January 12, 2022 • 40 mins
If you're interested in the visuals for this episode, check them out on our Twitter @StartupRecorded
Agenda:
- Review proposal from Creative for new names - start saying goodbye to Meta Market!
Takeaways:
- Consider the name ideas… must decide on something soon.
- Reconsider partnerships with dating apps
- Kate to read all the updated contracts NCIS sent over
- Thea to reach out to the typeface contractor and work through their unique pricing, perhaps while at sea
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Ben (00:00):
for this episode, you might want to see some visuals.
You can find them on our Twitterat startup recorded.
welcome to this startup is beingrecorded.
This recording is improvisedfiction.
Similarities between it and thereal world are entirely
(00:21):
intentional.
Now enjoy the recording.
Kate (00:27):
Okay.
Our recording is on.
Thea.
It's so great to have you back.
Uh, I feel like the new yearreally kicks off today.
So we have a exciting meetingtoday.
We're finally going to see theresults of the creative team's
work of our new name.
Um, I guess for anyone who'sjumping into this meeting
(00:48):
without context, uh, we arecalled market, but you know,
that name has, is being boughtfrom us by Facebook.
So.
Kind of traded in a way, I wouldsay it's sort of like a barter
deal, but, uh, anyway.
Yeah.
So let's just quickly introduceourselves and then jump right
in.
(01:08):
Um,
Thea (01:10):
I can start.
Yeah, I'm I will be presentingthe creative today because I am
the chief creative czar of Metromarket.
Uh, soon to be dead named.
Kate (01:23):
dead name.
Yeah.
I'm Kate Blanchet.
I'm the chief of staff.
I work under John.
I should say that he plan towatch this recording, um, is
what he told me.
So will make sure to send it tohim.
He, he did say he has hisprojector set up in his game
room.
So I assume that's for this, butyeah, he's, he's not coming, but
(01:44):
I'll
Thea (01:45):
I did share some of these ideas and full disclosure to
John, um, when he came for thecampaign when in Des Moines, for
the couch.
So yeah, we he's seen a coupleof these ideas.
Eric (02:01):
great.
Matt (02:03):
I can't believe you got to see John at how, how did he
look?
Thea (02:07):
He seemed, you know, he was John, you know, very
standoffish.
I mean, he was there, he big,you know, gave the couches,
acceptance speech.
And then I turned around rightwhen the balloon stropped and
keep with God.
Matt (02:26):
yeah.
Thea (02:28):
So I'm glad I cornered him in the green room and locked the
door for, know, 20 minutes tojust get some feedback and,
know, have my peace with him.
But, uh, you know, he seems fineand healthy and non-existent.
Kate (02:47):
I'm so glad to hear he's healthy now.
Um,
Matt (02:51):
well, probably healthy for John, right.
Thea (02:54):
Yeah, I mean, yes, exactly.
He, you know, was making theattempt of drinking a green
smoothie in the morning and likethat's so different than his
normal diet of, you know,Doritos and pizza rolls and a
combination and kind of a cerealformat.
Kate (03:14):
right.
Matt (03:15):
uh, anyway, we should, uh, I guess carry
Thea (03:16):
Yeah.
Matt (03:17):
my name is, uh, Matt, matt.yachts.
And, uh, that's also my domainwhere you can learn more about
me.
the CTO here at, uh, the companysoon to no longer be named.
Eric (03:28):
Yep.
Uh, and I am Eric Joyce Carter,uh, chief products, officer of.
Companies formerly known asMetta market.
That's still, still currently,soon.
Matt (03:40):
yeah, yeah.
Really excited today.
Eric (03:43):
Yeah.
Matt (03:44):
Kelsey, I know your team has been really hard at work
clocking a lot of hours for thisone.
And uh, it's just kind ofexciting and like, I don't know
who.
Thea (03:55):
Yeah.
I mean, I am so excited to beback as most of, you know, you
know, I just spent the past ofweeks on a holiday slash baby
moon to prep for this, just so Icould feel really refreshed.
And like, I'm kind of seeingthese ideas for the first time
myself to, you know, so think.
(04:17):
They have come from my brain.
I'm just saying that I eitherhave refreshed and like I'm
seeing them with new eyes andI'm in a new light.
So really excited.
I am going to share these withyou.
Kate (04:32):
Yeah,
Thea (04:33):
right.
Kate (04:33):
we, got the big screen set up for this.
Thea (04:37):
Yeah.
So.
Matt (04:38):
yeah.
Okay.
Thea (04:40):
I know groundbreaking so big.
And it's honestly, one we reallytried to simmer down.
know, we literally put a couch,a part of a couch into a.
Crock-Pot and we let it simmerfor a little bit while we all
(05:02):
watched it and kind of like riftideas off of while we were
taking in that kind of exhaust.
Um, and this is what came out ofit.
it is pronounced CIT, uh, justlike everybody does on a couch,
but really brings imbues kind ofa fresh way to look at a word
that we see every day.
Matt (05:24):
Wow.
Kate (05:25):
yeah.
Matt (05:26):
Yeah.
I'm noticing some stuff here.
Um, are those, are those pedals,are they, do they actually
represent couch cushions?
Uh, almost feels a little plant,like.
Thea (05:36):
So they are, they represent like two cushions of a
couch.
So really more of a love seat.
We could add a third one, youknow, there, depending on how
big, and we don't know thefuture.
I mean, sometime, someday, likemost people will have sectionals
for six seats.
And so we can really scale thisdesign based on what our
consumers are really going for.
Kate (05:59):
yeah.
See, I just worry that SYT willcome out site or see it.
Or
Eric (06:08):
was going to bring this up too.
I was kind of excited that itmight be seat.
Um, we could kind of hold on toseat at the table as part of our
vision.
Matt (06:17):
it.
I, I hate to be this person.
I'm sure this came up increative, but you know, it's,
it's one letter off from, well,from shit.
Like we could just add an Asianthere.
I feel like that's just going tobe a really easy dig, uh, from
our detractors.
Thea (06:39):
Yes, but, you know, they would have to deal with the shit
S H Y T actual toilet paperbrand, you know?
Um,
Matt (06:49):
that's true.
Thea (06:50):
yes, they could come at us, but also they'd be doing
copyright and Frenchman.
It kind of makes it easy for usto, uh, get them trapped
respect.
Matt (07:00):
how does that trademark, uh, have we talked with their
trademark people?
Because we are very close.
Like both products are used in aseated position.
We both have like strong seatingby.
Thea (07:12):
Yeah.
I mean, that is honestly areally good point.
Um, if we were to go down thisroad, we would have to kind of
sit down with that company.
I know their creative directorreally well, and we could,
think, hash it out a couple ofdays at sea.
Matt (07:26):
I just loved it though.
When you said like sit
Eric (07:28):
yeah.
Matt (07:29):
kind of heard it in the
Thea (07:30):
Yeah.
Matt (07:32):
like, we're a, we're a verb, right?
If we're CIT.
Kate (07:36):
So if this was our name, would we all be centered?
Cities CIT
Thea (07:44):
I
Eric (07:45):
Citizens?
Kate (07:46):
citizen.
Thea (07:47):
especially with our recent win in Des Moines.
Citizens feels so.
Eric (07:57):
Well,
Kate (07:57):
how
Eric (07:58):
wow.
Thea (07:58):
I, we have more,
Eric (08:00):
Yeah.
How many are there?
Wow.
Thea (08:02):
um, this is an X one, um, so fast, a really combines,
obviously our focus on couchesat the moment without tying us
to couches, uh, as strongly as.
Did, by, by having it almostlike the arrow in the FedEx
(08:22):
logo, you know, it's part of it,but you don't really see it
until you, until you like reallystare at it for awhile and it
adds fast.
So it really builds on Kate'swork, you know, really in
getting out our, and making sureour sofas get to people fast.
Um, so it really talks not onlyabout what we do, but also the
(08:43):
movement of that this company.
Kate (08:47):
uh, sorry, what was the, the arrow FedEx?
Is there something I'm missingand so far?
Thea (08:53):
Well it's so far.
Matt (08:56):
or so, so fuzz, I was reading a sofas
Thea (08:59):
Yeah.
Yeah So like sofas.
Or sofa, but so fast would bethe name.
Kate (09:07):
you know, I, I kind of like it because I have been
eyeing an office property onsofa street, down in Ellicott
city.
So this would be kind of likeour address and our new.
Matt (09:23):
wow.
Thea (09:25):
Yeah.
So you know, another ideathere's going to be more
creativity coming at you.
So I'll just go to the next one.
Another very simple versionlounge.
Uh, we really thought when wethought about lounge, we went.
We liked it.
