WEBVTT 00:02:35.620 --> 00:02:42.620 Hey, 00:02:50.118 --> 00:02:57.118 Kane. 00:03:08.280 --> 00:03:08.720 How's it going? 00:03:09.900 --> 00:03:10.200 Hey, Mark. 00:03:10.400 --> 00:03:10.740 I'm good. 00:03:11.600 --> 00:03:12.120 I'm doing well. 00:03:12.200 --> 00:03:12.520 Thank you. 00:03:13.800 --> 00:03:14.300 The, uh... 00:03:14.460 --> 00:03:15.240 Yeah, busy day. 00:03:16.520 --> 00:03:16.840 Awesome. 00:03:17.040 --> 00:03:17.380 Awesome. 00:03:17.540 --> 00:03:18.840 I'm glad to connect with you. 00:03:19.180 --> 00:03:20.540 Uh, where, where-- You're in the Bay? 00:03:21.600 --> 00:03:21.720 Yeah. 00:03:21.980 --> 00:03:25.240 Uh, well, I'm in Arizona, but my company's in the Bay right now. 00:03:25.400 --> 00:03:28.460 We have like field people doing stuff in the Bay. 00:03:28.900 --> 00:03:29.099 Yeah. 00:03:30.459 --> 00:03:30.840 Nice. 00:03:30.940 --> 00:03:31.240 Nice. 00:03:31.320 --> 00:03:31.460 Yeah. 00:03:31.520 --> 00:03:34.080 I'd like to learn more about you guys. 00:03:35.620 --> 00:03:35.880 Yeah. 00:03:36.260 --> 00:03:41.120 So HiRey is doing something we call agent-mediated networking. 00:03:41.880 --> 00:03:46.634 So we're building a social networking platform, uh, with a lot of users in 00:03:46.634 --> 00:03:51.259 the Bay, and for the most part, um, it's designed towards helping people 00:03:51.259 --> 00:03:55.949 make connections as opposed to kinda just like making a social media feed 00:03:55.949 --> 00:03:58.840 that people scroll through and interact with. 00:03:59.460 --> 00:04:03.606 Really, we're focused on trying to help tech founders, builders, 00:04:03.606 --> 00:04:07.040 investors connect with people that fit their profile. 00:04:07.720 --> 00:04:08.000 Um- 00:04:08.060 --> 00:04:08.300 Okay. 00:04:09.060 --> 00:04:11.840 And a lot of that's accentuated by AI, so... 00:04:13.540 --> 00:04:13.900 Got it. 00:04:14.200 --> 00:04:14.400 Got it. 00:04:14.500 --> 00:04:17.400 Could you, um, maybe give me an example of that? 00:04:18.820 --> 00:04:19.060 Yeah. 00:04:19.440 --> 00:04:21.140 So, um, 00:04:22.460 --> 00:04:25.000 one segment that we've done pretty well with is event venues. 00:04:25.180 --> 00:04:29.404 So event venues are looking for people that are interested in hosting events or 00:04:29.404 --> 00:04:33.360 people that are interested in networking or participating in those events. 00:04:33.680 --> 00:04:33.900 So- 00:04:34.080 --> 00:04:34.081 Yeah 00:04:34.080 --> 00:04:34.081 ... 00:04:34.100 --> 00:04:40.180 we help place photographers and, uh, different event organizers with event venues. 00:04:40.940 --> 00:04:41.540 And then we- 00:04:41.620 --> 00:04:41.640 Okay 00:04:41.700 --> 00:04:41.701 ... 00:04:41.740 --> 00:04:45.877 helped another AI startup, um, called Monid, uh, raise their first 00:04:45.877 --> 00:04:49.200 round of funding by connecting them with an investor. 00:04:50.260 --> 00:04:50.340 Um- 00:04:50.440 --> 00:04:51.240 Oh, that's really cool. 00:04:52.160 --> 00:04:52.280 Yeah. 00:04:53.020 --> 00:04:53.180 Yeah. 00:04:54.340 --> 00:04:56.660 So that's kind of what we're doing over here. 00:04:57.840 --> 00:05:00.340 So you guys are like a, um, text-based platform. 00:05:00.860 --> 00:05:04.660 SMS or iMessage is essentially how you get started. 00:05:04.720 --> 00:05:05.980 How does it necessarily work? 00:05:06.820 --> 00:05:08.380 You have a, a lot of entry points. 00:05:09.020 --> 00:05:11.940 You can, you can text the AI, uh, through iMessage. 00:05:11.980 --> 00:05:13.540 It gets back to you super fast. 00:05:14.080 --> 00:05:14.300 Uh- 00:05:14.420 --> 00:05:14.440 Okay 00:05:14.520 --> 00:05:14.521 ... 00:05:14.560 --> 00:05:21.406 you can interact with the web app and interact with your profile, uh, chat with the 00:05:21.406 --> 00:05:27.840 AI on the web app, or you could also connect it via an MCP server to your own- 00:05:27.980 --> 00:05:28.000 Okay 00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:28.001 ... 