May 4, 2022 • 36 mins
This is the season finale for This Startup is being Recorded. Thank you for listening and stay tuned for Season 2!
Agenda:
- None! This was unplanned! But then in the middle of the wedding we got an urgent email about the Series A!
Takeaways:
- Happy, joy, celebration!!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Ben (00:07):
welcome to this startup is being recorded.
This recording is improvisedfiction.
Similarities between it and thereal world are entirely
intentional.
Now enjoy the recording.
Kate (00:23):
Okay.
We were all in here is the doorclosed.
Everyone fits.
Okay.
Awesome.
Um, I guess.
To whoever ends up watchingthis, can you please email it to
me?
Um, our, our normal office isbeing used as the buffet, uh,
for obviously Lars and David'swedding.
And we, we just we'd like torecord our meetings.
(00:45):
And so, um, yeah, whicheverproducer ends up watching this,
uh, please say.
Calathea (00:52):
it's, it's very handy.
Matt (00:55):
Yeah, this, is, this are all like reality TV,
confessional rooms, this small,this, this is like very cozy
Calathea (01:01):
No, I wanted it to feel more intimate because I
really wanted like a reallyintimate feel to our documentary
slash reality show that we'll bethinking about the weddings.
Matt (01:13):
Yeah, well it's
Eric (01:14):
Great job.
Calathea (01:15):
Yeah.
Matt (01:16):
uh, yeah, I don't, I don't know what I expected, I guess,
but it's small.
It's very clean.
I always thought like peoplecried in here.
Kind of smelling that doesn't,that's not a thing, but like
that, that's what I thought.
Um, I'm sorry.
I'm getting a sidetrack toalready.
Calathea (01:31):
No, no, I get it.
I do I do smell like a distinctsmell.
Like, you know, right before therain comes, there's like an
ozone smell.
You know, there's like that whenyou have a lot of people crying
in one space, my old office usedto smell like that.
Matt (01:43):
Oh,
Kate (01:44):
Yeah.
I mean,
Matt (01:45):
right.
Well, we're missing out on thereception.
Uh,
Kate (01:48):
I know the speeches are still happening, but, um, I
didn't realize everyone in thecompany was going to give a
speech, but anyway, Oh, man.
I'm so flustered, but we're,we're here.
Uh, because we really, eventhough it's the wedding
reception of force and tape, itneed to apparently sign the
series a document in the nextlike 20 minutes.
(02:11):
Um,
Matt (02:11):
oh, that's that's great news.
I mean, that means they've,they've stepped up the.
Kate (02:17):
yeah, I mean,
Calathea (02:19):
Oh,
Kate (02:19):
but I haven't seen it.
I just, I mean, it's in ouremails, but I haven't even had
the time to look up.
Eric (02:24):
Yeah, apparently, apparently it was stuck in
John's spam folder for the lastfour days.
Uh, and
Kate (02:30):
Oh, no.
Eric (02:31):
more time.
Matt (02:32):
okay.
Let me, oh yeah.
Kate (02:36):
Okay.
Let's let's just,
Matt (02:37):
it's in my spam folder.
Uh, cause I have filters set upfor when John Ford's me stuff.
Okay.
Wow.
Haven't seen it until, oh, sowe've been sitting on this.
Excellent.
Uh,
Kate (02:47):
Yeah.
It's it'll be fine.
It'll be fine.
Um, let's do just quick, superquick intro.
Cate Blanchett, chief of stafffor set.
Calathea (02:57):
Oh, yeah, it's great.
Creatives are for sin.
Eric (03:02):
yep.
Uh, Eric, Troy Carter, chiefproduct officer at CIT
Matt (03:06):
uh, oh, hi, uh, uh, Matt, matt.yachts.
That's also my website and I amthe CTO here at CIT.
Kate (03:13):
Okay,
Matt (03:14):
Okay.
A lot of this looks familiarlike this is definitely.
Kate (03:17):
Standard language.
Matt (03:19):
had like a highlighter or something for what changed,
because these are.
Kate (03:24):
Wait, uh, section 12.
Eric (03:29):
changes.
What'd he say in section 12?
Kate (03:33):
I just, there wasn't a section 12 before I remember if
it's 12 was my favorite number.
Um, and so I was thinking, youknow, section 12 will be my
favorite and then there wasn'tone, but now there, now there is
one.
