going to beat 197 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:45,400 Speaker 1: them to it. I wasn't in one of those scenarios 198 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:48,160 Speaker 1: where I felt like it was important to move fast. 199 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:51,280 Speaker 1: It was actually more important to build the brand slowly, 200 00:10:52,080 --> 00:10:53,960 Speaker 1: take advantage of the fact that I was on a 201 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:58,200 Speaker 1: college campus, and like immerse myself in the audience that 202 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:01,560 Speaker 1: I was trying to connect to, being college was working 203 00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:05,120 Speaker 1: for you, right, it was market research for me. I 204 00:11:05,120 --> 00:11:08,079 Speaker 1: would never not take advantage of being on a college campus, 205 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:11,680 Speaker 1: and like my senior thesis was actually something that I 206 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:15,720 Speaker 1: totally based off of a future endeavor for the business 207 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:18,520 Speaker 1: that was all based on like the get back component 208 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 1: of the business. So I tried to connect everything that 209 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:25,200 Speaker 1: I was doing on campus with what would help my business. Now. 210 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:28,400 Speaker 1: I think what would be important to share here is 211 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:31,080 Speaker 1: what I would do today, um if I were going 212 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:33,880 Speaker 1: to go back in time and redo it. Something that 213 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:37,680 Speaker 1: I um did not take as full advantage of that 214 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:40,760 Speaker 1: I wish I did was just making connections on campus. 215 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:44,840 Speaker 1: So building my network while being a college student is 216 00:11:44,920 --> 00:11:47,880 Speaker 1: like the number one thing that I think no matter 217 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:49,839 Speaker 1: what you're going to do, whether you're starting your own 218 00:11:49,840 --> 00:11:52,760 Speaker 1: business or going to work for someone else, Like you 219 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:55,040 Speaker 1: hear it all the time, but it's so real and 220 00:11:55,160 --> 00:12:00,360 Speaker 1: having a mechanism to how's your contacts linked and just 221 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:02,760 Speaker 1: doesn't cut it for me, Like I don't have a 222 00:12:02,800 --> 00:12:06,880 Speaker 1: way to mentally organize and LinkedIn all these people that 223 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:09,000 Speaker 1: I know. You can come up with your own system, 224 00:12:09,040 --> 00:12:11,480 Speaker 1: whether it's just a Google sheet, And I have this now, 225 00:12:11,559 --> 00:12:14,000 Speaker 1: I literally the Google sheet called Amanda's Network, And I 226 00:12:14,080 --> 00:12:17,720 Speaker 1: have people that I meet their contact info who introduced 227 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:20,360 Speaker 1: me to them, Like I even have a dropdown of 228 00:12:20,559 --> 00:12:23,280 Speaker 1: are they an investor, are they a founder? Are they 229 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:26,640 Speaker 1: an operator? Like I just record this for myself so 230 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:29,280 Speaker 1: that when I'm thinking, oh shoot, I need to call 231 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:31,439 Speaker 1: someone to help me with this, let me go reference 232 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:34,640 Speaker 1: my sheet and see who I could tap, because otherwise 233 00:12:34,679 --> 00:12:37,640 Speaker 1: I will not remember these people, did you color code 234 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:40,800 Speaker 1: this Google sheet too? Oh it's not like that level 235 00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:43,960 Speaker 1: of oct okay, because that's just not me. I'm actually 236 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:48,000 Speaker 1: really unorganized, but this is my attempt to be organized. 237 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:52,520 Speaker 1: It sounds pretty organized. It's functional. Yeah, it's definitely functional. 