Cause it was not only somethingyou do on a couch similar to
(09:45):
sit, but it is also a placewhere people come together.
you think about the wake, youfelt at a lounge, it's like
happy, it's chill, it'sconnected.
And so we felt like lounge, notonly conveyed what people do
with our product, but also ourvalues as a company.
Matt (10:10):
Yeah, that's an interesting one.
Something about this, uh, thislayout I F I feel like I've read
this magazine.
Is this a magazine type?
Or was that just, I'm not superwell-versed in design, but this
just kind of pops for me.
Thea (10:26):
Yeah.
I mean, it isn't a magazinechild, but, um, magazine, but it
is, um, done in that kind ofstyle to really, we went with
like a dictionary look for this.
And I should say to that, like,you know, creative, we put in
design elements with the name tokind of make it pop, but.
We're not set on having thisdesign this word, but for this
(10:50):
one, as you can see, we reallywanted it to look like, uh,
somebody had highlighted it in adictionary because it is such,
we want people to really thinkthe meaning of the word.
Kate (11:03):
Oh, you know, the highlight is so interesting
because I thought the yellow boxwas us looking down on a yellow
sofa.
Thea (11:13):
That is interesting.
Matt (11:15):
Okay.
Kate (11:15):
Yeah.
Thea (11:17):
when you look at the name, if we added another, another
long letter, like lounge jet, itwould
Matt (11:25):
Um,
Thea (11:26):
form a sofa.
Matt (11:29):
Hmm.
Right.
You can see it.
Yeah.
There's a, there's a little bittoo much arm rest on this sofa,
but otherwise I see it.
Uh, yeah.
Thea (11:38):
more of a fainting couch right now, you know, I think you
could, I
Matt (11:44):
it's just in the living room of one of those people that
puts too many pillows on theedge and they've really just
padded it out too far.
Thea (11:52):
I mean, we will definitely do our custom typeface for this,
so we can also play with thespacing of the letter so we
could keep lounge, but we make areally extended E kind of short
defy the G
Kate (12:04):
Got it.
Thea (12:05):
good, good food.
Kate (12:07):
yeah.
Speaking of which we probablyshould talk about the rates that
the custom typeface contractoris sending.
They're getting a little bit Um,guess I don't understand why
they have to charge per.
Thea (12:22):
they're I mean, each letter will have its own
intrinsic meaning to it, know?
Matt (12:30):
There's also a lot of work that goes into making a typeface
that we can use both in printand the formats associated with
that.
And they've been great aboutsending us, uh, you know, web
ready fonts and, uh, working tomake sure that they're hosting
that all for us.
And, uh, we're not, you know,eating that bandwidth.
Um, from a technical standpoint,like they're definitely carrying
(12:51):
some weight.
I don't know what the numberslook like.
Kate (12:54):
Yeah, no, they they've started charging us by size too.
So if we could stick to like the32 12 that'd be great.
Thea (13:05):
Okay.
I mean, Once we get, once wehammer what, see how many this
down, let me know.
I know the design directorthere, and I'm sure that there's
nothing of this that can't besolved after a couple of days at
sea.
Kate (13:19):
Okay.
Eric (13:20):
well, sorry, sorry.
Kela Theo.
Do you mean CES or at sea?
Like on the.
Thea (13:27):
Um, on the ocean.
Yeah, yeah, actually, um, um,yeah, I, I don't know if I told
you guys this, but, uh, as partof my baby moon, I was sailing
and just realized that so muchof life can be worked out on a
boat.
Like, I feel like my with my sonslash bugs be really honestly,
(13:52):
Improved when I realized what itwas like to be trapped at sea in
the Arctic.
And, um, I'm just bringing thatinto.
Kate (14:00):
last.
Thea (14:01):
Yeah.
Yeah.
I, I stopped into Moines,obviously to, you know, deal
with the couch when, and then,uh, chartered a sea plane to
take me up to the Arctic circle.
So I could out at sea without apaddle, um, on a boat to really
what that was like.
And just came back a changedwoman.
(14:22):
Like, can I say.
Matt (14:25):
my gosh.
Well, very glad you made it.
Thea (14:29):
Yeah, thank you.
And, but Kate, you will noticeas part of that experience, I
have built in a pretty robustsailing budget into marketing
budget this year.
Kate (14:40):
Okay, let's keep going.
Thea (14:44):
let's continue.
All right.
So this next one, uh, we talkedabout, you know, what are the
values of a couch that youreally want and comfy kept
coming up as you know, but wedon't want to be comfy here.
Comfy speaks of without movementwithout direction, you know,
something that's safe and wedon't want to be necessarily
(15:05):
safe.
So we wanted something that.
Comfy, but also stellar.
And so that's where comes incomplete.
Matt (15:19):
It's like comfy plus like on fleek.
Thea (15:23):
Yeah.
Complete.
Matt (15:25):
man.
Thea (15:27):
It is.
Yes.
But I, I think, you know, are.
Design and language elementsthat transcend time, know, that
are just like, you might not usethem every day, but you kind of
understand what theyintrinsically feel like.
And we feel like fleek is one ofthose that you might not know
what the references, but itsounds, you know, something a
(15:49):
little bit more debonair.
Matt (15:54):
I'm just worried about like the original meme was also
like kind of an appropriation,uh, especially the way it was.
Uh, let's just say taken whiteculture online, although that's
not where it started.
Uh, I just worried about thatfor, for us.
I know it's, there's somedistance of time there it's
(16:16):
safe, but, uh, could we get someblowback?
Thea (16:19):
Matt.
That's a really good point.
I think that, I think I like thespirit of this, but you bring up
really good points about theword.
And so maybe one of the thingsthat creative can do is really
back and figure out a differentword to represent this feeling.
Kate (16:38):
other thing I just, this font that, oh, kind of looks
like a U I don't know if thefont and the
Matt (16:47):
Oh,
Kate (16:48):
together.
Matt (16:49):
hadn't, I hadn't noticed.
Thea (16:53):
Yes, Kate I'm, I'm not shocked.
You notice that, you know, uh,given how much
Kate (17:00):
This has
Thea (17:00):
energy you have head tough.
Kate (17:02):
No.
Thea (17:04):
Um, but yes, uh you're right.
That could be something prettydangerous.
So, right.
Uh, we will ceremonially burncom fleek, uh, and.
Continue on, and now this is acrazy one, but, uh, we, you
know, one thing that was broughtup is like, we already have the
very strong Bugsby brand.
(17:25):
if we just did like a bug Spiessplace or some reference of bugs,
be kind of like a Craigslistkind of thing.
know, like he's already thisvery lovable, you know, person,
and we could just build on thebugs boot brand versus trying to
create two brands.
Eric (17:43):
Oh, it's hard to say no to that.
Matt (17:45):
Yeah.
It's tough though, to thinkabout bugs, be like involved in
my own furniture.
Like I, I think a Bugsby as likea Narnia esque representation of
what it's like to live in aworld where furniture and
fantasy are one.
And I think bringing that overinto an app and I can, I can
(18:06):
push a button and like, imagineBugsby driving a van to bring a
couch to me.
I don't know.
It takes away some of them.
Yeah.
Thea (18:16):
I totally understand that it's a little bit blahzay for
the bug speed brand and I cansee, you know, how that could
hurt us in the end.
I also think that like, know,uh, this is something that we
haven't really ran by bug SPIand we don't know how he's gonna
feel.
And let's also say that, youknow, with any, when you link
(18:36):
your brand to.
Any sort of living and breathingthing, uh, you really run the
reputational risk of bugs me isreally great and great for our
brand now, but we don't know whobikes beasts going to grow up to
be in the future.
Matt (18:50):
That is, so this is why is parenting Califia
Thea (18:54):
Thank you.
Matt (18:56):
I feel like just for a moment I had this worry of like,
is what we do not cool enoughfor Bugsby and I think the
answer is yes.
And so I can only imagine whatyou've been going through with
the last week, since.
Thea (19:09):
yeah, it is, it is really difficult to really think about
my role as fostering the nextgeneration, you know?
Um, and what that really means.
Kate (19:21):
wait, it's bugs.
We going to have like childrenor something.
Thea (19:24):
I mean, that is up to bikes B I don't, you know,
really get into his life plans.
And I think he's, he's reallytoo young to really be
considering that.
But, you know, if that'ssomething that's in his future,
I totally support it.
Let's, let's move away fromBugsby.
Uh, this is the next one, Trump,uh, we thought about making like
(19:47):
more of a luxury one, just tosee if that was something that
felt S for a brand.
You know, if we wanted to dosomething that felt a little
more glitz and glamor, uh, we alot of research actually into
famous chairs and couches, uh,Versailles actually was one of.