Eric (03:45):
oh, yeah.
Jumped to an 11 to 13.
Last time I remember saying Ilook weird because usually you
skipped 13, but I think it was amistake.
Maybe there was a place holderthat you were missing.
Okay.
Calathea (03:55):
different cultures have different numbers that they
find a nerving.
Matt (03:59):
All right.
Section 12, uh, additionaladditional assets and
acquisitions
Kate (04:08):
assets.
Matt (04:10):
as part of the agreement, the entity known as CIT agrees
to acquire,
Eric (04:16):
Oh, wow.
Matt (04:17):
hang on from.
Uh, well, it looks like one ofthe investors wants to roll a
company into sit, hang on.
Who,
Kate (04:28):
uh, what com company?
I, we, we definitely don't haveany investors who have any type
of couch marketplaces already intheir investment portfolio.
That that was a huge record.
Matt (04:40):
Yeah, no, that, I mean, that was a part of the whole.
The series a thing was like, wewanted people to be on board
with us as their couchmarketplace.
I mean, that's, maybe that'spart of why they were kind of
rude about us becoming thenumber one couch marketplace.
Before we close.
I'm going to, I'm going to getout my laptop.
(05:01):
I
Kate (05:01):
what is this acquisition?
All it says is rough
Eric (05:06):
her back
Kate (05:07):
LLC.
Calathea (05:09):
What was that?
Kate (05:11):
Ruff Ruff.
Like not, not like the dog, notmustard, no muster muster like a
Custer, but not like custard.
Like Custer's last stand.
Matt (05:24):
like a rollout, like a muster AB.
Eric (05:27):
yeah.
Kate (05:27):
Yeah.
Eric (05:28):
Okay.
Matt (05:30):
All right.
They don't,
Kate (05:32):
What is it about Google?
Matt (05:34):
Uh,
Calathea (05:35):
that.
Kate (05:36):
dang.
Matt (05:36):
have the.org.
They don't have a.
they do have a.co.
Okay.
Kate (05:43):
Um,
Matt (05:44):
Is this them?
Let me check.
Uh,
Kate (05:47):
Yeah.
Oh, this
Calathea (05:48):
you mean that there is a rough month muster.com dot or
in.org available, or thatsomehow there were two companies
that chose this God awful name.
Matt (05:59):
no, weirdly, uh, both of those are available, so I guess,
Kate (06:04):
they just
Matt (06:05):
that on my to-do list to register this?
Eric (06:07):
Yeah.
Calathea (06:08):
a brand, a
Matt (06:09):
what are these folks do?
Calathea (06:12):
that would be great.
Eric (06:13):
what's on the dot.
Calathea (06:14):
question.
Matt (06:15):
is just like a slide show of people doing outdoor
adventure sports.
Eric (06:21):
Oh, hold
Kate (06:21):
Oh God,
Matt (06:24):
Oh
Kate (06:25):
there's some, they have a picture of a man who is maybe
naked covered in mud.
Calathea (06:32):
Yeah, there is.
Eric (06:33):
electrocuted
Calathea (06:34):
Yeah, their Instagram is just all naked people doing
yoga and wearing only sneakers.
Are they a sneaker company
Matt (06:44):
It's
Kate (06:45):
a yoga com.
Matt (06:46):
no, hang on.
They have,
Calathea (06:47):
or maybe a, you know, down under pruning company?
Cause I have to say
Matt (06:53):
that's a good
Calathea (06:53):
everybody here, their pubic hair is very well coughed.
Matt (06:59):
Looks like they're okay.
I mean, the main thing, otherthan all of these photos and
links to their social media ontheir website is, uh, events.
And they've got events in,
Kate (07:09):
oh,
Matt (07:10):
it looks like a lot of cities, but it's like, it's at
least like an hour outside ofeach city.
Kate (07:17):
Oh,
Matt (07:17):
Yeah.
Kate (07:19):
God.
Yeah, I
Matt (07:20):
Okay.
Here we go.
Sign up for the one near you.
Coming soon.
The Annapolis, no fun run is notactually in Annapolis.
Kate (07:31):
No fun run.
Matt (07:33):
Yeah.
Kate (07:34):
who would sign up for something like that?
Well, what.
Eric (07:40):
first, first prize is a pair of a used sneakers.
Matt (07:47):
huh?