238 00:12:52,559 --> 00:12:56,679 Speaker 1: But my advice to this group listening is do this 239 00:12:56,760 --> 00:12:59,840 Speaker 1: as soon as possible. My point is that I didn't 240 00:12:59,840 --> 00:13:02,520 Speaker 1: do it early enough because I started this in the 241 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:04,960 Speaker 1: last couple of years. Now, imagine if all of the 242 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:07,200 Speaker 1: connections that I've been building as a young founder have 243 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:11,760 Speaker 1: been captured in one place, I would probably have the 244 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:14,160 Speaker 1: right people to go to for every single problem that 245 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:16,520 Speaker 1: I need to solve. That's all really important. Have it 246 00:13:16,640 --> 00:13:19,320 Speaker 1: to just get into at a very young age. That 247 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:23,440 Speaker 1: would be my first takeaway. And then other things that 248 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:27,439 Speaker 1: you can do on campus is just utilizing and leveraging 249 00:13:27,480 --> 00:13:30,720 Speaker 1: the opportunity to test out ideas. I'm just thinking of 250 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 1: my own university experience. We had a class where you 251 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:36,040 Speaker 1: could actually build your own business and it wasn't real, 252 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:39,840 Speaker 1: but it ended with a pitch and just take advantage 253 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:43,640 Speaker 1: of those chances on campus because you don't have that 254 00:13:43,720 --> 00:13:48,920 Speaker 1: type of built in opportunity once you've graduated. So even 255 00:13:48,920 --> 00:13:51,959 Speaker 1: if it's something that doesn't end up coming to fruition, 256 00:13:52,040 --> 00:13:54,240 Speaker 1: at least you had the practice of like building a 257 00:13:54,280 --> 00:13:56,679 Speaker 1: business plan or a pitch deck, and then you can 258 00:13:56,720 --> 00:14:01,120 Speaker 1: apply that to something in the future. Absolutely, we have 259 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:02,960 Speaker 1: to take a quick break, but when we come back, 260 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:06,080 Speaker 1: I want to talk about burnout, how you created so 261 00:14:06,120 --> 00:14:09,640 Speaker 1: many different types of products without any prior experience, the 262 00:14:09,679 --> 00:14:12,880 Speaker 1: future of Dormify, and so much more. We'll be right 263 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:22,120 Speaker 1: back and we're back. Something that I'm going through and 264 00:14:22,120 --> 00:14:24,480 Speaker 1: I don't know if you ever went through was being 265 00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:27,040 Speaker 1: a student and you wanting to take advantage of all 266 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:30,320 Speaker 1: of those opportunities and stay creative and keep building, but 267 00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:34,920 Speaker 1: also navigating burnout because you know, when you're operating on 268 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:37,920 Speaker 1: different deadlines for different people, like how do you not 269 00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:39,760 Speaker 1: in this day and age. So I guess I was 270 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:42,000 Speaker 1: wondering if that's something you've ever gone through and how 271 00:14:42,040 --> 00:14:44,560 Speaker 1: you've navigated that. I mean, it's definitely something that I 272 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:48,360 Speaker 1: still deal with today. So I'll put myself in the 273 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:50,920 Speaker 1: college environment for a second and I'll talk about how 274 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:55,080 Speaker 1: I navigate this in just my professional life. But in college, 275 00:14:55,240 --> 00:14:58,640 Speaker 1: I think it's so easy to want to do a 276 00:14:58,680 --> 00:15:02,360 Speaker 1: million things. You're literally told go try everything. This is 277 00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:05,320 Speaker 1: your time to do all of these different things. You're 278 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:07,920 Speaker 1: never going to have the opportunity to get an opportunity 279 00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:12,200 Speaker 1: to do it again, and you can struct yourself really thin. UM. 280 00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:14,600 Speaker 1: I think that's fine to cast a wide net to 281 00:15:14,680 --> 00:15:18,720 Speaker 1: at least understand like what the opportunities are. UM. But 282 00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:22,160 Speaker 1: I do think it's really important to try to like 283 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:24,480 Speaker 1: hone in on one or two things that you want 284 00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:27,680 Speaker 1: to focus on, because, especially when it comes time to 285 00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:31,160 Speaker 1: reflect on your college experience in an interview setting, you 286 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:33,240 Speaker 1: don't want to say like, I've touched all of these things, 287 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:37,600 Speaker 1: but I haven't gotten deep anywhere. It's always more attractive 288 00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:40,600 Speaker 1: when a candidate can speak to something that they really 289 00:15:40,640 --> 00:15:43,360 Speaker 1: send their teeth into and invested their time and rather 290 00:15:43,400 --> 00:15:45,240 Speaker 1: than saying like, oh, I just wanted to put all 291 00:15:45,240 --> 00:15:47,160 Speaker 1: these things on my resume, so I tried all these things. 