00:05:28.060 --> 00:05:31.220 AI, and then just talk with the HiRey network that way. 00:05:32.780 --> 00:05:32.960 Yeah. 00:05:33.320 --> 00:05:33.560 Okay. 00:05:34.120 --> 00:05:37.560 So like, um, let's say for a founder, for some... 00:05:37.660 --> 00:05:40.381 So I'm-- And I'm-- Whether I'm looking for investments or 00:05:40.381 --> 00:05:42.720 whether I'm looking to connect with other people, 00:05:45.100 --> 00:05:50.320 w- how is this different than, like, let's say, I find somebody on LinkedIn that... 00:05:50.500 --> 00:05:53.037 So I'm like, "Okay, let me just DM them," or I go to 00:05:53.037 --> 00:05:54.940 a networking event, and I talk to them. 00:05:55.000 --> 00:05:57.080 Like, what's the differentiator from this? 00:05:58.760 --> 00:06:02.020 Um, LinkedIn is really focused around- 00:06:03.360 --> 00:06:05.540 The algorithm that they're displaying with you, I'd say. 00:06:05.700 --> 00:06:08.560 So again, that-- I'd put that in like it's a social media platform. 00:06:08.620 --> 00:06:11.420 You can use it obvious-obviously for prospecting. 00:06:12.600 --> 00:06:14.320 Um, and HiRey's been... 00:06:15.940 --> 00:06:17.620 I've been with the company a long time, like three, four years. 00:06:17.780 --> 00:06:21.180 Uh, we used to be a recruitment platform, so we use Link-LinkedIn quite a bit. 00:06:21.800 --> 00:06:23.600 Um, but 00:06:26.780 --> 00:06:28.620 I'd say for one thing, you, you have an open connection, 00:06:29.640 --> 00:06:32.340 uh, ability, so you can connect with anybody on the platform. 00:06:32.420 --> 00:06:35.883 You don't have to deal with things like InMail credits or 00:06:35.883 --> 00:06:38.860 LinkedIn's kinda prospecting, uh, infrastructure. 00:06:39.800 --> 00:06:39.920 Uh- 00:06:40.020 --> 00:06:40.240 Yeah 00:06:40.240 --> 00:06:40.241 ... 00:06:41.180 --> 00:06:46.500 and then two, there is a feed on HiRey, like of people talking about their, 00:06:47.580 --> 00:06:50.220 their products or talking about what they're working on. 00:06:50.780 --> 00:06:51.240 But it's- 00:06:51.280 --> 00:06:51.380 Yeah 00:06:51.440 --> 00:06:51.441 ... 00:06:51.480 --> 00:06:52.880 not, it's not like LinkedIn. 00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:55.480 LinkedIn is very, um... 00:06:57.420 --> 00:07:00.460 It's like your resume online and- 00:07:00.500 --> 00:07:00.800 Yep 00:07:00.800 --> 00:07:00.801 ... 00:07:01.600 --> 00:07:03.520 a job-hunting platform. 00:07:04.120 --> 00:07:07.120 HiRey's not really a job-hunting platform. 00:07:07.180 --> 00:07:08.580 It's more of a connection platform. 00:07:09.320 --> 00:07:09.940 Does that make sense? 00:07:11.560 --> 00:07:12.740 Uh, just the name though. 00:07:12.960 --> 00:07:15.460 You know, when you say HiRey without looking at it, 00:07:15.460 --> 00:07:17.420 you would think, "Oh, okay, like hiring. 00:07:17.580 --> 00:07:19.080 Is that play off on that?" 00:07:20.040 --> 00:07:20.260 Yeah. 00:07:20.700 --> 00:07:22.740 Is-- Or is that what it was initially? 00:07:22.820 --> 00:07:26.144 We-- Yeah, three years ago when we were doing-- We-- Three years ago, 00:07:26.144 --> 00:07:28.600 we were like a ZipRecruiter company, and now we're- 00:07:28.640 --> 00:07:28.641 Okay 00:07:28.640 --> 00:07:28.641 ... 00:07:28.660 --> 00:07:29.460 a social networking. 00:07:29.700 --> 00:07:31.160 Now we're a social networking company. 00:07:31.360 --> 00:07:33.900 So we changed from hirey.com to HiRey AI. 00:07:34.200 --> 00:07:34.980 So yeah, that's- 00:07:35.000 --> 00:07:35.160 Got it 00:07:35.160 --> 00:07:35.161 ... 00:07:35.180 --> 00:07:38.420 good feedback though to know that, yeah, I know that is probably a little bit... 00:07:39.160 --> 00:07:40.920 The name could be a little bit tricky. 00:07:41.680 --> 00:07:42.580 I'll have to think about that. 00:07:43.440 --> 00:07:43.600 Yeah. 00:07:43.760 --> 00:07:44.140 All good. 00:07:44.360 --> 00:07:45.560 Uh, I'm sure you guys have like 00:07:46.820 --> 00:07:49.177 good SEO for it, so you're like, "Oh, let's just keep 00:07:49.177 --> 00:07:51.000 all that," kinda thing, uh, for the name. 00:07:51.500 --> 00:07:51.740 Okay. 00:07:51.900 --> 00:07:57.655 Out-out-outside of that, like, um, I mean, um, essentially, like I would, I'll, I'll 00:07:57.655 --> 00:08:03.409 play with your platform, uh, use it and see how I could s- get benefit from what I'm 00:08:03.409 --> 00:08:07.520 trying to do, what I'm trying to accomplish with it as well. 00:08:08.060 --> 00:08:08.940 Um, I... 00:08:10.380 --> 00:08:12.300 And then I, I guess I can give you feedback. 00:08:12.439 --> 00:08:13.500 Uh, so you're a founder? 00:08:13.580 --> 00:08:14.960 Or like what's your role in this company? 