Kate (07:48):
Oh,
Matt (07:49):
signed by the original rough mustard.
Themselves.
Oh, hang on.
This is, this
Eric (07:54):
the rough muster.
Uh, oh no.
Well, that's him.
Kate (08:00):
I that's.
That's the same signature onthis.
That's the CEO.
Eric (08:08):
that is not what he's looked like in previous
meetings.
Matt (08:12):
yeah.
Well, I mean he, the mud washesoff, I assume.
Uh, sorry.
Uh, Kathy, what did you say wason the signup?
Calathea (08:21):
yeah.
On the signup form, they ask youfor the phone number of your
mother, your most terrifyingteacher and your elementary
school bully for quote unquoteresearch.
Matt (08:38):
Yeah.
Wow.
there's a bunch of differenttiers to sign up at two.
If you want to do the four hourrun.
The eight hour deep woodsimmersive experience or the 24
hour survival challenge.
Eric (08:52):
goodness.
Kate (08:54):
Oh, wait, I
Matt (08:55):
they're in events.
They're like a extreme sportsevents company.
Is this is, oh, I just got it.
It's like tough.
It's like tough Mudder.
It's like, have you guys ever,I've never done one of these,
but like every big Corp I'veworked at has had some weekend
retreat that, yeah.
That like I'm refusing.
Kate (09:14):
Yeah, no, I, I did want to, once I got stabbed in the
Facebook barbed wire, but Imean,
Eric (09:19):
Oh,
Kate (09:20):
wait, so we have 15 minutes to decide if we're going
to acquire this company or not.
Matt (09:25):
I forgot about the clock.
Yeah.
Um,
Eric (09:27):
Are there,
Kate (09:30):
already signed this.
Oh my God.
Eric (09:33):
how, how, how much is it?
Like, do we hit, did you haveany financials?
Like we, if we don't, if itdoesn't work out, we can just
shut it.
Kate (09:41):
Okay.
They do, they did attach a duediligence stack.
Let's open that.
Um,
Matt (09:46):
Okay.
Kate (09:47):
wow.
Okay.
So pretty high margin.
Um, it seems like they charge$600 for the 24 hour experience.
Only cost them 30 per person.
Matt (10:03):
Uh, because the survival experience provides no food and
all of the, uh warden's yeah.
They call them event wardens.
They're all volunteers.
Okay.
What are, what are musterpoints?
Eric (10:18):
Oh, like a loyalty program.
Matt (10:20):
Yeah, I'm more than a loyalty program.
Hang on.
Must have rewards.
It's like a currency.
Kate (10:31):
is anyone else keeps hearing mustard?
I
Matt (10:35):
know what you mean.
Kate (10:36):
but
Calathea (10:36):
very clear, a little too close for comfort, honestly.
Matt (10:40):
I, this is just, I mean, the hard thing here is what,
what are our options, right?
Do we send this back withstrikes through, do we need to
get the Mr.
Rough muster on the horn and seewhat's going on here?
I mean,
Eric (10:56):
Wow.
Matt (10:57):
This sounds like he's either trying to get access to
the capital or the people thatwe have, or to fob this business
off on John or on us.
Really.
Eric (11:11):
it's clearly not a money loser.
So
Matt (11:14):
That's true.
Although.
Calathea (11:16):
but it's a totally different, I mean, uh, we have
no experience in events,marketing.
Matt (11:25):
I mean, I don't know if I would say no experience.
We've certainly had to do plentyof events work for, uh, all the
political campaigns.
I mean, you have the, the, thelocal
Eric (11:36):
of
Matt (11:36):
the state stuff.
Calathea (11:38):
Yeah, that's true.
I don't know.
I just, I feel like this is avery masculine hate yourself
kind of brand, and I'm all aboutexploring the human darkness of
the soul, but it just feels liketying our brand to this is going
to change how people see CIT.
Eric (11:59):
I mean, you know, maybe that's what we need though.
Like if our premier goal fromthe beginning was to shape, you
know, the face of global tradeand that, that includes
hyper-masculine endurance races.
Pit people against each other.
I mean, if we want, if we wantto be part of the whole, the
(12:19):
whole thing, why, why not makethis the second piece?
Kate (12:26):
Uh, yeah.
Eric (12:28):
year roadmap, but I mean, this was on there.