292 00:15:47,440 --> 00:15:50,120 Speaker 1: I think balance is important and no one's expecting you 293 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:52,720 Speaker 1: to do it all. Have you always had the entrepreneurial 294 00:15:52,760 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 1: bug at heart? Or did this come about when you 295 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:58,400 Speaker 1: were going to college. I don't really know how to 296 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:01,680 Speaker 1: answer that question, because I think could be subconscious, But no, 297 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:04,920 Speaker 1: I was not the type of person who said, I 298 00:16:05,120 --> 00:16:08,360 Speaker 1: want to be my own boss, I want to be 299 00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:11,040 Speaker 1: an entrepreneur. I want to figure out what I can 300 00:16:11,080 --> 00:16:15,720 Speaker 1: do in order to do that. It happened just more organically. 301 00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:18,440 Speaker 1: If there's a couple of different paths. So you might 302 00:16:18,480 --> 00:16:22,000 Speaker 1: be someone who goes through the college experience, they go 303 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:25,280 Speaker 1: into a training program or you know, an entry level job, 304 00:16:25,480 --> 00:16:28,880 Speaker 1: and they learned quickly I really don't like working for 305 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:31,480 Speaker 1: someone else. Like that definitely happens all the time, and 306 00:16:31,520 --> 00:16:34,840 Speaker 1: they might say, Okay, how can I work for myself? 307 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:39,400 Speaker 1: That's one path. Then there's someone who is like determined 308 00:16:39,440 --> 00:16:44,760 Speaker 1: to be an entrepreneur, and um, that person could be 309 00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:48,320 Speaker 1: searching for an idea to pursue. So even if you 310 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:51,840 Speaker 1: are one of those entrepreneurial type people, you don't have 311 00:16:51,880 --> 00:16:54,440 Speaker 1: to be the one that comes up with the idea necessarily. 312 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:56,960 Speaker 1: That's where your network comes in, because you need to 313 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:01,040 Speaker 1: be in the right environments or ecosystems to introduced to 314 00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:04,600 Speaker 1: people who could use someone like you as a partner. 315 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:10,920 Speaker 1: All it takes is execution totally totally for me personally, Like, 316 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:15,000 Speaker 1: I grew up in an entrepreneurial family, so my parents 317 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:18,000 Speaker 1: owned a business together. Um, it's kind of second nature 318 00:17:18,080 --> 00:17:21,199 Speaker 1: to me. So it wasn't as daunting or intimidating to 319 00:17:21,200 --> 00:17:23,439 Speaker 1: me because I just had that own sin your blood. 320 00:17:23,800 --> 00:17:28,080 Speaker 1: Yeah right, it's in my blood, That's how you can 321 00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:32,800 Speaker 1: say it. I'm very curious about product development because okay, 322 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:37,240 Speaker 1: you guys have expanded and are creating a variety of things, 323 00:17:37,359 --> 00:17:41,680 Speaker 1: whether it's betting, posters, lights. Yeah, what has that process 324 00:17:41,720 --> 00:17:44,639 Speaker 1: been like? And how do you go about navigating something 325 00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:46,920 Speaker 1: when you didn't have any background in it? It's a 326 00:17:46,920 --> 00:17:50,200 Speaker 1: pretty crazy world. Um, we've learned everything along the way, 327 00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:53,760 Speaker 1: um from great partners who have held their hands where 328 00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:58,360 Speaker 1: when we didn't know anything. And I think that's really 329 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:01,399 Speaker 1: the most important point here is you develop relationships, and 330 00:18:01,440 --> 00:18:04,520 Speaker 1: relationships are the most important