00:08:15.620 --> 00:08:16.380 I'm a co-founder. 00:08:16.900 --> 00:08:17.160 We have a- 00:08:17.160 --> 00:08:17.680 Co-founder. 00:08:18.320 --> 00:08:18.480 Yeah. 00:08:18.700 --> 00:08:23.165 Primary founder is, um, started another company called Hirect in India that was a 00:08:23.165 --> 00:08:27.300 recruitment platform, and then we opened up a branch of that in the States. 00:08:27.580 --> 00:08:29.100 But yeah, I've been, yeah, co-founder. 00:08:30.960 --> 00:08:31.240 Awesome. 00:08:31.480 --> 00:08:31.740 Awesome. 00:08:31.860 --> 00:08:32.060 Okay. 00:08:32.160 --> 00:08:33.060 That, I mean, that's pretty good. 00:08:33.100 --> 00:08:35.980 You guys have, uh, close to about a thousand people on your platform. 00:08:36.060 --> 00:08:38.160 And like what, what is like 00:08:39.220 --> 00:08:41.880 the factor that's limiting your growth right now? 00:08:42.420 --> 00:08:46.042 I mean, like this is great that I'm talking to you, and I'm way more interested on 00:08:46.042 --> 00:08:49.620 your product, but this is the first time I'm also hearing about you guys as well. 00:08:51.040 --> 00:08:51.240 Yeah. 00:08:51.540 --> 00:08:54.640 W- I mean, we, we get about 00:08:56.560 --> 00:08:58.440 20 to 40 users a day. 00:08:58.980 --> 00:08:59.320 Uh- 00:08:59.400 --> 00:08:59.401 Okay 00:08:59.400 --> 00:08:59.401 ... 00:08:59.440 --> 00:09:02.415 we have a team of about three people in the Bay doing, 00:09:02.415 --> 00:09:05.060 going to different events, talking about it, uh, 00:09:06.300 --> 00:09:08.980 asking people who they're looking to connect with and, and that type of thing. 00:09:09.540 --> 00:09:10.000 And then- 00:09:10.040 --> 00:09:10.300 Yeah 00:09:10.300 --> 00:09:10.301 ... 00:09:10.340 --> 00:09:13.340 we have some users that come in organically on the website as well. 00:09:13.960 --> 00:09:16.440 Um, the biggest factor that's limiting our growth, I don't know. 00:09:16.480 --> 00:09:17.340 That's a really good question. 00:09:17.580 --> 00:09:17.980 Um, 00:09:19.340 --> 00:09:21.560 more people on the ground in SF, 00:09:22.600 --> 00:09:27.880 um, finding a way to increase our online funnel efficiency. 00:09:28.800 --> 00:09:32.440 Um, we tried a little bit of paid social. 00:09:32.500 --> 00:09:34.380 We tested it a few months back. 00:09:35.080 --> 00:09:35.720 I don't think... 00:09:36.680 --> 00:09:38.140 We tested it across Reddit, X. 00:09:38.280 --> 00:09:38.920 I, I don't think 00:09:39.940 --> 00:09:41.400 paid is work- works for us. 00:09:42.240 --> 00:09:42.440 Um- 00:09:42.620 --> 00:09:42.680 Yeah 00:09:42.820 --> 00:09:42.821 ... 00:09:44.180 --> 00:09:44.181 yeah. 00:09:44.220 --> 00:09:44.320 Yeah. 00:09:46.460 --> 00:09:48.960 I'm, I'm, I mean, just like, uh, you heard about Canva, right? 00:09:49.880 --> 00:09:49.900 Uh- 00:09:50.260 --> 00:09:50.360 Yeah, of course 00:09:50.360 --> 00:09:50.361 ... 00:09:50.380 --> 00:09:50.760 this week. 00:09:51.600 --> 00:09:51.700 Yeah. 00:09:51.900 --> 00:09:52.480 Oh, this week though. 00:09:52.660 --> 00:09:52.661 So- 00:09:52.680 --> 00:09:53.420 No, this week though. 00:09:53.580 --> 00:09:53.800 Okay. 00:09:54.140 --> 00:09:54.260 Yeah. 00:09:54.340 --> 00:09:56.620 So they just laid off 22% of their employees. 00:09:58.000 --> 00:09:58.020 Shit. 00:09:58.060 --> 00:09:58.260 Yeah. 00:09:58.480 --> 00:10:01.300 So that's 1,300 people that are now looking for jobs. 00:10:01.680 --> 00:10:03.220 They were given six months of severance. 00:10:03.320 --> 00:10:07.175 They were given 12 months of health insurance, but they were also 00:10:07.175 --> 00:10:10.912 given an option of, "Here's $10,000 if you wanna start your own 00:10:10.912 --> 00:10:13.700 business." So everybody gets this like stipend. 00:10:14.180 --> 00:10:18.431 So to me, my understanding would be like I don't-- like your marketing team 00:10:18.431 --> 00:10:22.683 should have been like talking about that and talking to those people, "Hey, 00:10:22.683 --> 00:10:25.460 guys, you guys just let go, et cetera, et cetera. 00:10:26.180 --> 00:10:29.393 This is, um, this is a platform where you can net- connect with other 00:10:29.393 --> 00:10:32.559 people, possibly land your next role, but you can connect with other 00:10:32.559 --> 00:10:34.840 like-minded people if you wanna build something." 00:10:36.280 --> 00:10:38.160 That's a really good, uh, case study. 