Biggest innovators in chairdesign.
(20:08):
And so we thought about doingsomething around, you know,
Versailles or around like Kingsand, you know, it's just very
difficult in this time to talkabout monarchies.
Uh, you know, it's not, it's notas popular, so we ended up just
taking the Frenchness of it.
(20:29):
And so this is the French wordfor throat.
Um, and so we thought this couldbe like a fun way and we've like
thrown it really elevates what achair or a couch could be.
Matt (20:43):
well, yeah, I feel like I can almost smell the cigar smoke
coming off of this.
Like this is this, this is abrand that at least thinks it's
very Luxe.
Eric (20:56):
and I like that the journey, you know, to take as
we, as we try and reshape globaltrade, I mean, Versailles.
Monarchy was supposed a stopalong the way.
We've kind of moved past it.
We've got the good luxuryelements of it, but maybe left
some of the other stuff behindwe've left the age behind that's
(21:18):
there's a lot of, a lot of, alot of through lines there.
Thea (21:21):
Yeah.
Matt (21:22):
wondering what this is going to do.
Not that, you know, we have anyFrench city rollouts coming up,
but like the French inparticular have a relationship
with monarchy that we may notwant to take.
Eric (21:37):
That will affect the year four roadmap.
Thea (21:39):
It's true.
And I do like, you know, like acrown, want us to just try this
on?
I don't think that this is atthe end, what we're going to go
for, but I want us to reallyexpand our idea of like what
this logo and brand could be.
So I wanted to think to.
Push us, because I think, youknow, the other ones, like I
said, they've been comfy,they've been loungy.
(22:01):
They've been, you know, really,um, familiar.
And so just what it is.
See, looked like let's try onwhat if our brand was something
aloof and exclusive
Matt (22:10):
know, one thing we haven't talked about the Metta market
name was great because it gaveus the opportunity to say,
obviously we're doing multiplethings.
Uh, and, uh, I feel like onething we're in danger of is
locking ourselves into onething.
Uh, maybe we could pick multipleones of these and, uh, you know,
we've talked about chairs,they're just couches for one,
(22:32):
could be, uh, could be, we do a,a niche, like a throne section
of the app.
That's a, Hey, forget a couchfor your friends and family.
This is for you.
This is your.
Thea (22:45):
I like that.
I like having an exclusive partof the website that only certain
people can unlock.
You know, it's very good.
Matt (22:52):
interesting.
Kate (22:54):
Yeah, I mean, we kind of had something like that for a
time.
Um, it was kind of on accidentwhen we only supported that one
upscale.
Uh, browser safari version.
Um, and there was only peoplewho had hadn't updated their
computers for three years thatcould use it.
Eric (23:12):
oh yeah.
Kate (23:14):
this does feel different than that.
Thea (23:18):
Yeah.
Matt (23:18):
Yeah, I bet there's not a lot of overlap between those two
specifics.
Kate (23:23):
No.
Thea (23:26):
All right.
So we're, gonna think about it.
Um,
Matt (23:30):
what else?
we got?
Thea (23:32):
So this is our next one.
So we really wanted to go out ofthe box with this one.
Like what if we just threw.
Couches.
Okay.
It's in the box literally, butfiguratively.
We wanted to break the box andthink about like, did we want to
do?
So we thought about assess whois the Greek God, a building and
(23:52):
furniture.
And we thought, Ooh, that'sgreat, but we don't want to be
really on the nose.
So we just shortened it to Estisthought this is a good one.
That's just something totallydifferent.
But also.
It's a God who forges things.
And so it really gives us areally big brand malleability,
you know, like he's the God offire and building any sort of
(24:14):
thing you want, you know, andgold foraging.
I mean, the possibilities areendless.
Matt (24:20):
Yeah.
Um, I have two, two things here.
Sorry, Kate.
Um, I just want to checksomething to be sure.
Kate (24:28):
Yeah.
Yeah.
I was just going to ask thatabout there's really a Greek God
of furniture.
Thea (24:35):
That was like one of his minor duties, you know, he had
key, he did a lot,
Matt (24:41):
The first thing, uh, that I wanted to check, I verified
this is.
The Estis rocket brand.
I was thinking of that spelledwith an E S um, they, there are
close, but I think obviously wedo different things.
this is another one letter away.
(25:01):
if you drop an R in there, Idon't know if anybody else
noticed that.
Kate (25:06):
I was thinking about adding a T
Eric (25:10):
Rest us
Matt (25:10):
see what you're going there.
Eric (25:12):
rest us is good.
Matt (25:14):
Are you going to rest us would, would be good.
I was, uh, it was referring totwo Astros kind of like the
female reproductive cycle term.
Thea (25:22):
Oh, I see.
Kate (25:24):
mm.
Thea (25:26):
Yeah.
I don't actually think that's aproblem.
I mean, we could use a lot more,um, femininity and, um, you
know, life into our brains.
Matt (25:38):
Yeah.
Kate (25:40):
Yeah, we, we have made at one of our goals to try to even
out our demographics, you know,for some reason, a lot of men
buy couches from us.
Thea (25:51):
And if you think about that time period, it's a time in
which a woman is open toimplantation, know, and this is
us being open to new ideas andnew, new bounds and, you know,
uh, new opportunities.
Matt (26:07):
I'm just worried about us coming back around to some of
the app tie-ins that we haverejected in the past, um,
things.
You know, grinder and, and otherhookup apps.
Um,
Kate (26:21):
Or, or trying to market to women while they're on their
period, because you know,they're super emotional and
interested in purchasing things.
Thea (26:29):
That was a.
A fault on my part.
Um, you know, I, but I stillthink, um, you know, that
partnership with the periodtracker app led to a lot of
sales.
Kate (26:45):
dead.
Matt (26:47):
it was a, it was a very thoroughly learned.
And do you know when a startupgets one of those?
We're grateful.
Thea (26:54):
That's right.
All right.
Um, only have a couple more,I'll just go this wide our boats
out of the POCs wide.
Yeah, I know.
I know it is a very shocking, asa non, um, so the Sanskrit word
(27:15):
for chair is awesome and we werejust kind of.
Beth at our mantra as we werelike trying to suss out like
what we wanted this to be.
And so like we, as the creativeteam were just like Austin on
Austin, on Austin, on, then it'sjust like really formed into ass
(27:36):
Anon.
And I know having a course wordin your name, it can be very
scary, but I think we see, we'reseeing a lot of like really
daring brands, you know, usecurse word.
In their, in their marketing.
Can, you know, like how many.
Brands you see, you'd like to,know, I don't know, like the
(27:59):
fuck up or, you know, I'm S likeas fuck is like such a, you
know, sexy as fuck, you know,couches, fuck, whatever, like
those, those have been, youknow, more into it.
So I think it, it is definitelyrisky.
Again, this is one that we putin to really push you.
But we also think that obviouslyasks refers to the, but that is
(28:22):
where couches said kind of, um,felt, well, it gave us two
things.
One, it kind of felt like, uh,we, like, we were so addicted to
couches, you know, like we had.
Get into, you know, we had tolike get into like an AA K
program, but we also felt likenon, the internet is really
(28:43):
about being able to meet newpeople that you wouldn't in your
social circles.
So like also a non in the sensethat like we're building these
points of relationships betweenstrangers.
Eric (28:54):
yeah, this feels like maybe we could do this for like
a web three offshoot, adecentralized network.
It could be this, but I dunno,it feels, really, it feels, you
know, it's, it's bold, but Ican't see the reach.
Uh, you know, I can't see.
I can't say keeping de Moinesthis.
Matt (29:16):
That is true.
We ran on some strong familyvalue stuff.
Kate (29:21):
I know
Matt (29:22):
Like really strong
Kate (29:24):
the fundamentalist Christians for Metta market
Facebook group, I don't know howthey would respond to.
Thea (29:30):
I hear that.
I'm, I'm just saying sometimeswe wanna market to the people
that we want, you know, and, um,is one that might, you know, get
us into new markets.
Kate (29:43):
That is true.
Matt (29:44):
Yeah.
I mean, this, this has me, uh,circling back around again to.
Maybe we were too hasty withsome of these potential
partnerships and, uh, I
Eric (29:56):
man, true.
Matt (29:57):
sounds like it would go right in with a combination, uh,
hookup matchmaking app and, uh,furniture delivery and pick up
in cleaning.
Thea (30:08):
I mean as, as the rep from Grindr has reminded us many
times before 80% of theirhookups happen on couches.
Matt (30:17):
Yeah, well, you know, if we don't end up using it and
maybe, maybe.
Thea (30:22):
Yeah.
Great.