thing in taking your business 331 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:07,800 Speaker 1: from one step to the other. Um. This manifests in 332 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:10,960 Speaker 1: so many different ways. Whether it's vendors that you build 333 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:15,000 Speaker 1: a relationship with that will help you when you're struggling, um, 334 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:19,480 Speaker 1: whether that's financially or operationally. And then you also have 335 00:18:19,640 --> 00:18:22,080 Speaker 1: partners that will walk you through the ropes when you 336 00:18:22,119 --> 00:18:24,439 Speaker 1: have no idea what you're doing, which was exactly the 337 00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:28,280 Speaker 1: position that we were in. So the way that we 338 00:18:28,320 --> 00:18:32,040 Speaker 1: did this, We actually um talk to many different vendors 339 00:18:32,080 --> 00:18:35,320 Speaker 1: because we had to essentially knock on doors and explain 340 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:38,640 Speaker 1: what we were trying to build until someone said, like, okay, 341 00:18:39,040 --> 00:18:41,080 Speaker 1: I'll take a chance and work with you. As you 342 00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:43,680 Speaker 1: can imagine, we got a lot of nose. That's intimidating. 343 00:18:43,680 --> 00:18:45,199 Speaker 1: We got a lot of knows Like we didn't have 344 00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:49,240 Speaker 1: a webscape. Um, all we had was a pitch. And 345 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:52,560 Speaker 1: that's fine, Like, you can totally approach these situations like that, 346 00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:55,520 Speaker 1: but it's the same way that you approach fundraising, Like 347 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:58,399 Speaker 1: you might not have many results that prove out your 348 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:01,280 Speaker 1: concept just yet, but someone's going to take a chance 349 00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:03,159 Speaker 1: on you because they believe in you. And that's all 350 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:10,080 Speaker 1: about building relationships, selling your pitch and personality. Really, So, 351 00:19:10,760 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 1: we had someone agreed to work with us, and we 352 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:15,399 Speaker 1: only worked with them for a year. They were not 353 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:19,440 Speaker 1: the right partner to take us to where we are today, 354 00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:21,480 Speaker 1: but they at least got our foot in the door. 355 00:19:21,640 --> 00:19:26,880 Speaker 1: So perfection is the enemy of progress. I know, comparison 356 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:29,840 Speaker 1: is the thief of joy, so progress would make sense 357 00:19:29,880 --> 00:19:32,720 Speaker 1: for that one. I was thinking that phrase while I 358 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:34,800 Speaker 1: was trying to say it. But my point is something 359 00:19:34,840 --> 00:19:37,840 Speaker 1: that I get on a lot of the time is 360 00:19:39,000 --> 00:19:42,680 Speaker 1: we're not trying to be a perfect We're gonna try 361 00:19:42,680 --> 00:19:46,520 Speaker 1: to perfect and it's all about making progress and actually 362 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:51,320 Speaker 1: getting things done. That's more important. Something that's interesting that 363 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:54,440 Speaker 1: we did is we didn't have money to invest in 364 00:19:55,119 --> 00:19:58,240 Speaker 1: the product that we wanted to order inventory we wanted 365 00:19:58,280 --> 00:20:01,480 Speaker 1: to order. So what we started it was a product 366 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:04,680 Speaker 1: line of posters where we didn't actually have to invest 367 00:20:04,720 --> 00:20:08,520 Speaker 1: in inventory upfront. We found a printer that was going 368 00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:12,160 Speaker 1: to just print the pieces on demand as they got 369 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:15,720 Speaker 1: ordered that we only had to pay after something was sold. Amazing. 