00:10:38.300 --> 00:10:38.480 Wow. 00:10:38.820 --> 00:10:39.320 You're ... 00:10:39.400 --> 00:10:40.240 That was a good connection. 00:10:40.500 --> 00:10:42.140 I, I, I didn't hear anything about that news. 00:10:42.260 --> 00:10:43.200 That's, that's really interesting. 00:10:43.440 --> 00:10:43.580 Yeah. 00:10:43.760 --> 00:10:44.900 Marketing team should have been doing that. 00:10:44.960 --> 00:10:45.500 It was on Tuesday. 00:10:45.640 --> 00:10:46.780 It just came on Tuesday. 00:10:46.880 --> 00:10:48.700 So are you involved in marketing, by the way? 00:10:50.160 --> 00:10:52.740 Uh, I meet with the girl that's handling that, yeah. 00:10:52.860 --> 00:10:54.960 But I don't, I don't handle a lot of it directly, no. 00:10:56.020 --> 00:10:56.260 I see. 00:10:56.340 --> 00:10:56.480 I see. 00:10:56.580 --> 00:10:58.980 I, I, um, that's my background. 00:10:59.100 --> 00:11:00.420 I'm in growth marketing, so like- 00:11:00.680 --> 00:11:00.800 Uh-huh 00:11:00.800 --> 00:11:00.801 ... 00:11:01.200 --> 00:11:03.680 my focus is all about, like how do you get 00:11:04.840 --> 00:11:05.240 users? 00:11:05.300 --> 00:11:06.860 How do you get essentially revenue in? 00:11:06.920 --> 00:11:11.080 Rev- whatever I'm spending, I look at the, the spend that comes back to it. 00:11:11.300 --> 00:11:12.560 Um, I'm here in SF. 00:11:12.900 --> 00:11:16.287 Uh, uh, I work for a company that's an agency, but on top of 00:11:16.287 --> 00:11:18.940 that, I do consulting for other brands as well. 00:11:19.640 --> 00:11:23.383 And, um, I, I would love to play around with your product and give you 00:11:23.383 --> 00:11:26.859 some feedback of like, "Hey, this is where I think you guys could 00:11:26.859 --> 00:11:29.640 benefit from there." Um, my goal right now is not... 00:11:29.960 --> 00:11:33.663 Is like I want to, um, I have my own product that I'm working 00:11:33.663 --> 00:11:36.880 with, but is it like, like an international business? 00:11:36.960 --> 00:11:39.780 It's like I'm working on that in terms of like AI. 00:11:39.840 --> 00:11:43.686 Like we forget, like we're in SF, so you guys are like we're ahead of everything, 00:11:43.686 --> 00:11:46.820 but like the rest of the world is still behind on a lot of things. 00:11:47.220 --> 00:11:50.800 So whatever, like you're the-- If you can be-- Do you know what Prometheus is? 00:11:50.940 --> 00:11:52.080 Do you know who Prometheus is? 00:11:53.680 --> 00:11:55.640 The guy from Greek mythology, but- 00:11:55.780 --> 00:11:56.520 That's exactly it. 00:11:56.580 --> 00:11:57.300 That's exactly it. 00:11:57.320 --> 00:11:57.340 Yeah. 00:11:57.380 --> 00:12:00.200 So the Greek mythology guy who went and brought 00:12:00.200 --> 00:12:02.660 fire to the people, and God punished him. 00:12:03.080 --> 00:12:07.253 But like, I think- The analogy that I wanna use there is like sometimes we 00:12:07.253 --> 00:12:10.580 don't have to create fire, we have to bring fire to people. 00:12:10.960 --> 00:12:15.348 So if we can just see like, okay, we're so a-- Like if you're in the SF 00:12:15.348 --> 00:12:19.736 bubble, you think you're always behind, but the rest of the country and 00:12:19.736 --> 00:12:24.310 the rest of the world is so be- like s- too far, super behind on like just 00:12:24.310 --> 00:12:26.720 simple stuff, like even getting online. 00:12:27.080 --> 00:12:30.545 So if you're able to, uh, solve those problems, that's kind of 00:12:30.545 --> 00:12:33.060 the stuff that I'm working on on, on my side. 00:12:33.540 --> 00:12:37.249 But, um, on top of that, I am a growth marketer, so like I would love to 00:12:37.249 --> 00:12:39.980 continuously in touch with you, try out your product. 00:12:40.120 --> 00:12:44.506 Uh, if I feel there's some gap in your marketing that could be potentially help you 00:12:44.506 --> 00:12:48.840 with your growth, if you're open to feedback, I can definitely send that your way. 00:12:49.840 --> 00:12:49.960 Yeah. 00:12:50.280 --> 00:12:50.880 Yeah, I'd love that. 00:12:51.080 --> 00:12:52.020 Yeah, that'd be really helpful. 