Kate (30:23):
Yeah,
Thea (30:24):
that's true.
Eric (30:26):
license it.
Yeah.
Thea (30:28):
Yeah.
Um, this last one I just put inthere, um, just again, as an
idea, um, one was really bornout of a particularly dark time.
Um, this is.
Holly ITAs phallus Memorial, uh,that being the Latin word for
(30:50):
bald Eagle.
And I just thought if we wantedto lead a, to our
Eric (30:57):
Uh,
Thea (30:58):
heart wrenching failure as an organization to protect bald
Eagles, um, we could like reallyhonor, um, our follaide Fred.
Eric (31:15):
wow.
Matt (31:16):
I, um, I really love where your heart is at on this one.
Um, pretty sure this would be astrong admission of guilt, which
our lawyers have advised not todo.
Uh, anything like, um, us, it isvery.
Kate (31:33):
do not believe that we are guilty.
I still honestly think thoseInstagram pictures of the Eagle
on the couch are damningevidence against, uh, that gets
that owner.
Thea (31:47):
know I just be still comes in my dreams to me.
It's just, it's bit of,
Kate (31:52):
a doctor for that.
Thea (31:54):
oh, please.
It's been a really rough time.
Okay.
Like was basically a boat withthat Eagle by a tire trip in the
Arctic.
It was just sitting there, likeme to a atone for my sins.
I'm sorry, I just threw this onein there just as like a thought.
Uh, cause it's definitely theonly thing I buy by these days.
Kate (32:17):
okay.
Eric (32:17):
I'm glad you got it on paper.
Thea (32:19):
Thank you.
I appreciate that.
Um, yeah.
So, um, I just want to all forsome of those ideas.
Obviously we don't have todecide today.
You really want to, I want youguys to really ruminate on all
of these.
I just have one more.
Matt (32:37):
Oh, great.
Wow.
Thea (32:40):
Kate did you think I would not find out about ed C I S do
you think I would not find outabout the fact that my son is
working with bark?
Habbad
Kate (32:54):
I thought I knew you'd find out.
I thought you'd be happy.
You know, um, bugs beat bugs meneeds to make us money.
Okay.
And this is a way to do it.
Thea (33:08):
I put this as a logo idea.
That's the dead don't sitbecause I've been ruminating my
murderous thoughts for a while,you know?
And it is true.
If you think about it, thedeadly laid down, they don't
sit, they just don't have themuscles to actually sit up.
Kate (33:26):
I mean,
Matt (33:26):
true.
They can be posed in a seatedposition, but
Eric (33:30):
really
Matt (33:30):
not.
Thea (33:32):
Right.
They're not
Eric (33:33):
Oh.
Thea (33:33):
themselves.
Um, but also because I'm, I havehad a long standing grudge with
mark Haman since I was ateenager at the entertainment
industry at
Kate (33:48):
I don't know that.
I
Thea (33:49):
I will destroy and see yes from the inside.
Kate (33:57):
wait, wait, wait, wait.
No, no, no.
Th this bugs me appearance inAntaeus has to go, well, it has
to go well.
Thea (34:05):
It will go well, we'll go well for
Eric (34:07):
Well, what happened to
Thea (34:09):
for Califia.
Eric (34:10):
happened to Bugsby is his own person, his own entity.
You've got to let bugs be goCalifia you cannot push her
grudge through.
Thea (34:19):
I know he wants to do this, and I know this is his
dream, but I have to protecthim.
can't let mark.
Clabby little hands up.
My bore precious boy.
Eric (34:31):
bugs me is 22.
He can handle himself.
Matt (34:36):
I think of myself at 22, I was I
Eric (34:38):
that's true.
Matt (34:41):
that said, mean, legally now that emancipated as his own
person, there's not a whole lotwe can do.
they're paying handsomely forthe appearance.
Kate (34:53):
Yeah.
And we get most of that.
I mean, the
Matt (34:57):
I'm
Kate (34:57):
bit goes to lawyers, but
Matt (34:59):
I know.
Like, he just became his ownperson.
And as his mother, this hasgotta be really hard for you.
Thea (35:07):
It's really hard.
Kate (35:09):
set or anything to do.
You.
Thea (35:12):
Of course I went on set.
Kate (35:15):
Uh, why did you go on set
Thea (35:19):
Did you really think that I was at the Arctic this past
week?
Do you know how difficult it isto get to the Arctic this past
week?
Matt (35:28):
Sounds very callous.
Kate (35:30):
to the architect where you at all week?
Thea (35:33):
Yes, it was the Arctic of my soul.
Kate (35:39):
I thought when they messaged me and sent all those
emails about the contractchanges that, I don't know, they
sent it to the wrong person.
Thea (35:48):
Why do you think.
I so keep to negotiate things atC I reasonably solid its effect.
Kate (35:57):
wait.
So you were at sea, you justweren't in the area.
Eric (36:01):
That was it and see.
Thea (36:04):
and CIS, I was there.
and I was negotiating for bugsbe okay.
And sometimes when there'snegotiations go wrong, you go
out on a boat with mark.
Eric (36:20):
you were at sea
Thea (36:22):
Yeah.
Obviously they feel that LA LAis at the sea.
Okay.
I can do both.
Eric (36:29):
isn't that where see asses nothing vague.
Matt (36:32):
That's Vegas.
That's Vegas.
Thea (36:33):
Yeah.
Eric (36:35):
so much.
Kate (36:36):
Okay, well, let's review all that together.
Um, I hope mark.
Hammond's okay.
I mean, I'm glad you're okay.
Thea (36:46):
He knows what.
Matt (36:49):
can I just say I'm a little bit obsessed with this,
the dead
Eric (36:51):
yeah, we've got.
Matt (36:54):
It's really like of all of those fitness brands that were
coming for us on Twitterthinking they were so clever.
feel like it's important toremember, like, Hey, you push
yourself so hard, you just, likeyou were saying about me and my
Peloton, like, uh, you got torest, you have to take breaks
dead don't sit.
(37:15):
So sit while you're alive.
Kate (37:17):
I feel like all the logos about death than life.
And I don't know if that'sexactly where we want to go.
I feel the same way about theFrench monarchy thing, but,
Matt (37:28):
Yeah, there's the, do you know if there's a brand identity
and then there's an ad campaign?
Thea (37:32):
And blood red is already in our brand kit.
So wouldn't have to change a lotof the colors for this.
Kate (37:39):
Okay.
Well, w we have so much to thinkabout, um, I'm we got through
everything.
Um,
Thea (37:48):
I think you're right.
I think this is the logo.
mean, I've always said the bestcreativity is out of the
darkness of my soul and
Kate (37:57):
your
Eric (37:57):
forcing rumination.
Matt (37:59):
E yeah.
What sleep.
Kate (38:03):
Yeah.
Matt (38:04):
dreamless Eagleford.
Kate (38:06):
I'll give you some of my meds yet.
You really should use them.
We're at a good place.
We're at a good place.
This is further than we werehalf an hour ago.
Um, I think, I think we shouldadjourn, you know, bull, you can
send these out to everyone viaemail, I assume.
And we'll review.
Thea (38:28):
Yeah, we can all think of.
Thank Y this is the right one.
Matt (38:34):
okay.
It's Thea.
Thank you so much
Eric (38:37):
Yeah, this.
is
Matt (38:38):
you to
Eric (38:38):
amazing.
Kate (38:40):
Okay.
Thea (38:40):
I said Nana.
Kate (38:42):
oh, did you just say as asinine?
Thea (38:45):
I said, uh, yeah.
So the mantra that we werecoming up with.
Kate (38:50):
sure.
I also think maybe it's not agood idea for us to keep that
mantra.
Let's just say that oddly,around the office, I've noticed
the creative team doing that andjust kind of overlooked it the
last few days.
Um, Okay.
I'll stop the recording andwe'll come back to.
Ben (39:09):
This meeting has ended.
To subscribe to this startup isbeing recorded.
Go to the podcast player of yourchoice and tap a button that
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More content is on Twitter atstartup recorded, or shoot us an
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story.
At hello@startuprecorded.com.
Kate is played by ValerieGarrison.
(39:30):
Valerie is a health tech productmanager and regularly plays with
the improv troupe letters tochicken online.
You can find her on Twitter atthevalgarris eric has played by
Barry wright Barry is a productmanager at Spotify and a
co-founder of Highwire Improv.
Find him by his name onLinkedIn, where he holds regular
office hours or athighwireimprov.com Matt is
played by Martin Mcguire.
(39:51):
Marty is a senior web engineerand improviser in New York city.
You can find Marty's comedy codeand cats on his website at M M G
dot R E.
Calathea is played by RobynStegman.