370 00:20:16,240 --> 00:20:18,639 Speaker 1: So that's a really great way to get started, especially 371 00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:22,400 Speaker 1: in low quantities. Is um almost like testing a small 372 00:20:22,480 --> 00:20:27,480 Speaker 1: quantity of pieces and having um someone who is willing 373 00:20:27,480 --> 00:20:30,000 Speaker 1: to make like a small group of samples even just 374 00:20:30,040 --> 00:20:33,600 Speaker 1: to get some product feedback. And you know, talking to 375 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:36,399 Speaker 1: customers at all times, especially in the early days, is 376 00:20:36,400 --> 00:20:39,320 Speaker 1: really really important. If you didn't have that bed bath 377 00:20:39,359 --> 00:20:41,640 Speaker 1: and beyond moment, Yeah, what do you think you would 378 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:46,040 Speaker 1: be doing now? I think that I would probably I 379 00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:48,679 Speaker 1: think I would probably have gone into something in the 380 00:20:48,720 --> 00:20:53,360 Speaker 1: hospitality world. Like I was always into creative and I 381 00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:56,760 Speaker 1: was a graphic design and marketing major, So I already 382 00:20:57,040 --> 00:21:01,240 Speaker 1: kind of knew that outside of Dormify, because I decided 383 00:21:01,280 --> 00:21:02,879 Speaker 1: I was going to do these majors before dorm If 384 00:21:02,920 --> 00:21:06,840 Speaker 1: I started, I wanted to do something that was creative, 385 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:10,280 Speaker 1: art oriented, and then I wanted to also back that 386 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:14,159 Speaker 1: up with like the business understanding, so that I wasn't, 387 00:21:14,320 --> 00:21:17,399 Speaker 1: you know, just an artist or a designer, but I 388 00:21:17,480 --> 00:21:21,080 Speaker 1: understood the business behind it. Um. But I've always loved 389 00:21:21,119 --> 00:21:27,919 Speaker 1: like hospitality, meaning restaurants, hotels, like any sort of hospitality environment, 390 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:31,600 Speaker 1: bringing those spaces to life. So it is kind of 391 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:34,679 Speaker 1: similar to dorm ify in a way of transforming a 392 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:37,840 Speaker 1: space to create an experience. It is I would probably 393 00:21:37,920 --> 00:21:40,800 Speaker 1: be doing something like that, or I would have taken 394 00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:45,080 Speaker 1: over my parents advertising agency. That was definitely something that 395 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:47,399 Speaker 1: was intriguing to me, but I wasn't sure if I 396 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:50,560 Speaker 1: wanted to do it. Wow, it's it's so interesting how 397 00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:53,320 Speaker 1: that one moment changed your entire life. I find that 398 00:21:53,400 --> 00:21:56,719 Speaker 1: so fascinating. Can I add a fun fact because please, 399 00:21:57,160 --> 00:22:01,399 Speaker 1: Even even though I was always interested in design, um, 400 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:03,879 Speaker 1: the truth is, when I was little, what I wanted 401 00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:07,560 Speaker 1: to be I wanted to be a meteorologist. On the 402 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:11,920 Speaker 1: way to jail. That's so specific. I know I wanted 403 00:22:12,040 --> 00:22:16,440 Speaker 1: to be like a storm chaser in hurricanes and tornadoes, 404 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:19,520 Speaker 1: and like I love the movie Twister. So why this 405 00:22:19,640 --> 00:22:22,399 Speaker 1: is funny is because that's like my fun fact whenever 406 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:23,919 Speaker 1: people ask me what I wanted to be when I 407 00:22:23,920 --> 00:22:27,080 Speaker 1: was little. Um But then when I was in college, 408 00:22:27,320 --> 00:22:30,359 Speaker 1: the one like random class that I could take because 409 00:22:30,359 --> 00:22:31,840 Speaker 1: I was a double major, I didn't have a lot 410 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:36,200 Speaker 1: of time for um like elective type classes. I took 411 00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:39,600 Speaker 1: a natural disasters class and it was like exactly what 412 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:43,360 Speaker 1: I needed to fulfill that desire that I had. So 413 00:22:43,960 --> 00:22:47,000 Speaker 1: in college, take the fun classes that like could just 414 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:50,639 Speaker 1: kind of satisfy any sort of interest that you have 415 00:22:50,960 --> 00:22:56,800 Speaker 1: because it was fun. Yeah, random, We have to take 416 00:22:56,920 --> 00:22:58,720 Speaker 1: one more quick break. But when do we come back. 417 00:22:58,880 --> 00:23:01,160 Speaker 1: I wouldn't talk to you about the future of Dormify, 418 00:23:01,600 --> 00:23:04,640 Speaker 1: the art of decision making, and so much more. We'll 419 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:14,360 Speaker 1: be right back and we're back. What are your goals 420 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:16,960 Speaker 1: and plans for Dormify in the future. How do you 421 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:19,879 Speaker 1: hope it to grow and expand and evolved. There's so 422 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:21,800 Speaker 1: much that we want to do with dorm if. I 