It was on there.
Kate (12:32):
They do have a roadmap at the end of that due diligence
deck, where they talk about, um,ideas of collaborating with us,
you know, it's like a exercisebench slash lounger.
Matt (12:48):
And look at that home exercise equipment.
Wow.
Eric (12:52):
logo on it.
Matt (12:55):
Oh, okay.
Some of this makes sense to
Kate (12:58):
at our little.
Matt (12:58):
like sit, branded, um, like a cool-down area.
Hang on.
What are they?
They call these on the course,uh, oh, quitter centers.
Okay.
That's, that's a rude,
Kate (13:14):
quitter sitters.
Oh no.
Eric (13:16):
to love that,
Matt (13:17):
looking at an endurance event, like people need to rest.
I don't know who I'm tellingthis.
Kate (13:23):
It seems like they used set a lot in these products, but
it's a lot.
Don't sit or sit no more or theanti set, you know?
Matt (13:36):
Yeah, it is really tough to reconcile with how much we've
been a brand about pushingcomfort and home and, uh,
expressing yourself throughleisure and.
Calathea (13:48):
I mean, I'm just really glad we didn't go with
com fleek.
Eric (13:52):
Oh
Kate (13:53):
Yeah.
Calathea (13:54):
that would have been a nightmare.
Kate (13:56):
Oh, God.
Yeah.
Yeah.
At least some exercises you doactually sit like squatting is
kind of like getting into thesit position.
Eric (14:04):
that's that's true.
Well, I mean, like you weresaying, like, what are our
options here?
Kate (14:11):
yeah.
Eric (14:12):
he's he's bringing 33% of the rounds funding, so.
Kate (14:17):
Ooh.
Eric (14:17):
To re to replace that is, I don't know that we can, can
wait another, however long itwould take to, to replace it.
I, I I'm, I'm, I'm kind of fineto take the lead on this.
Kate (14:29):
Yeah, here.
Let's just go through and makesure we didn't miss any of the
conditions.
Um, for instance, oh, we have tofigure out how, what this guy,
what position this guy will get.
He says he, it doesn't matterwhat his roles and
responsibilities are as long ashe's referred to as the Colonel.
Calathea (14:49):
what.
Kate (14:50):
Yeah.
He wants.
Colonel muster.
Calathea (14:54):
Wait, he wants to be Colonel muster and not mustard.
Kate (14:58):
Yes.
He wants to keep the musterbrand, uh, but be a Colonel.
Calathea (15:03):
So on top of all of this, he wants us to call him a
upon.
Yeah.
Matt (15:09):
Yeah.
You know, he is ex-military.
Eric (15:14):
And.
None of us have interestingnames.
Matt (15:20):
Yeah, no, he, he is a Colonel.
He was, or
Eric (15:24):
Oh, he's actually, it was, a
Calathea (15:25):
Oh, that's okay.
That makes a little more sense.
Is his last name muster though?
Matt (15:32):
Yeah.
I mean, well, yeah.
That's
Eric (15:36):
Yeah, but he, he changed it.
He changed it to muster when hewas
Matt (15:41):
Legally that's not, that's not his doing business as name.
Uh, but it's yeah,
Calathea (15:46):
No.
Matt (15:47):
still using.
I, I don't know, did I, I did awalk through of a bunch of the
potential investor portfoliosand, uh, the background
information on them, uh, most ofhis money was, was family money.
So he uses the family name forkind of doing business as, but,
uh, he's, he's leaned reallyhard into this, uh, rough muster
(16:08):
personality,
Calathea (16:10):
I can tell.
Yeah.
Wow.
Kate (16:14):
Okay.
Okay.
Um, they also say that, um, theywould like their volunteer
program to continue, uh, lookingfor opportunities for volunteers
to
Eric (16:24):
Okay.
Kate (16:26):
How should you use the word work in our warehouse?
Calathea (16:30):
Wait, what.
Matt (16:32):
oh yeah.
This is a whole section aboutsynergies.
Kate (16:35):
Yeah, they're saying we
Matt (16:37):
muster community is full of hardworking diligent people
who are.
put to work at lower, no costs.
And there's a whole list of wow.
Just links to yeah.
Spreadsheets
Kate (16:52):
and,
Matt (16:52):
emails.
Kate (16:54):
and their mother's phone numbers and the childhood books.