00:12:52.080 --> 00:12:52.180 Yeah. 00:12:52.360 --> 00:12:54.240 If you have, uh, some thoughts on it. 00:12:54.320 --> 00:12:54.620 I don't know. 00:12:54.700 --> 00:12:58.020 With our product, I haven't, I haven't spoken with any marketers that 00:12:59.200 --> 00:13:03.080 grow products like ours, um, or that have grown products like ours. 00:13:03.780 --> 00:13:08.134 I did-- we did hire, I did do some looking for other marketing like specialists or 00:13:08.134 --> 00:13:11.480 assistants there, but social networking platform is a pretty... 00:13:11.780 --> 00:13:11.980 I don't know. 00:13:12.680 --> 00:13:13.640 I haven't found anybody that 00:13:15.240 --> 00:13:15.640 grew one. 00:13:15.920 --> 00:13:20.450 I found people that help manage communities, uh, did a lot of adjacent stuff, but 00:13:20.450 --> 00:13:24.420 yeah, I haven't really spoken with anybody that had some ideas on that. 00:13:24.840 --> 00:13:25.020 Yeah. 00:13:25.740 --> 00:13:29.600 I, I, uh, if I can give you my pitch for who I am. 00:13:30.100 --> 00:13:30.120 Sure. 00:13:30.200 --> 00:13:31.420 Uh, I worked in the film industry. 00:13:31.540 --> 00:13:36.643 I worked in the music industry, so super competitive, and I would be meeting with 00:13:36.643 --> 00:13:41.620 labels and ar- uh, and agents, and they're like, "Hey, our artist is from zero. 00:13:42.020 --> 00:13:45.366 Get them to twenty-five to fifty thousand." Or, "Our artist is 00:13:45.366 --> 00:13:48.280 already gonna be on the top billboards and everything. 00:13:48.360 --> 00:13:53.066 We're pouring millions of dollars onto them, but we need a social media presence, 00:13:53.066 --> 00:13:57.888 and we need an identity for them to latch onto." So I've worked across the board on 00:13:57.888 --> 00:14:02.769 the music side and on the film side, I've worked with like, um, I've worked with one 00:14:02.769 --> 00:14:07.359 movie that's actually on Amazon Prime, but it was a film brought to me and they 00:14:07.359 --> 00:14:12.239 said, "Hey, we need this movie to go viral enough so we can pitch it to Amazon Prime 00:14:12.239 --> 00:14:16.829 in our digital campaign." And I made that digital campaign go viral, um, to the 00:14:16.829 --> 00:14:21.477 point that we got a conversation with Lionsgate, we had a conversation with, uh, 00:14:21.477 --> 00:14:24.440 Netflix, and then ultimately they landed on Amazon. 00:14:24.900 --> 00:14:28.142 And people told the director, the owner of the 00:14:28.142 --> 00:14:30.820 movie is like, "Hey, this movie sucks. 00:14:31.280 --> 00:14:35.766 It's not a good movie, and I need you to make sure that I get a decent ROI 00:14:35.766 --> 00:14:40.131 out of it." And we did that just by online advertisement and PR strategy 00:14:40.131 --> 00:14:42.980 and getting what we needed to get out of there. 00:14:43.300 --> 00:14:44.100 So I think like 00:14:45.280 --> 00:14:50.070 maybe what you're building is super unique in that regard, but if somebody knows how 00:14:50.070 --> 00:14:54.861 to build and someone can target your ICP, someone can really understand your product 00:14:54.861 --> 00:14:59.480 to the fullest, can find out what differentiates you and why people would want to 00:14:59.480 --> 00:15:02.560 stick, and that stickiness is what they would harp on. 00:15:03.120 --> 00:15:07.445 And like, I've worked across different-- I worked in finance, I worked in commercial 00:15:07.445 --> 00:15:11.770 real estate, I worked in education, which is a big part of what I'm doing right now, 00:15:11.770 --> 00:15:15.992 and Department of State regulator programs that are h-heavily on top of compliance 00:15:15.992 --> 00:15:18.360 or like unregulated stuff like film and music. 00:15:18.960 --> 00:15:21.680 And, uh, it's been the same thing, just growth marketing. 00:15:21.720 --> 00:15:22.920 Like how do you get more people? 00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:26.740 So I think what your focus is, like how do you get more people to use your platform? 00:15:27.360 --> 00:15:29.937 I-- my question to you is just kind of like, why 00:15:29.937 --> 00:15:32.300 would anybody want to come on your platform? 00:15:32.340 --> 00:15:36.360 Like, like you talked about that case study, which is like, oh, this 00:15:36.360 --> 00:15:40.143 person came in and got X amount of funding, which is cool, but I 00:15:40.143 --> 00:15:42.980 would like to know h- how-- a deeper case study. 