423 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:26,439 Speaker 1: I think first and foremost being able to offer a 424 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:29,920 Speaker 1: wider assortment is kind of like yes, of course it's 425 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:32,120 Speaker 1: not like a huge idea, but we want to have 426 00:23:32,280 --> 00:23:36,359 Speaker 1: more of a selection for um, for guys, for more 427 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:39,920 Speaker 1: of a gender neutral type of aesthetic. UM. We want 428 00:23:39,960 --> 00:23:42,919 Speaker 1: to collaborate with more brands and with more artists that 429 00:23:42,960 --> 00:23:47,080 Speaker 1: we really have the most unique and exclusive assortment of 430 00:23:47,080 --> 00:23:49,960 Speaker 1: products that you can't find elsewhere. We also want to 431 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:52,199 Speaker 1: get back into the pop up shop world and be 432 00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:56,600 Speaker 1: able to bring experiences in person to our customers. So 433 00:23:56,800 --> 00:24:01,000 Speaker 1: whether that's in a store that's open for a few 434 00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:04,600 Speaker 1: weeks or something that pops up for the weekend. UM, 435 00:24:04,680 --> 00:24:08,760 Speaker 1: we really want to connect in person and ultimately, like 436 00:24:09,520 --> 00:24:13,000 Speaker 1: where I want to take it is having like a 437 00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:17,040 Speaker 1: shop and shop experience at a great retailer. So some 438 00:24:17,119 --> 00:24:21,280 Speaker 1: of the ones on the top of the hitlist are Norade, Drum, 439 00:24:21,440 --> 00:24:24,040 Speaker 1: the container store we actually partnered with last year, so 440 00:24:24,040 --> 00:24:27,280 Speaker 1: that was a huge, like check off the list was 441 00:24:27,359 --> 00:24:31,040 Speaker 1: a major accomplishment. That's a big one. Yeah, and we're 442 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:33,800 Speaker 1: continuing that partnership this year, which I'm really excited about. 443 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:37,000 Speaker 1: But to be able to be like a store within 444 00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:39,560 Speaker 1: a store where a brand is featured in a huge 445 00:24:39,840 --> 00:24:44,440 Speaker 1: retailer that doesn't have a big like home assortment that's 446 00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:48,600 Speaker 1: dedicated to gen z that would be ultimate. There's a 447 00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:51,520 Speaker 1: lot that's just the beginning. You're still at the beginning 448 00:24:51,520 --> 00:24:53,920 Speaker 1: of it, and I'm so excited to see where dorify 449 00:24:54,119 --> 00:24:59,240 Speaker 1: evolves and grows. And because frankly, learning about this and 450 00:24:59,640 --> 00:25:02,359 Speaker 1: getting your thoughts and guidance on what your story was 451 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:04,720 Speaker 1: is super helpful, not just for me but for the 452 00:25:04,760 --> 00:25:08,680 Speaker 1: other people listening, because it can be so intimidating knowing 453 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:11,360 Speaker 1: where to start or how to start, um, But it's 454 00:25:11,400 --> 00:25:14,280 Speaker 1: really just finding a problem that you can fix and 455 00:25:14,320 --> 00:25:17,520 Speaker 1: it starts there and knowing that it is super helpful totally. 456 00:25:17,760 --> 00:25:21,600 Speaker 1: And also keep in mind the like bad phrase that 457 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:24,680 Speaker 1: I coined about perfection, I need to have a better 458 00:25:24,720 --> 00:25:27,760 Speaker 1: way of saying it. But the more that you strive 459 00:25:27,840 --> 00:25:30,879 Speaker 1: to be perfect or to get something done perfectly, the 460 00:25:30,960 --> 00:25:33,800 Speaker 1: slower that you're going to move and time is money. 461 00:25:34,119 --> 00:25:36,880 Speaker 1: You have to feel okay and secure about the fact 462 00:25:36,880 --> 00:25:39,560 Speaker 1: that it's not going to be to your highest standards 463 00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:43,080 Speaker 1: of perfection. Um, but that's just gonna hold you back. 464 00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:46,040 Speaker 1: And what advice do you have for making decisions? That 465 00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:48,800 Speaker 1: is something that I personally struggle with because I'm an 466 00:25:48,840 --> 00:25:53,240 Speaker 1: indecisive person. Okay, I'm a very indecisive person too, So okay, 467 00:25:53,280 --> 00:25:55,800 Speaker 1: that makes me feel better. I am a very indecisive 468 00:25:55,840 --> 00:25:59,320 Speaker 1: Like I'm I'm telling you, when I'm out to dinner 469 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:02,119 Speaker 1: or something, I like really struggle to make a decision 470 00:26:02,119 --> 00:26:04,159 Speaker 1: on what I'm gonna eat. Like that's how bad