Robyn is a digital campaignmanager for ocean Conservancy
and is a comedian mostly foundat Highwire improv.
You can find her on all thesocial medias.
And she does mean all at rsteggythank you for listening.
for this episode, you might want to see some visuals.
You can find them on our Twitterat startup recorded.
welcome to this startup is beingrecorded.
This recording is improvisedfiction.
Similarities between it and thereal world are entirely
(00:21):
intentional.
Now enjoy the recording.
Kate (00:27):
Okay.
Our recording is on.
Thea.
It's so great to have you back.
Uh, I feel like the new yearreally kicks off today.
So we have a exciting meetingtoday.
We're finally going to see theresults of the creative team's
work of our new name.
Um, I guess for anyone who'sjumping into this meeting
(00:48):
without context, uh, we arecalled market, but you know,
that name has, is being boughtfrom us by Facebook.
So.
Kind of traded in a way, I wouldsay it's sort of like a barter
deal, but, uh, anyway.
Yeah.
So let's just quickly introduceourselves and then jump right
in.
(01:08):
Um,
Thea (01:10):
I can start.
Yeah, I'm I will be presentingthe creative today because I am
the chief creative czar of Metromarket.
Uh, soon to be dead named.
Kate (01:23):
dead name.
Yeah.
I'm Kate Blanchet.
I'm the chief of staff.
I work under John.
I should say that he plan towatch this recording, um, is
what he told me.
So will make sure to send it tohim.
He, he did say he has hisprojector set up in his game
room.
So I assume that's for this, butyeah, he's, he's not coming, but
(01:44):
I'll
Thea (01:45):
I did share some of these ideas and full disclosure to
John, um, when he came for thecampaign when in Des Moines, for
the couch.
So yeah, we he's seen a coupleof these ideas.
Eric (02:01):
great.
Matt (02:03):
I can't believe you got to see John at how, how did he
look?
Thea (02:07):
He seemed, you know, he was John, you know, very
standoffish.
I mean, he was there, he big,you know, gave the couches,
acceptance speech.
And then I turned around rightwhen the balloon stropped and
keep with God.
Matt (02:26):
yeah.
Thea (02:28):
So I'm glad I cornered him in the green room and locked the
door for, know, 20 minutes tojust get some feedback and,
know, have my peace with him.
But, uh, you know, he seems fineand healthy and non-existent.
Kate (02:47):
I'm so glad to hear he's healthy now.
Um,
Matt (02:51):
well, probably healthy for John, right.
Thea (02:54):
Yeah, I mean, yes, exactly.
He, you know, was making theattempt of drinking a green
smoothie in the morning and likethat's so different than his
normal diet of, you know,Doritos and pizza rolls and a
combination and kind of a cerealformat.
Kate (03:14):
right.
Matt (03:15):
uh, anyway, we should, uh, I guess carry
Thea (03:16):
Yeah.
Matt (03:17):
my name is, uh, Matt, matt.yachts.
And, uh, that's also my domainwhere you can learn more about
me.
the CTO here at, uh, the companysoon to no longer be named.
Eric (03:28):
Yep.
Uh, and I am Eric Joyce Carter,uh, chief products, officer of.
Companies formerly known asMetta market.
That's still, still currently,soon.
Matt (03:40):
yeah, yeah.
Really excited today.
Eric (03:43):
Yeah.
Matt (03:44):
Kelsey, I know your team has been really hard at work
clocking a lot of hours for thisone.
And uh, it's just kind ofexciting and like, I don't know
who.
Thea (03:55):
Yeah.
I mean, I am so excited to beback as most of, you know, you
know, I just spent the past ofweeks on a holiday slash baby
moon to prep for this, just so Icould feel really refreshed.
And like, I'm kind of seeingthese ideas for the first time
myself to, you know, so think.
(04:17):
They have come from my brain.
I'm just saying that I eitherhave refreshed and like I'm
seeing them with new eyes andI'm in a new light.
So really excited.
I am going to share these withyou.
Kate (04:32):
Yeah,
Thea (04:33):
right.
Kate (04:33):
we, got the big screen set up for this.
Thea (04:37):
Yeah.
So.
Matt (04:38):
yeah.
Okay.
Thea (04:40):
I know groundbreaking so big.
And it's honestly, one we reallytried to simmer down.
know, we literally put a couch,a part of a couch into a.
Crock-Pot and we let it simmerfor a little bit while we all
(05:02):
watched it and kind of like riftideas off of while we were
taking in that kind of exhaust.
Um, and this is what came out ofit.
it is pronounced CIT, uh, justlike everybody does on a couch,
but really brings imbues kind ofa fresh way to look at a word
that we see every day.
Matt (05:24):
Wow.
Kate (05:25):
yeah.
Matt (05:26):
Yeah.
I'm noticing some stuff here.
Um, are those, are those pedals,are they, do they actually
represent couch cushions?
Uh, almost feels a little plant,like.
Thea (05:36):
So they are, they represent like two cushions of a
couch.
So really more of a love seat.
We could add a third one, youknow, there, depending on how
big, and we don't know thefuture.
I mean, sometime, someday, likemost people will have sectionals
for six seats.
And so we can really scale thisdesign based on what our
consumers are really going for.
Kate (05:59):
yeah.
See, I just worry that SYT willcome out site or see it.
Or
Eric (06:08):
was going to bring this up too.
I was kind of excited that itmight be seat.
Um, we could kind of hold on toseat at the table as part of our
vision.
Matt (06:17):
it.
I, I hate to be this person.
I'm sure this came up increative, but you know, it's,
it's one letter off from, well,from shit.
Like we could just add an Asianthere.
I feel like that's just going tobe a really easy dig, uh, from
our detractors.
Thea (06:39):
Yes, but, you know, they would have to deal with the shit
S H Y T actual toilet paperbrand, you know?
Um,
Matt (06:49):
that's true.
Thea (06:50):
yes, they could come at us, but also they'd be doing
copyright and Frenchman.
It kind of makes it easy for usto, uh, get them trapped
respect.
Matt (07:00):
how does that trademark, uh, have we talked with their
trademark people?
Because we are very close.
Like both products are used in aseated position.
We both have like strong seatingby.
Thea (07:12):
Yeah.
I mean, that is honestly areally good point.
Um, if we were to go down thisroad, we would have to kind of
sit down with that company.
I know their creative directorreally well, and we could,
think, hash it out a couple ofdays at sea.
Matt (07:26):
I just loved it though.
When you said like sit
Eric (07:28):
yeah.
Matt (07:29):
kind of heard it in the
Thea (07:30):
Yeah.
Matt (07:32):
like, we're a, we're a verb, right?
If we're CIT.
Kate (07:36):
So if this was our name, would we all be centered?
Cities CIT
Thea (07:44):
I
Eric (07:45):
Citizens?
Kate (07:46):
citizen.
Thea (07:47):
especially with our recent win in Des Moines.
Citizens feels so.
Eric (07:57):
Well,
Kate (07:57):
how
Eric (07:58):
wow.
Thea (07:58):
I, we have more,
Eric (08:00):
Yeah.
How many are there?
Wow.
Thea (08:02):
um, this is an X one, um, so fast, a really combines,
obviously our focus on couchesat the moment without tying us
to couches, uh, as strongly as.
Did, by, by having it almostlike the arrow in the FedEx
(08:22):
logo, you know, it's part of it,but you don't really see it
until you, until you like reallystare at it for awhile and it
adds fast.
So it really builds on Kate'swork, you know, really in
getting out our, and making sureour sofas get to people fast.
Um, so it really talks not onlyabout what we do, but also the
(08:43):
movement of that this company.
Kate (08:47):
uh, sorry, what was the, the arrow FedEx?
Is there something I'm missingand so far?
Thea (08:53):
Well it's so far.
Matt (08:56):
or so, so fuzz, I was reading a sofas
Thea (08:59):
Yeah.
Yeah So like sofas.
Or sofa, but so fast would bethe name.
Kate (09:07):
you know, I, I kind of like it because I have been
eyeing an office property onsofa street, down in Ellicott
city.
So this would be kind of likeour address and our new.
Matt (09:23):
wow.
Thea (09:25):
Yeah.
So you know, another ideathere's going to be more
creativity coming at you.
So I'll just go to the next one.
Another very simple versionlounge.
Uh, we really thought when wethought about lounge, we went.
We liked it.
Cause it was not only somethingyou do on a couch similar to
(09:45):
sit, but it is also a placewhere people come together.
you think about the wake, youfelt at a lounge, it's like
happy, it's chill, it'sconnected.
And so we felt like lounge, notonly conveyed what people do
with our product, but also ourvalues as a company.