00:15:43.020 --> 00:15:47.578 Like, okay, this person came into the platform and then in thirty days made X amount 00:15:47.578 --> 00:15:52.082 of connections, and then in sixty days was able to met with, meet with his founder, 00:15:52.082 --> 00:15:56.260 and on day ninety or day one hundred and eighty, they were able to land this. 00:15:56.500 --> 00:16:00.289 Like, if you like harp on this one case study a lot and that becomes part of 00:16:00.289 --> 00:16:04.027 your marketing message, all of a sudden I'm more interested in your product 00:16:04.027 --> 00:16:06.420 if I'm a founder, which is everybody in the Bay. 00:16:06.760 --> 00:16:09.480 So then I would say, okay, let me at least go for that factor. 00:16:09.820 --> 00:16:14.063 The social aspect would be, can I communicate with other 00:16:14.063 --> 00:16:17.700 people on business stuff and non-business stuff? 00:16:17.960 --> 00:16:19.540 And that would be the stickiness. 00:16:19.840 --> 00:16:23.459 And then it's like, how do I-- 'Cause like right now, LinkedIn is so business. 00:16:23.779 --> 00:16:26.602 Like everybody's using AI to make these weird posts, and 00:16:26.602 --> 00:16:28.920 nobody believes in what they're talking about. 00:16:29.180 --> 00:16:30.720 And Reddit is wild, wild west. 00:16:31.020 --> 00:16:34.844 But if you could find a place where you're not being super crazy like X, but 00:16:34.844 --> 00:16:38.970 you're not being like a robot like LinkedIn, and that's your platform, then that's 00:16:38.970 --> 00:16:43.096 attractive because people are like, "I can talk like a normal person while talking 00:16:43.096 --> 00:16:45.260 about business and talking to these people. 00:16:45.300 --> 00:16:49.345 I don't have to like act a certain way." Now, there's an attractiveness to 00:16:49.345 --> 00:16:52.680 that, and then the marketing is the storytelling behind that. 00:16:53.480 --> 00:16:55.609 I, I don't know your product in depth, just based on this 00:16:55.609 --> 00:16:57.440 conversation and me just pulling up your website. 00:16:57.620 --> 00:16:59.840 This is kind of like what I'm telling you. 00:17:00.040 --> 00:17:04.124 So all this stuff could be wrong, but like this is kind of what I would like to 00:17:04.124 --> 00:17:08.155 see if you were pitching me like, "Hey, sign on to my product." Like these are 00:17:08.155 --> 00:17:10.740 the questions that me or like a layman would have. 00:17:11.620 --> 00:17:11.800 Yeah. 00:17:12.080 --> 00:17:15.020 No, I think that's a really, uh, that's a really astute take. 00:17:15.260 --> 00:17:15.420 Yeah. 00:17:15.660 --> 00:17:18.154 It's, uh, it's kind of, uh, you, you got your, uh, 00:17:18.154 --> 00:17:20.100 your thumb on the pulse pretty quickly. 00:17:20.740 --> 00:17:20.880 Yeah. 00:17:21.260 --> 00:17:23.840 Yeah, 'cause LinkedIn is, um, I don't know, it's not popular. 00:17:24.100 --> 00:17:26.578 I don't wanna like trash talk it too much, but I don't, 00:17:26.578 --> 00:17:28.380 I, I don't like using it personally, so. 00:17:28.740 --> 00:17:29.940 I, I use it 'cause I have to. 00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:32.860 I'm like, this is the only platform that exists for something like this. 00:17:33.220 --> 00:17:36.416 But if I don't have to and there's an alternative, and then you'd be like, 00:17:36.416 --> 00:17:39.656 "This is what we believe in, this is the community that we believe in." And 00:17:39.656 --> 00:17:41.600 like right now everything is founder-focused. 00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:46.639 So like if I go to your platform, there's no identity yet, and I need 00:17:46.639 --> 00:17:50.000 that ident-- Like today we, we need that identity. 00:17:50.500 --> 00:17:54.152 So like I need to know who's the person behind it that's talking about all this 00:17:54.152 --> 00:17:57.849 stuff, because now it just seems like, like another person could just, you know, 00:17:57.849 --> 00:18:00.900 vibe code your website and then be your, your competitor tomorrow. 00:18:01.200 --> 00:18:03.820 But like what makes you different is the person behind it. 00:18:04.180 --> 00:18:06.440 People are doing mascot marketing, that's coming back. 00:18:06.800 --> 00:18:10.457 But like- If you do founder-led, like here's who I am, and this is what I 00:18:10.457 --> 00:18:14.013 believe in, and talk about what you don't believe in, which is like the 00:18:14.013 --> 00:18:17.870 robotic stuff that's going on here and the wild, wild west going on the other 00:18:17.870 --> 00:18:20.124 side, I really think you have something here. 00:18:20.244 --> 00:18:22.713 Like, a lot of people would jump on this because 00:18:22.713 --> 00:18:24.564 everybody wants something like this. 00:18:26.404 --> 00:18:26.564 Yeah. 00:18:26.864 --> 00:18:29.624 Kind of a, a middle ground to actually make a connection. 