Eric (16:59):
Oh,
Kate (17:00):
So the, you using the name of the child hood bully as the
manager of this person helpsmotivate them.
Interesting.
Matt (17:12):
This is very detailed.
Eric (17:14):
Oh, wait, what the hell
Matt (17:17):
Uh, what'd you
Eric (17:17):
I I'm I'm listed as a bully.
Matt (17:22):
it's about by her by whom?
Eric (17:24):
Uh,
Calathea (17:24):
Who did you bully?
Eric (17:26):
some, some Jackson white bird in Missouri
Matt (17:32):
do he will do, you know, a Jackson Jacksonville.
Calathea (17:34):
Yeah.
Eric (17:35):
doesn't ring a bell.
Matt (17:38):
Did you go to like elementary school in Missouri?
What?
Kate (17:41):
Yeah.
Eric (17:43):
Oh,
Matt (17:45):
I mean, they could have moved to Missouri by now.
I guess.
Eric (17:47):
No, I didn't.
I mean, I didn't, but I did knowit.
I didn't know that Jack.
And I kicked a Jackson in theface and kickball,
Calathea (17:59):
Oh my
Eric (18:00):
but that was, that was part of the game.
It was it wasn't I wasn't doingit on purpose.
He was playing second base.
I hit a good kick
Matt (18:07):
oh, you with the ball, you
Eric (18:08):
with the ball.
No, no, I didn't I didn't punchsomebody or kick somebody.
No, I kicked them.
Keep the ball,
Calathea (18:14):
really
Matt (18:14):
heard, I heard, I kicked a Jackson in the face and I assume
that was, that was foot to face.
Eric (18:21):
Yeah.
Yeah, I understand.
But no, but, but that was it.
Kate (18:26):
Well, seems like Jackson, white bird had a pretty nice
life up until that
Matt (18:30):
Yeah, maybe that's the worst thing that ever happened
to Jackson.
Kate (18:33):
yeah.
Eric (18:35):
Okay.
Now I'm, now I'm really in,like, I feel like I.
Kate (18:38):
Sure.
Sure.
I mean, yeah, don't worry.
We all have done things in ourpast that had affects.
We didn't think about, I mean,remember Mike?
Eric (18:47):
I didn't even stop.
I just ran to first base.
I didn't even check if he wasokay,
Calathea (18:51):
Oh, my God.
Kate (18:52):
Well,
Eric (18:53):
was seven it's kickball.
I'm not that school nurse.
Calathea (18:58):
Wow.
Kate (18:59):
Have you, you don't want me to get defensive?
Eric (19:02):
Um, and I'm questioning a lot
Matt (19:06):
okay.
Well, we're really close todeadline on this.
Yeah, we, we need, we need tostart signing, I guess.
I don't know what there is todiscuss.
We're kind of up against thewall here.
If we sign this, then the thinggoes forward and we're saddled
with this albatross, whateverit's going to be.
If we don't sign what the deal'soff, uh, are we going to be in
(19:28):
another six months of
Kate (19:29):
I know.
Matt (19:29):
Like we're running out of runway here.
Kate (19:31):
We, we are really out of runway.
Really, man.
That's where rally TVdocumentary is going to give us
a little bit, but not a lot.
Matt (19:41):
Yeah.
I mean, I mean, we spent a lotof that.
That was for capitalimprovements to the space to
make, you know, like this very
Kate (19:47):
that's true.
Matt (19:50):
Okay.
Well, you know, I don't know.
Maybe it's easy for me to say,but it looks like from a tech
perspective, their holdings arepretty simple.
I see a lot of easyimprovements, uh, would love to
put their spreadsheet, uh,behind an authentication wall,
for example, so that it's not soeasy to access this very
personal information.
So some stuff to do here.
(20:12):
So far, pretty simple.
Calathea (20:15):
I mean, I'm not thrilled about it, but I am
excited about a new creativechallenge.
Kate (20:23):
That's a good way to look at it.
Matt (20:26):
oh boy.
I wish I hadn't Googled this,uh, rough muster class.
Kate (20:37):
okay.
Calathea (20:38):
is that really why they're doing lists?
Matt (20:42):
Yeah, this is, uh, negligent and its organization
and supervision of race.
Um,
Kate (20:49):
oh gosh.
Do people get hurt at the races?