Matt (10:10):
Yeah, that's an interesting one.
Something about this, uh, thislayout I F I feel like I've read
this magazine.
Is this a magazine type?
Or was that just, I'm not superwell-versed in design, but this
just kind of pops for me.
Thea (10:26):
Yeah.
I mean, it isn't a magazinechild, but, um, magazine, but it
is, um, done in that kind ofstyle to really, we went with
like a dictionary look for this.
And I should say to that, like,you know, creative, we put in
design elements with the name tokind of make it pop, but.
We're not set on having thisdesign this word, but for this
(10:50):
one, as you can see, we reallywanted it to look like, uh,
somebody had highlighted it in adictionary because it is such,
we want people to really thinkthe meaning of the word.
Kate (11:03):
Oh, you know, the highlight is so interesting
because I thought the yellow boxwas us looking down on a yellow
sofa.
Thea (11:13):
That is interesting.
Matt (11:15):
Okay.
Kate (11:15):
Yeah.
Thea (11:17):
when you look at the name, if we added another, another
long letter, like lounge jet, itwould
Matt (11:25):
Um,
Thea (11:26):
form a sofa.
Matt (11:29):
Hmm.
Right.
You can see it.
Yeah.
There's a, there's a little bittoo much arm rest on this sofa,
but otherwise I see it.
Uh, yeah.
Thea (11:38):
more of a fainting couch right now, you know, I think you
could, I
Matt (11:44):
it's just in the living room of one of those people that
puts too many pillows on theedge and they've really just
padded it out too far.
Thea (11:52):
I mean, we will definitely do our custom typeface for this,
so we can also play with thespacing of the letter so we
could keep lounge, but we make areally extended E kind of short
defy the G
Kate (12:04):
Got it.
Thea (12:05):
good, good food.
Kate (12:07):
yeah.
Speaking of which we probablyshould talk about the rates that
the custom typeface contractoris sending.
They're getting a little bit Um,guess I don't understand why
they have to charge per.
Thea (12:22):
they're I mean, each letter will have its own
intrinsic meaning to it, know?
Matt (12:30):
There's also a lot of work that goes into making a typeface
that we can use both in printand the formats associated with
that.
And they've been great aboutsending us, uh, you know, web
ready fonts and, uh, working tomake sure that they're hosting
that all for us.
And, uh, we're not, you know,eating that bandwidth.
Um, from a technical standpoint,like they're definitely carrying
(12:51):
some weight.
I don't know what the numberslook like.
Kate (12:54):
Yeah, no, they they've started charging us by size too.
So if we could stick to like the32 12 that'd be great.
Thea (13:05):
Okay.
I mean, Once we get, once wehammer what, see how many this
down, let me know.
I know the design directorthere, and I'm sure that there's
nothing of this that can't besolved after a couple of days at
sea.
Kate (13:19):
Okay.
Eric (13:20):
well, sorry, sorry.
Kela Theo.
Do you mean CES or at sea?
Like on the.
Thea (13:27):
Um, on the ocean.
Yeah, yeah, actually, um, um,yeah, I, I don't know if I told
you guys this, but, uh, as partof my baby moon, I was sailing
and just realized that so muchof life can be worked out on a
boat.
Like, I feel like my with my sonslash bugs be really honestly,
(13:52):
Improved when I realized what itwas like to be trapped at sea in
the Arctic.
And, um, I'm just bringing thatinto.
Kate (14:00):
last.
Thea (14:01):
Yeah.
Yeah.
I, I stopped into Moines,obviously to, you know, deal
with the couch when, and then,uh, chartered a sea plane to
take me up to the Arctic circle.
So I could out at sea without apaddle, um, on a boat to really
what that was like.
And just came back a changedwoman.
(14:22):
Like, can I say.
Matt (14:25):
my gosh.
Well, very glad you made it.
Thea (14:29):
Yeah, thank you.
And, but Kate, you will noticeas part of that experience, I
have built in a pretty robustsailing budget into marketing
budget this year.
Kate (14:40):
Okay, let's keep going.
Thea (14:44):
let's continue.
All right.
So this next one, uh, we talkedabout, you know, what are the
values of a couch that youreally want and comfy kept
coming up as you know, but wedon't want to be comfy here.
Comfy speaks of without movementwithout direction, you know,
something that's safe and wedon't want to be necessarily
(15:05):
safe.
So we wanted something that.
Comfy, but also stellar.
And so that's where comes incomplete.
Matt (15:19):
It's like comfy plus like on fleek.
Thea (15:23):
Yeah.
Complete.
Matt (15:25):
man.
Thea (15:27):
It is.
Yes.
But I, I think, you know, are.
Design and language elementsthat transcend time, know, that
are just like, you might not usethem every day, but you kind of
understand what theyintrinsically feel like.
And we feel like fleek is one ofthose that you might not know
what the references, but itsounds, you know, something a
(15:49):
little bit more debonair.
Matt (15:54):
I'm just worried about like the original meme was also
like kind of an appropriation,uh, especially the way it was.
Uh, let's just say taken whiteculture online, although that's
not where it started.
Uh, I just worried about thatfor, for us.
I know it's, there's somedistance of time there it's
(16:16):
safe, but, uh, could we get someblowback?
Thea (16:19):
Matt.
That's a really good point.
I think that, I think I like thespirit of this, but you bring up
really good points about theword.
And so maybe one of the thingsthat creative can do is really
back and figure out a differentword to represent this feeling.
Kate (16:38):
other thing I just, this font that, oh, kind of looks
like a U I don't know if thefont and the
Matt (16:47):
Oh,
Kate (16:48):
together.
Matt (16:49):
hadn't, I hadn't noticed.
Thea (16:53):
Yes, Kate I'm, I'm not shocked.
You notice that, you know, uh,given how much
Kate (17:00):
This has
Thea (17:00):
energy you have head tough.
Kate (17:02):
No.
Thea (17:04):
Um, but yes, uh you're right.
That could be something prettydangerous.
So, right.
Uh, we will ceremonially burncom fleek, uh, and.
Continue on, and now this is acrazy one, but, uh, we, you
know, one thing that was broughtup is like, we already have the
very strong Bugsby brand.
(17:25):
if we just did like a bug Spiessplace or some reference of bugs,
be kind of like a Craigslistkind of thing.
know, like he's already thisvery lovable, you know, person,
and we could just build on thebugs boot brand versus trying to
create two brands.
Eric (17:43):
Oh, it's hard to say no to that.
Matt (17:45):
Yeah.
It's tough though, to thinkabout bugs, be like involved in
my own furniture.
Like I, I think a Bugsby as likea Narnia esque representation of
what it's like to live in aworld where furniture and
fantasy are one.
And I think bringing that overinto an app and I can, I can
(18:06):
push a button and like, imagineBugsby driving a van to bring a
couch to me.
I don't know.
It takes away some of them.
Yeah.
Thea (18:16):
I totally understand that it's a little bit blahzay for
the bug speed brand and I cansee, you know, how that could
hurt us in the end.
I also think that like, know,uh, this is something that we
haven't really ran by bug SPIand we don't know how he's gonna
feel.
And let's also say that, youknow, with any, when you link
(18:36):
your brand to.
Any sort of living and breathingthing, uh, you really run the
reputational risk of bugs me isreally great and great for our
brand now, but we don't know whobikes beasts going to grow up to
be in the future.
Matt (18:50):
That is, so this is why is parenting Califia
Thea (18:54):
Thank you.
Matt (18:56):
I feel like just for a moment I had this worry of like,
is what we do not cool enoughfor Bugsby and I think the
answer is yes.
And so I can only imagine whatyou've been going through with
the last week, since.
Thea (19:09):
yeah, it is, it is really difficult to really think about
my role as fostering the nextgeneration, you know?
Um, and what that really means.
Kate (19:21):
wait, it's bugs.
We going to have like childrenor something.
Thea (19:24):
I mean, that is up to bikes B I don't, you know,
really get into his life plans.
And I think he's, he's reallytoo young to really be
considering that.
But, you know, if that'ssomething that's in his future,
I totally support it.
Let's, let's move away fromBugsby.
Uh, this is the next one, Trump,uh, we thought about making like
(19:47):
more of a luxury one, just tosee if that was something that
felt S for a brand.
You know, if we wanted to dosomething that felt a little
more glitz and glamor, uh, we alot of research actually into
famous chairs and couches, uh,Versailles actually was one of.
Biggest innovators in chairdesign.
(20:08):
And so we thought about doingsomething around, you know,
Versailles or around like Kingsand, you know, it's just very
difficult in this time to talkabout monarchies.
Uh, you know, it's not, it's notas popular, so we ended up just
taking the Frenchness of it.