it is. 471 00:26:05,240 --> 00:26:07,760 Speaker 1: But tell me more specifically, like where you struggle, and 472 00:26:07,840 --> 00:26:11,679 Speaker 1: I can try to help impart some advice. I think 473 00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:15,679 Speaker 1: it's the part of being confident within a decision and 474 00:26:15,760 --> 00:26:17,760 Speaker 1: noting that that's the right one I could have made 475 00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:20,800 Speaker 1: for that time, and not like not going back being like, well, 476 00:26:20,840 --> 00:26:23,040 Speaker 1: that was that the decision. I think that's one of 477 00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:25,479 Speaker 1: the things that I struggle with most. Got it. Okay, 478 00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:28,840 Speaker 1: So you're saying that, like you might be able to 479 00:26:28,880 --> 00:26:32,159 Speaker 1: make the decision, but you almost have like anxiety over 480 00:26:32,320 --> 00:26:34,840 Speaker 1: whether you made the right decision correct, So then that 481 00:26:34,840 --> 00:26:37,399 Speaker 1: flows you down from actually making a decision because you're 482 00:26:37,440 --> 00:26:40,840 Speaker 1: so afraid of like what if it's the wrong decision. Yes, yeah, 483 00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:45,399 Speaker 1: I mean that's like a really important skill to work 484 00:26:45,440 --> 00:26:52,200 Speaker 1: on throughout your early professional career because being decisive is powerful, 485 00:26:52,800 --> 00:26:55,960 Speaker 1: very very powerful. Um and I think I've learned a 486 00:26:56,000 --> 00:26:59,800 Speaker 1: lot about that over the last few years. But making 487 00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:04,080 Speaker 1: the decisions equals progress. So overthinking something is just going 488 00:27:04,119 --> 00:27:07,159 Speaker 1: to like weigh down on everything that's going on in 489 00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:09,560 Speaker 1: your head, and so it almost like inflates the importance 490 00:27:09,560 --> 00:27:12,000 Speaker 1: of the decision a little bit. Yeah, you just need 491 00:27:12,040 --> 00:27:15,720 Speaker 1: to learn from your decisions. So make the decision, don't 492 00:27:15,720 --> 00:27:19,119 Speaker 1: overthink it. Try to practice this with like things that 493 00:27:19,119 --> 00:27:22,440 Speaker 1: are not a huge deal. So practice the quick decision 494 00:27:22,480 --> 00:27:24,480 Speaker 1: making with things that aren't going to make or break 495 00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:27,080 Speaker 1: something big. And then once you get like the easy 496 00:27:27,119 --> 00:27:29,480 Speaker 1: stuff out of the way, then at least you're creating 497 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:32,640 Speaker 1: more brain space for the things that are more involved 498 00:27:32,680 --> 00:27:36,360 Speaker 1: decision making. Um, think about the worst thing that will 499 00:27:36,400 --> 00:27:41,000 Speaker 1: happen if you choose X over Y, and then if 500 00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:43,160 Speaker 1: you're like, oh, the worst thing that's going to happen 501 00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:46,400 Speaker 1: is only this, Like okay, then I can at least 502 00:27:46,440 --> 00:27:50,400 Speaker 1: make the decision learn from that not being the right decision. 503 00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:53,080 Speaker 1: But the more you kind of have that practice, you're 504 00:27:53,119 --> 00:27:56,680 Speaker 1: gonna say, Okay, well I'm comfortable with the fact that, yes, 505 00:27:56,760 --> 00:27:59,600 Speaker 1: I learned. Now, this decision might not have been the 506 00:27:59,640 --> 00:28:01,600 Speaker 1: best approach, but I learned from it, and I'm going 507 00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:03,359 Speaker 1: to move forward and I'm going to use that in 508 00:28:03,440 --> 00:28:06,760 Speaker 1: my decision making down the road. That's very helpful advice. 509 00:28:06,960 --> 00:28:09,160 Speaker 1: I'm glad. I just need to do the mini ones, 510 00:28:09,280 --> 00:28:12,280 Speaker 1: the little mini trials to get me through the big ones, right, 511 00:28:12,680 --> 00:28:15,760 Speaker 1: I have to all the time, all the time. Like yeah, 512 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:18,520 Speaker 1: And I think like if you're feeling stuck on what 513 00:28:18,640 --> 00:28:22,280 Speaker 1: to do, like walk away from it, come back to 514 00:28:22,359 --> 00:28:25,480 Speaker 1: it once you've put your hat a little bit. But psychologically, 515 00:28:25,920 --> 00:28:29,600 Speaker 1: we compound so much stuff inside our heads just to 516 00:28:29,600 --> 00:28:32,800 Speaker 1: start crossing things up the lists. I survive off of lists. 