Calathea (20:54):
A lot of
Kate (20:54):
Um,
Matt (20:56):
I mean the class, uh, it does, it's a class action.
It doesn't list all of thepeople, but there are, there are
several named folks in the suit.
Sorry.
I can't, it's really hard for meto read these.
The legally stuff is just like
Kate (21:10):
so sure
Matt (21:11):
these people heard of type setting, uh,
Kate (21:15):
we would eat this.
Calathea (21:17):
I'm sorry if there's a class action.
There's no way we can sign this.
I mean, if we get saddled withthis like legal fees, it would
make the money not worth it.
Eric (21:26):
Yeah, we have to at least be indemnified against it.
Matt (21:31):
yeah.
Kate (21:33):
is that what happens when class actions from one company?
Eric (21:38):
No, not trying.
Matt (21:39):
The class action.
Okay.
There's something super weirdabout the way this company was
originally set up.
The class action is specificallyagainst the leadership of rough
muster, rough muster.
So it's ambiguous in thelawsuit, whether they're suing
the company or the person,
Kate (21:59):
oh, no.
Matt (21:59):
the, which in fact is not the doing business as I did.
Hang on this.
this.
is very familiar.
Eric (22:06):
Do we have any legal hours left?
Yeah.
Matt (22:10):
I mean, yeah, probably not.
Uh,
Eric (22:14):
Officiating The wedding.
Matt (22:15):
All right.
Yeah.
One of the appendices here, uh,okay.
As part of taking on roughmuster, they will be losing
their brand identity.
The reason that we get to makehim, whatever employee we want
is.
It's because he's not allowed tobe in a leadership position of
any of the further events andall of this looks like these are
(22:38):
terms that would essentiallycaused the class action to be
invalidated.
Eric (22:44):
there we are.
Calathea (22:46):
Okay.
Kate (22:48):
I
Matt (22:48):
Well, mystery solved.
I guess
Kate (22:50):
though.
Like, it seems like a lot ofpeople fell off a cliff.
Matt (22:55):
the good news is.
We can make sure that doesn'thappen again, right?
Like if, if it's our leadershipin charge of these events,
Kate (23:06):
we can put couches at like the bottom of the cliff is what
you're saying.
Matt (23:12):
avoid cliffs
Calathea (23:13):
Yeah.
Eric (23:13):
of the class, a barrier to the cliff.
Kate (23:16):
Um,
Matt (23:16):
although a lot of these like really shares on Instagram
are people who are like superstoked about how dangerous this.
Eric (23:24):
Right.
It's like all five in one starreviews
Matt (23:27):
Yeah.
Eric (23:28):
and they all kind of say the same thing.
Matt (23:31):
Yeah.
It's just, some people love it.
Calathea (23:35):
Um, Hey, how are you feeling?
Cause I feel like this is a hugeoperations to like, just be on
the ground to run all of theseevents.
Kate (23:46):
Yeah, I mean, that is true.
I mean, a whole team of, uh,hyper-masculine volunteers, uh,
could help some things.
Um, I don't know.
I guess I'm okay with.
Matt (24:04):
okay.
Well, I'm the signing.
Kate (24:07):
Maybe it's the hormones.
Matt (24:09):
I signed, um, it's in, uh, yeah, I just, where we're, you
know, we're at the clock.
Uh, I don't, I don't want us to.
To have our feelings, uh, holdus up to the point where we miss
this.
Uh,
Calathea (24:26):
Um,
Eric (24:27):
I trust the four of us can figure it out.
Matt (24:30):
yeah.
I also want to be clear if any,if anybody wants to veto, like
I'm totally done with that.
I just, I'm fine with it.
Uh, so far.
So that's why I went ahead andsigned.
I don't, I just didn't want tobe like a technical snafu
holding us up.
Eric (24:44):
no.
Um, I just signed it as well.
Kate (24:46):
I just, do you think this'll affect by, maybe I
should have led with this, butrough muster did reach out to me
about adopting that second twinthat I'm having.
Um, I don't know if I.
I don't know.
I don't think that's what I'vetotally related, but he seemed
(25:06):
like a pretty good candidate.
All things considered.
Calathea (25:11):
Uh,
Matt (25:14):
Yeah.
I feel like maybe from a, from acare-taking perspective, given
the class action suits aboutinjuring people and putting them
into dangerous injurioussituations, maybe not such a
great environment for raising a.