(20:29):
And so this is the French wordfor throat.
Um, and so we thought this couldbe like a fun way and we've like
thrown it really elevates what achair or a couch could be.
Matt (20:43):
well, yeah, I feel like I can almost smell the cigar smoke
coming off of this.
Like this is this, this is abrand that at least thinks it's
very Luxe.
Eric (20:56):
and I like that the journey, you know, to take as
we, as we try and reshape globaltrade, I mean, Versailles.
Monarchy was supposed a stopalong the way.
We've kind of moved past it.
We've got the good luxuryelements of it, but maybe left
some of the other stuff behindwe've left the age behind that's
(21:18):
there's a lot of, a lot of, alot of through lines there.
Thea (21:21):
Yeah.
Matt (21:22):
wondering what this is going to do.
Not that, you know, we have anyFrench city rollouts coming up,
but like the French inparticular have a relationship
with monarchy that we may notwant to take.
Eric (21:37):
That will affect the year four roadmap.
Thea (21:39):
It's true.
And I do like, you know, like acrown, want us to just try this
on?
I don't think that this is atthe end, what we're going to go
for, but I want us to reallyexpand our idea of like what
this logo and brand could be.
So I wanted to think to.
Push us, because I think, youknow, the other ones, like I
said, they've been comfy,they've been loungy.
(22:01):
They've been, you know, really,um, familiar.
And so just what it is.
See, looked like let's try onwhat if our brand was something
aloof and exclusive
Matt (22:10):
know, one thing we haven't talked about the Metta market
name was great because it gaveus the opportunity to say,
obviously we're doing multiplethings.
Uh, and, uh, I feel like onething we're in danger of is
locking ourselves into onething.
Uh, maybe we could pick multipleones of these and, uh, you know,
we've talked about chairs,they're just couches for one,
(22:32):
could be, uh, could be, we do a,a niche, like a throne section
of the app.
That's a, Hey, forget a couchfor your friends and family.
This is for you.
This is your.
Thea (22:45):
I like that.
I like having an exclusive partof the website that only certain
people can unlock.
You know, it's very good.
Matt (22:52):
interesting.
Kate (22:54):
Yeah, I mean, we kind of had something like that for a
time.
Um, it was kind of on accidentwhen we only supported that one
upscale.
Uh, browser safari version.
Um, and there was only peoplewho had hadn't updated their
computers for three years thatcould use it.
Eric (23:12):
oh yeah.
Kate (23:14):
this does feel different than that.
Thea (23:18):
Yeah.
Matt (23:18):
Yeah, I bet there's not a lot of overlap between those two
specifics.
Kate (23:23):
No.
Thea (23:26):
All right.
So we're, gonna think about it.
Um,
Matt (23:30):
what else?
we got?
Thea (23:32):
So this is our next one.
So we really wanted to go out ofthe box with this one.
Like what if we just threw.
Couches.
Okay.
It's in the box literally, butfiguratively.
We wanted to break the box andthink about like, did we want to
do?
So we thought about assess whois the Greek God, a building and
(23:52):
furniture.
And we thought, Ooh, that'sgreat, but we don't want to be
really on the nose.
So we just shortened it to Estisthought this is a good one.
That's just something totallydifferent.
But also.
It's a God who forges things.
And so it really gives us areally big brand malleability,
you know, like he's the God offire and building any sort of
(24:14):
thing you want, you know, andgold foraging.
I mean, the possibilities areendless.
Matt (24:20):
Yeah.
Um, I have two, two things here.
Sorry, Kate.
Um, I just want to checksomething to be sure.
Kate (24:28):
Yeah.
Yeah.
I was just going to ask thatabout there's really a Greek God
of furniture.
Thea (24:35):
That was like one of his minor duties, you know, he had
key, he did a lot,
Matt (24:41):
The first thing, uh, that I wanted to check, I verified
this is.
The Estis rocket brand.
I was thinking of that spelledwith an E S um, they, there are
close, but I think obviously wedo different things.
this is another one letter away.
(25:01):
if you drop an R in there, Idon't know if anybody else
noticed that.
Kate (25:06):
I was thinking about adding a T
Eric (25:10):
Rest us
Matt (25:10):
see what you're going there.
Eric (25:12):
rest us is good.
Matt (25:14):
Are you going to rest us would, would be good.
I was, uh, it was referring totwo Astros kind of like the
female reproductive cycle term.
Thea (25:22):
Oh, I see.
Kate (25:24):
mm.
Thea (25:26):
Yeah.
I don't actually think that's aproblem.
I mean, we could use a lot more,um, femininity and, um, you
know, life into our brains.
Matt (25:38):
Yeah.
Kate (25:40):
Yeah, we, we have made at one of our goals to try to even
out our demographics, you know,for some reason, a lot of men
buy couches from us.
Thea (25:51):
And if you think about that time period, it's a time in
which a woman is open toimplantation, know, and this is
us being open to new ideas andnew, new bounds and, you know,
uh, new opportunities.
Matt (26:07):
I'm just worried about us coming back around to some of
the app tie-ins that we haverejected in the past, um,
things.
You know, grinder and, and otherhookup apps.
Um,
Kate (26:21):
Or, or trying to market to women while they're on their
period, because you know,they're super emotional and
interested in purchasing things.
Thea (26:29):
That was a.
A fault on my part.
Um, you know, I, but I stillthink, um, you know, that
partnership with the periodtracker app led to a lot of
sales.
Kate (26:45):
dead.
Matt (26:47):
it was a, it was a very thoroughly learned.
And do you know when a startupgets one of those?
We're grateful.
Thea (26:54):
That's right.
All right.
Um, only have a couple more,I'll just go this wide our boats
out of the POCs wide.
Yeah, I know.
I know it is a very shocking, asa non, um, so the Sanskrit word
(27:15):
for chair is awesome and we werejust kind of.
Beth at our mantra as we werelike trying to suss out like
what we wanted this to be.
And so like we, as the creativeteam were just like Austin on
Austin, on Austin, on, then it'sjust like really formed into ass
(27:36):
Anon.
And I know having a course wordin your name, it can be very
scary, but I think we see, we'reseeing a lot of like really
daring brands, you know, usecurse word.
In their, in their marketing.
Can, you know, like how many.
Brands you see, you'd like to,know, I don't know, like the
(27:59):
fuck up or, you know, I'm S likeas fuck is like such a, you
know, sexy as fuck, you know,couches, fuck, whatever, like
those, those have been, youknow, more into it.
So I think it, it is definitelyrisky.
Again, this is one that we putin to really push you.
But we also think that obviouslyasks refers to the, but that is
(28:22):
where couches said kind of, um,felt, well, it gave us two
things.
One, it kind of felt like, uh,we, like, we were so addicted to
couches, you know, like we had.
Get into, you know, we had tolike get into like an AA K
program, but we also felt likenon, the internet is really
(28:43):
about being able to meet newpeople that you wouldn't in your
social circles.
So like also a non in the sensethat like we're building these
points of relationships betweenstrangers.
Eric (28:54):
yeah, this feels like maybe we could do this for like
a web three offshoot, adecentralized network.
It could be this, but I dunno,it feels, really, it feels, you
know, it's, it's bold, but Ican't see the reach.
Uh, you know, I can't see.
I can't say keeping de Moinesthis.
Matt (29:16):
That is true.
We ran on some strong familyvalue stuff.
Kate (29:21):
I know
Matt (29:22):
Like really strong
Kate (29:24):
the fundamentalist Christians for Metta market
Facebook group, I don't know howthey would respond to.
Thea (29:30):
I hear that.
I'm, I'm just saying sometimeswe wanna market to the people
that we want, you know, and, um,is one that might, you know, get
us into new markets.
Kate (29:43):
That is true.
Matt (29:44):
Yeah.
I mean, this, this has me, uh,circling back around again to.
Maybe we were too hasty withsome of these potential
partnerships and, uh, I
Eric (29:56):
man, true.
Matt (29:57):
sounds like it would go right in with a combination, uh,
hookup matchmaking app and, uh,furniture delivery and pick up
in cleaning.
Thea (30:08):
I mean as, as the rep from Grindr has reminded us many
times before 80% of theirhookups happen on couches.
Matt (30:17):
Yeah, well, you know, if we don't end up using it and
maybe, maybe.
Thea (30:22):
Yeah.
Great.
Kate (30:23):
Yeah,
Thea (30:24):
that's true.
Eric (30:26):
license it.
Yeah.
Thea (30:28):
Yeah.
Um, this last one I just put inthere, um, just again, as an
idea, um, one was really bornout of a particularly dark time.
Um, this is.