00:18:30.404 --> 00:18:30.604 Yeah. 00:18:30.784 --> 00:18:34.224 Yeah, I think that's the other difficult thing is that we have a couple different... 00:18:34.604 --> 00:18:38.444 It's not just that we're helping people meet investors, it's very broad, right? 00:18:38.724 --> 00:18:41.598 So then that's good and bad, I think, 'cause we also have to 00:18:41.598 --> 00:18:44.184 narrow down into what your, your specialty's gonna be. 00:18:45.504 --> 00:18:45.505 Yeah. 00:18:45.524 --> 00:18:45.864 That's true. 00:18:45.984 --> 00:18:46.224 That's true. 00:18:46.264 --> 00:18:46.784 And you guys are... 00:18:46.824 --> 00:18:49.424 I'm assuming you guys have been around, you said for three years, right? 00:18:49.484 --> 00:18:50.804 So you guys are... 00:18:51.024 --> 00:18:53.648 Is there like one sector that you're finding that 00:18:53.648 --> 00:18:56.164 people really like our product because of this? 00:18:56.564 --> 00:19:00.244 This is kind of like majority of the people that are here for. 00:19:00.444 --> 00:19:02.264 Have you narrowed that down? 00:19:03.364 --> 00:19:03.664 Speed. 00:19:03.884 --> 00:19:05.644 Yeah, three years ago we were a totally different company. 00:19:05.704 --> 00:19:07.144 We pivoted like four months ago. 00:19:07.504 --> 00:19:08.724 Uh, the... 00:19:08.964 --> 00:19:13.884 So yeah, um, previously, historically, speed. 00:19:14.144 --> 00:19:16.864 We were able to get people hired really, really fast within target niches. 00:19:17.064 --> 00:19:20.022 So we did sales and we did, uh, medical recruitment, and then 00:19:20.022 --> 00:19:22.204 recruiters would be like, "Oh, this is great. 00:19:22.264 --> 00:19:24.764 I found the person I needed in 30 minutes." You know? 00:19:25.804 --> 00:19:27.284 Um, so yeah. 00:19:28.664 --> 00:19:28.904 Okay. 00:19:29.544 --> 00:19:30.864 Currently, um, 00:19:35.764 --> 00:19:39.164 currently people like to like, like that they can connect with investors, I think. 00:19:39.284 --> 00:19:42.150 Connect with investors, connect with clients, connect with, uh, marketers 00:19:42.150 --> 00:19:44.544 like that they can connect with people looking for marketing. 00:19:44.604 --> 00:19:48.344 Developers like that they can connect with people looking for developers, you know? 00:19:48.884 --> 00:19:49.124 Okay. 00:19:49.604 --> 00:19:49.605 Yeah. 00:19:49.624 --> 00:19:53.240 So if I just met you right now, like, like on the street and we talked, had 00:19:53.240 --> 00:19:56.084 this conversation, I would say, "Hey, what's your LinkedIn? 00:19:56.284 --> 00:19:59.904 Let me add your LinkedIn." And then that's how I would like 00:19:59.904 --> 00:20:02.604 keep a track of you, this connection I made. 00:20:03.144 --> 00:20:03.145 Yeah. 00:20:03.164 --> 00:20:05.424 With your platform, how would that work? 00:20:05.764 --> 00:20:08.404 Like, if I just meet someone, how do I get them to... 00:20:08.844 --> 00:20:11.924 How do I c-connect with them and like kind of have like 00:20:11.924 --> 00:20:14.164 a black book of people I can go back to? 00:20:15.744 --> 00:20:21.364 We trialed a feature of that, where you could send somebody like your card or like- 00:20:21.404 --> 00:20:21.405 Okay 00:20:21.404 --> 00:20:21.405 ... 00:20:21.444 --> 00:20:24.124 your, like, Hire- your HiRey card, and then you could connect- 00:20:24.164 --> 00:20:24.204 Yes 00:20:24.204 --> 00:20:24.205 ... 00:20:24.244 --> 00:20:24.764 to them that way. 00:20:25.404 --> 00:20:25.405 Okay. 00:20:25.444 --> 00:20:26.604 So we did have something like that. 00:20:26.924 --> 00:20:27.024 Yeah. 00:20:27.084 --> 00:20:27.184 Yeah. 00:20:27.224 --> 00:20:27.324 Yeah. 00:20:27.424 --> 00:20:27.844 But that's true. 00:20:27.864 --> 00:20:31.364 But then it goes into my contacts, like my device's contacts? 00:20:32.764 --> 00:20:35.382 Uh, you text it to them, and then they have it, and they can click 00:20:35.382 --> 00:20:37.524 that, and then it'll route you to their HiRey profile. 