Kate (25:34):
Child.
Yeah.
I mean his, his, like, they dida lot of health tests on him
basically.
And his blood pressure wasexcellent.
Uh, no family history of medicaldiseases, which I guess doesn't
really matter if you'readopting, but, um, that was
basically the information I got.
So that looked great.
Matt (25:57):
but he didn't approach you about this as related.
The series a investment, right?
Kate (26:06):
I don't think so.
I mean, yeah, the applicationscome in like semi anonymously.
You can usually figure out whoit is and, um, Yeah, there was a
few mentions of our investor,you know, investor who's
invested in both of us is hisname like, uh, I thought that
(26:28):
was just coincidence.
Calathea (26:32):
Hey,
Kate (26:33):
said things like, you know, this is very important to
you in your company's futurebecause of what I've heard from
Jared.
Um, but I mean, I just thoughtthat was.
Well-wishing kind of thing.
Calathea (26:50):
I'm really worried about this kid, Kate, I I've
been giving this a lot ofthought and you know, now that
bugs bees is fully grown andemancipated and making his own
choices.
Um, I'm really missing havingthat maternal sense in my life.
And I think Kate,
Eric (27:10):
Um,
Calathea (27:11):
I am ready to adopt that child.
Matt (27:15):
Wow.
Eric (27:17):
I've got to, then I thought you were going to
suggest it bugs me and adopt thechild.
Calathea (27:22):
Bugsby is far too immature to adopt a child.
And especially after what he didin the, you know, Iowa race, I,
I just don't trust his moraljudgment anymore.
Eric (27:31):
Yeah.
Wow.
Wow.
Kate (27:35):
I would love
Calathea (27:35):
please don't hold that against me.
I mean, I tried my best withbikes B I'm really,
Kate (27:39):
Oh,
Calathea (27:40):
forward to take, you know, really pushing harder on
this one.
Kate (27:45):
Yeah, no, I think I be pushing hard on babies is like
great.
You know, I mean, you don't wantto push hard on their heads
because they're malleable forlike several months, but yeah,
they emotionally, it's the rightthing to do.
Matt (28:02):
and raising a human child is going to be very different in
many respects from raising, uh,Cynthia and mascot.
Eric (28:13):
I hope.
Calathea (28:14):
In many ways, it will be easier because you're not
having to create everythingwhile raising it.
I mean, the child already comeswith like a personality and
flash and all of those pieces.
Kate (28:24):
That's so true.
Matt (28:26):
Yeah.
And isn't, uh, automatically,you know, part of the internet,
which, um, yeah, it's, it's beenrough for.
Kate (28:35):
Well, I think then honestly, most of my problems
have been solved today.
Um, and I think, you know, this,this muster guy he'll, he'll
just have to accept that hedoesn't get to adopt a child.
He'll probably be fine with thatand not hold it against.
Eric (28:50):
will go wrong.
Matt (28:51):
let's make sure all the series a paperwork is finalized
before you respond.
Yeah.
Kate (28:58):
Okay.
Well then
Matt (29:00):
God.
I hate, I hate even saying thatbecause of.
It shouldn't be business.
It's super, super weird.
This is tangled up in thecompany.
So your, your body K,
Kate (29:12):
and soon to be its own body.
All right, I'm going to sign it.
Matt (29:19):
Okay.
All right.
Last two.
Good.
And just in time, cause I'm,might've looked qua and uh, they
broke out the good stuff.
The key lime.
Yeah, well, special occasion.
Uh, also, Yeah.
Uh, if you guys watch thislater, uh, congrats, Lars David,
Kate (29:39):
Yeah.
Always remember this day for somany reasons.
Should we also just like do ourconfessionals for Lars and David
while we're here.
Matt (29:55):
uh,
Kate (29:58):
I can start, um, as the future mother of your baby, one
of the babies, of course, thebaby that you'll separate from
its twin sister.
For life that we promise to nottalk about so that it would have
a secret parent trip trap, likemoment someday.
Um, I'm just very, I just feelvery connected to you both.
(30:19):
And, um, you know, during theGDPR issues, I was worried, I
was really worried about ourcookies and stuff, but now I
realize that it led to so muchmore and honestly, Cookies that
you chose instead of the cakeart, just so beautiful in such a
way to kind of tie the bow.