Holly ITAs phallus Memorial, uh,that being the Latin word for
(30:50):
bald Eagle.
And I just thought if we wantedto lead a, to our
Eric (30:57):
Uh,
Thea (30:58):
heart wrenching failure as an organization to protect bald
Eagles, um, we could like reallyhonor, um, our follaide Fred.
Eric (31:15):
wow.
Matt (31:16):
I, um, I really love where your heart is at on this one.
Um, pretty sure this would be astrong admission of guilt, which
our lawyers have advised not todo.
Uh, anything like, um, us, it isvery.
Kate (31:33):
do not believe that we are guilty.
I still honestly think thoseInstagram pictures of the Eagle
on the couch are damningevidence against, uh, that gets
that owner.
Thea (31:47):
know I just be still comes in my dreams to me.
It's just, it's bit of,
Kate (31:52):
a doctor for that.
Thea (31:54):
oh, please.
It's been a really rough time.
Okay.
Like was basically a boat withthat Eagle by a tire trip in the
Arctic.
It was just sitting there, likeme to a atone for my sins.
I'm sorry, I just threw this onein there just as like a thought.
Uh, cause it's definitely theonly thing I buy by these days.
Kate (32:17):
okay.
Eric (32:17):
I'm glad you got it on paper.
Thea (32:19):
Thank you.
I appreciate that.
Um, yeah.
So, um, I just want to all forsome of those ideas.
Obviously we don't have todecide today.
You really want to, I want youguys to really ruminate on all
of these.
I just have one more.
Matt (32:37):
Oh, great.
Wow.
Thea (32:40):
Kate did you think I would not find out about ed C I S do
you think I would not find outabout the fact that my son is
working with bark?
Habbad
Kate (32:54):
I thought I knew you'd find out.
I thought you'd be happy.
You know, um, bugs beat bugs meneeds to make us money.
Okay.
And this is a way to do it.
Thea (33:08):
I put this as a logo idea.
That's the dead don't sitbecause I've been ruminating my
murderous thoughts for a while,you know?
And it is true.
If you think about it, thedeadly laid down, they don't
sit, they just don't have themuscles to actually sit up.
Kate (33:26):
I mean,
Matt (33:26):
true.
They can be posed in a seatedposition, but
Eric (33:30):
really
Matt (33:30):
not.
Thea (33:32):
Right.
They're not
Eric (33:33):
Oh.
Thea (33:33):
themselves.
Um, but also because I'm, I havehad a long standing grudge with
mark Haman since I was ateenager at the entertainment
industry at
Kate (33:48):
I don't know that.
I
Thea (33:49):
I will destroy and see yes from the inside.
Kate (33:57):
wait, wait, wait, wait.
No, no, no.
Th this bugs me appearance inAntaeus has to go, well, it has
to go well.
Thea (34:05):
It will go well, we'll go well for
Eric (34:07):
Well, what happened to
Thea (34:09):
for Califia.
Eric (34:10):
happened to Bugsby is his own person, his own entity.
You've got to let bugs be goCalifia you cannot push her
grudge through.
Thea (34:19):
I know he wants to do this, and I know this is his
dream, but I have to protecthim.
can't let mark.
Clabby little hands up.
My bore precious boy.
Eric (34:31):
bugs me is 22.
He can handle himself.
Matt (34:36):
I think of myself at 22, I was I
Eric (34:38):
that's true.
Matt (34:41):
that said, mean, legally now that emancipated as his own
person, there's not a whole lotwe can do.
they're paying handsomely forthe appearance.
Kate (34:53):
Yeah.
And we get most of that.
I mean, the
Matt (34:57):
I'm
Kate (34:57):
bit goes to lawyers, but
Matt (34:59):
I know.
Like, he just became his ownperson.
And as his mother, this hasgotta be really hard for you.
Thea (35:07):
It's really hard.
Kate (35:09):
set or anything to do.
You.
Thea (35:12):
Of course I went on set.
Kate (35:15):
Uh, why did you go on set
Thea (35:19):
Did you really think that I was at the Arctic this past
week?
Do you know how difficult it isto get to the Arctic this past
week?
Matt (35:28):
Sounds very callous.
Kate (35:30):
to the architect where you at all week?
Thea (35:33):
Yes, it was the Arctic of my soul.
Kate (35:39):
I thought when they messaged me and sent all those
emails about the contractchanges that, I don't know, they
sent it to the wrong person.
Thea (35:48):
Why do you think.
I so keep to negotiate things atC I reasonably solid its effect.
Kate (35:57):
wait.
So you were at sea, you justweren't in the area.
Eric (36:01):
That was it and see.
Thea (36:04):
and CIS, I was there.
and I was negotiating for bugsbe okay.
And sometimes when there'snegotiations go wrong, you go
out on a boat with mark.
Eric (36:20):
you were at sea
Thea (36:22):
Yeah.
Obviously they feel that LA LAis at the sea.
Okay.
I can do both.
Eric (36:29):
isn't that where see asses nothing vague.
Matt (36:32):
That's Vegas.
That's Vegas.
Thea (36:33):
Yeah.
Eric (36:35):
so much.
Kate (36:36):
Okay, well, let's review all that together.
Um, I hope mark.
Hammond's okay.
I mean, I'm glad you're okay.
Thea (36:46):
He knows what.
Matt (36:49):
can I just say I'm a little bit obsessed with this,
the dead
Eric (36:51):
yeah, we've got.
Matt (36:54):
It's really like of all of those fitness brands that were
coming for us on Twitterthinking they were so clever.
feel like it's important toremember, like, Hey, you push
yourself so hard, you just, likeyou were saying about me and my
Peloton, like, uh, you got torest, you have to take breaks
dead don't sit.
(37:15):
So sit while you're alive.
Kate (37:17):
I feel like all the logos about death than life.
And I don't know if that'sexactly where we want to go.
I feel the same way about theFrench monarchy thing, but,
Matt (37:28):
Yeah, there's the, do you know if there's a brand identity
and then there's an ad campaign?
Thea (37:32):
And blood red is already in our brand kit.
So wouldn't have to change a lotof the colors for this.
Kate (37:39):
Okay.
Well, w we have so much to thinkabout, um, I'm we got through
everything.
Um,
Thea (37:48):
I think you're right.
I think this is the logo.
mean, I've always said the bestcreativity is out of the
darkness of my soul and
Kate (37:57):
your
Eric (37:57):
forcing rumination.
Matt (37:59):
E yeah.
What sleep.
Kate (38:03):
Yeah.
Matt (38:04):
dreamless Eagleford.
Kate (38:06):
I'll give you some of my meds yet.
You really should use them.
We're at a good place.
We're at a good place.
This is further than we werehalf an hour ago.
Um, I think, I think we shouldadjourn, you know, bull, you can
send these out to everyone viaemail, I assume.
And we'll review.
Thea (38:28):
Yeah, we can all think of.
Thank Y this is the right one.
Matt (38:34):
okay.
It's Thea.
Thank you so much
Eric (38:37):
Yeah, this.
is
Matt (38:38):
you to
Eric (38:38):
amazing.
Kate (38:40):
Okay.
Thea (38:40):
I said Nana.
Kate (38:42):
oh, did you just say as asinine?
Thea (38:45):
I said, uh, yeah.
So the mantra that we werecoming up with.
Kate (38:50):
sure.
I also think maybe it's not agood idea for us to keep that
mantra.
Let's just say that oddly,around the office, I've noticed
the creative team doing that andjust kind of overlooked it the
last few days.
Um, Okay.
I'll stop the recording andwe'll come back to.
Ben (39:09):
This meeting has ended.
To subscribe to this startup isbeing recorded.
Go to the podcast player of yourchoice and tap a button that
likely says subscribe.
More content is on Twitter atstartup recorded, or shoot us an
email with ideas, feedback, oryour personal startup horror
story.
At hello@startuprecorded.com.
Kate is played by ValerieGarrison.
(39:30):
Valerie is a health tech productmanager and regularly plays with
the improv troupe letters tochicken online.
You can find her on Twitter atthevalgarris eric has played by
Barry wright Barry is a productmanager at Spotify and a
co-founder of Highwire Improv.
Find him by his name onLinkedIn, where he holds regular
office hours or athighwireimprov.com Matt is
played by Martin Mcguire.
(39:51):
Marty is a senior web engineerand improviser in New York city.
You can find Marty's comedy codeand cats on his website at M M G
dot R E.
Calathea is played by RobynStegman.
Robyn is a digital campaignmanager for ocean Conservancy
and is a comedian mostly foundat Highwire improv.
You can find her on all thesocial medias.
And she does mean all at rsteggythank you for listening.
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On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!