00:20:39.264 --> 00:20:39.584 Got it. 00:20:40.064 --> 00:20:40.364 Got it. 00:20:40.544 --> 00:20:40.764 Okay. 00:20:40.964 --> 00:20:44.426 Then maybe I need to use your platform a little bit more to find out how 00:20:44.426 --> 00:20:47.887 everything is kinda working, and then, like, if I have some feedback for 00:20:47.887 --> 00:20:51.349 you, and if you're open to listening and stuff like that, I'm, I'm super 00:20:51.349 --> 00:20:53.224 down to like send those your way, Mark. 00:20:53.284 --> 00:20:58.064 I think, uh, you seem like a chill guy, so you have a, a cool product. 00:20:58.464 --> 00:21:01.787 Um, and like, again, like as somebody who uses LinkedIn 00:21:01.787 --> 00:21:04.204 and hates it, and I pay for LinkedIn, so 00:21:05.564 --> 00:21:07.500 I would like to find an alternative where I can 00:21:07.500 --> 00:21:09.024 meet people that are like normal-ish. 00:21:09.364 --> 00:21:13.484 So it's like if your platform can be that, I think you got something super solid. 00:21:14.464 --> 00:21:14.624 Yeah. 00:21:14.964 --> 00:21:16.124 No, yeah, I love your take on it. 00:21:16.164 --> 00:21:16.304 Yeah. 00:21:16.684 --> 00:21:17.724 Something more normal-ish. 00:21:17.864 --> 00:21:17.964 Yeah. 00:21:18.384 --> 00:21:19.624 LinkedIn feels very not normal. 00:21:20.264 --> 00:21:20.724 Cool, man. 00:21:20.944 --> 00:21:21.464 Yeah, I appreciate it. 00:21:21.504 --> 00:21:22.644 Yeah, please send the feedback over. 00:21:22.784 --> 00:21:23.604 I'd love to talk with you. 00:21:23.664 --> 00:21:26.996 And then if you get on there, um, I don't know if you're looking, Hire looking to 00:21:26.996 --> 00:21:30.286 grow your business or if you're looking for collaborators or clients or anything 00:21:30.286 --> 00:21:32.384 like that, but please try it out and see if it can- 00:21:32.644 --> 00:21:32.645 Sure 00:21:32.644 --> 00:21:32.645 ... 00:21:32.664 --> 00:21:34.444 connect you with people in the Bay that you're looking for. 00:21:34.504 --> 00:21:34.964 You're in the Bay? 00:21:35.604 --> 00:21:36.124 Uh- 00:21:36.284 --> 00:21:36.884 Yeah, I'm in Bay. 00:21:37.164 --> 00:21:37.224 Yeah. 00:21:37.264 --> 00:21:37.984 I'm in SF right now. 00:21:38.384 --> 00:21:38.404 Cool. 00:21:38.484 --> 00:21:38.724 Uh- 00:21:38.904 --> 00:21:38.905 Cool 00:21:38.904 --> 00:21:38.905 ... 00:21:38.944 --> 00:21:43.804 I'm in, uh, Financial District, like SF Towers right, uh, in front of me. 00:21:44.464 --> 00:21:44.684 Cool. 00:21:45.004 --> 00:21:48.131 We have, um, we have dinners and stuff like that too, so we'll like pull 00:21:48.131 --> 00:21:50.824 together investors, different founders or something like that. 00:21:50.884 --> 00:21:53.627 So if you wanna do like a networking event, um, Cheryl is 00:21:53.627 --> 00:21:55.744 one of the people there that organizes that. 00:21:56.004 --> 00:21:58.224 So you're more than welcome to come to that and talk with some of 00:21:58.224 --> 00:21:59.864 the people on the team or talk with some people. 00:21:59.944 --> 00:22:01.304 I mean, uh, you know, 00:22:02.384 --> 00:22:05.064 talk with some other potential, uh, founders in the area too. 00:22:05.264 --> 00:22:05.844 We'd love to have you. 00:22:06.824 --> 00:22:07.044 Cool. 00:22:07.104 --> 00:22:08.404 How do I connect with Cheryl? 00:22:09.604 --> 00:22:11.884 I'll send you something after, after this. 00:22:11.924 --> 00:22:14.724 I'll send you a link, uh, and you can claim your HiRey profile. 00:22:15.004 --> 00:22:15.824 It makes it easy. 00:22:16.164 --> 00:22:19.164 And then, uh, just tell the 00:22:20.744 --> 00:22:23.956 after you claim your profile, you can ask the AI on the web app or text 00:22:23.956 --> 00:22:26.444 it and say, "Connect me with Cheryl at HiRey." And, uh- 00:22:26.884 --> 00:22:26.944 Okay 00:22:26.964 --> 00:22:26.965 ... 00:22:26.983 --> 00:22:28.084 and you'll, you'll be able to do that, yeah. 00:22:29.064 --> 00:22:29.363 Awesome. 00:22:29.744 --> 00:22:30.844 Well, great talking to you, Mark. 00:22:31.724 --> 00:22:31.884 Cool. 00:22:32.304 --> 00:22:32.744 All right, Kane. 00:22:32.864 --> 00:22:33.464 I appreciate you, man. 00:22:33.544 --> 00:22:34.204 I'll talk to you soon. 00:22:35.144 --> 00:22:35.424 Cheers. 00:22:35.764 --> 00:22:36.064 Okay, bye. 00:22:36.164 --> 00:22:36.524 See you, man. 00:22:36.684 --> 00:22:37.144 Take it easy.