517 00:28:32,880 --> 00:28:35,920 Speaker 1: You have no idea. I write m I write everything down. 518 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:39,160 Speaker 1: It's the only way it gets done. Well, I hope 519 00:28:39,200 --> 00:28:43,760 Speaker 1: you um take my my networking Google sheet to heart 520 00:28:43,840 --> 00:28:47,880 Speaker 1: and start that now. I am starting this on my 521 00:28:47,960 --> 00:28:50,400 Speaker 1: way back to school. I am going to be working 522 00:28:50,440 --> 00:28:54,280 Speaker 1: on this good and put me on it. I'm very excited. 523 00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:57,120 Speaker 1: You're on my list. By the way, Sammy, you're on 524 00:28:57,160 --> 00:29:00,040 Speaker 1: my list, Oh my good. First of all, I'm on it, 525 00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:02,080 Speaker 1: and I am going to go the extra mile and 526 00:29:02,120 --> 00:29:04,600 Speaker 1: color code and I will send you a photo. And 527 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:06,960 Speaker 1: I really appreciate you giving all this advice because I 528 00:29:06,960 --> 00:29:11,120 Speaker 1: think mentorship is so important and having that guidance is 529 00:29:11,800 --> 00:29:14,360 Speaker 1: so knowledgeable. So I really appreciate you sharing and just 530 00:29:14,400 --> 00:29:17,120 Speaker 1: being so candid about everything. Of course, I mean I 531 00:29:17,160 --> 00:29:19,480 Speaker 1: talked to college students all the time, and I just 532 00:29:19,520 --> 00:29:22,240 Speaker 1: want to help in any way I can. And that's 533 00:29:22,280 --> 00:29:25,040 Speaker 1: really I mean, when I think about what's next for Dormified, 534 00:29:25,040 --> 00:29:28,160 Speaker 1: that's really where we want to take our ambassador program. 535 00:29:28,200 --> 00:29:31,280 Speaker 1: So we have about nine hundred eight hundred or nine 536 00:29:31,360 --> 00:29:35,200 Speaker 1: hundred ambassadors across the country, and I want to build 537 00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:38,000 Speaker 1: this into a network where you're making connections at all times. 538 00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:42,240 Speaker 1: So maybe you're a part of the dormachan and you're 539 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:46,400 Speaker 1: applying all these internships for the summer between junior and 540 00:29:46,440 --> 00:29:48,280 Speaker 1: senior year, and you're trying to find someone who has 541 00:29:48,320 --> 00:29:51,480 Speaker 1: a connection to X, And how great would it be 542 00:29:51,520 --> 00:29:53,520 Speaker 1: if you could just leverage this community of people that 543 00:29:53,560 --> 00:29:57,480 Speaker 1: are like minded, um but diverse, and you can find 544 00:29:57,480 --> 00:30:01,960 Speaker 1: connections to the jobs, internships, uh, the contacts that you need. 545 00:30:02,200 --> 00:30:05,160 Speaker 1: So that's what we're hoping to build. That's amazing. You're 546 00:30:05,240 --> 00:30:07,960 Speaker 1: you're really building a community, and it's really cool to 547 00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:10,920 Speaker 1: see just how it's evolving and how it's growing and 548 00:30:10,960 --> 00:30:15,080 Speaker 1: how cute. It's all getting thank you, Thank you, And 549 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:17,720 Speaker 1: if anyone who's listening wants to join the program, um 550 00:30:17,760 --> 00:30:20,240 Speaker 1: you can apply on our website and we'd love to 551 00:30:20,240 --> 00:30:23,000 Speaker 1: have you go shop at dorm if I support them. 552 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:25,600 Speaker 1: They're amazing. You know, it's very full circle that you 553 00:30:25,640 --> 00:30:29,280 Speaker 1: said that you made your entire room after that urban pillow, 554 00:30:29,360 --> 00:30:33,160 Speaker 1: because I made my entire room freshman year around a 555 00:30:33,240 --> 00:30:36,800 Speaker 1: dorm if I rug, so I did that exact same thing. 556 00:30:37,440 --> 00:30:40,960 Speaker 1: I remember it well. Yeah, Sammy came into our show 557 00:30:41,080 --> 00:30:44,920 Speaker 1: room and she was like, you's the centerpiece in my room. 558 00:30:45,000 --> 00:30:47,120 Speaker 1: How do we build something around it? And we totally 559 00:30:47,160 --> 00:30:50,640 Speaker 1: mixed and match things and creating something really fun and unique. 560 00:30:50,840 --> 00:30:53,200 Speaker 1: And that's why it was so fun to work with you. 561 00:30:53,240 --> 00:30:55,600 Speaker 1: And it was just like so memorable because you had 562 00:30:55,640 --> 00:31:00,040 Speaker 1: such a distinct style and aesthetic and I love that 563 00:31:00,160 --> 00:31:02,880 Speaker 1: is how passionate you are about it. So glad you 564 00:31:02,880 --> 00:31:07,280 Speaker 1: liked your first freshman room of memories, and I'm excited 565 00:31:07,320 --> 00:31:09,680 Speaker 1: to visit and hopefully see you soon in person do 566 00:31:09,760 --> 00:31:12,680 Speaker 1: our catch up. I know, I know I'd love to 567 00:31:13,360 --> 00:31:15,200 Speaker 1: thank you for taking the time. I know how busy 568 00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:17,600 Speaker 1: you are with your schedule, so thank you. For making 569 00:31:17,640 --> 00:31:20,960 Speaker 1: this happen. Of course, happy to do it, so good 570 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:22,440 Speaker 1: to talk to you.