(30:42):
So thank you.
Thank you.
Larson David for making my lifefuller and my stomach and
multiple.
Eric (30:51):
Hmm.
Matt (30:52):
that's a, that's hard to follow.
Eric (30:54):
Yeah,
Calathea (30:55):
honestly.
Um, I guess I can go next.
Um, Lars and David, I am soexcited about.
Our new birth of a documentary.
I mean, just the story thatwe're going to be able to tell
about CIT and thank you, Kate,because I didn't even think
(31:19):
about the possibility thatsomeday down the line, I will be
Natasha Richardson and our kidswill break you up so that I can
marry any one of you.
Um, I'm just putting it outthere.
It's probably a very long wayaway and I really wish you the
best until that moment happens.
Matt (31:39):
uh, okay.
I, I can, uh, I can go next.
Uh, Larson David, uh, you knowwhat, uh, what a real, uh,
enemies to lovers story.
I mean, classic, uh, I rememberthe shouting matches, uh, in the
(31:59):
server room, uh, like in theindividual.
Cases, uh, Laura's have you, uh,you know, confronting David with
every GDPR, take down a requestand CCPA compliance, uh, request
for information.
Um, and, and seemingly, uh, youknow, we talked about bullying.
(32:19):
Uh, it seemed a little bit likebullying, but, uh, then that
turned into sharing mealstogether, uh, you know, going
through that paperwork togetherand, uh, It was just a really,
truly strange thing to see, uh,happen.
And I'm so happy for both ofyou.
I'm so glad that you have found,uh, the, the opposite that
(32:44):
attracts for you, you know, thepiece that, uh, that helps
complete your puzzle.
And I wish you both, uh,
Eric (32:53):
Well, Laura Larson, David, uh, you know, you, you really
have shown what it, what ispossible, um, you know, here in
life and not just at work, but,you know, patience and grace and
collaboration, and, you know,From now on I'll I'll always
(33:14):
have a Trump card to play whenanybody says they can't team up
with, with engineering.
So thank you for that.
Um, yeah.
If, if you two could do it, thenanybody could do it.
And, uh, you, know, you, asyou've pointed out many times
you have the right to beforgotten, but I hope you never
choose to exercise that.
Right.
Matt (33:34):
yeah.
Calathea (33:35):
That is so nice.
Kate (33:37):
Oh,
Calathea (33:38):
nice.
Kate (33:40):
I mean, I, I think we're done here.
Matt (33:44):
Okay.
Uh, everybody, that means, thatmeans, I think that means we did
it, right?
Like that's that's series Aclosed.
Uh, I mean, yeah.
Eric (33:59):
chapter ended chapter beginning.
Matt (34:02):
is months of like really questionable moral decisions,
moral decisions, ethics, uh,finance, logistics, uh, we've
had every hurdle thrown at usand we have, uh, jumped or
bodily thrown ourselves overeach one.
And, and I just hate congratsthat it feels weird.
(34:25):
It feels good.
And, Uh,
Calathea (34:27):
Uh, it really does.
Matt (34:30):
No thinking about hurdles.
I wonder maybe I should sign upfor one of these things.
Eric (34:36):
Think we got to
Matt (34:37):
where is the next rough mustard near us?
Do
Calathea (34:40):
Maybe we should all do one together.
Yeah.
Just to give it a test out.
Kate (34:46):
Great.
Yeah.
Just again, remember I'mpregnant, but that shouldn't
stop me.
Calathea (34:53):
Maybe Kate, you shouldn't do it.
You can cheer us on from thesidelines.
Kate (34:59):
Oh.
Want to miss out?
Eric (35:01):
can provide logistics.
You can give us food and waterat the aid stations.
Calathea (35:05):
Yeah, you'll be like a team member, a support team
member, you know, like providingus detailed maps, helping us
train, helping us provide snacksand aid first aid, maybe given
what some of the reviews say.
Kate (35:20):
I'll bring my blood.
Okay, great.
Matt (35:24):
This is great.
Yeah.
I think, uh, you know, there'seven a sign up form for new
volunteers.
You will be a great quittersitter.
Kate (35:32):
we should change that name.
Eric (35:34):
Yup.
Matt (35:34):
think so.
Yeah.
Kate (35:35):
Yeah.
Calathea (35:35):
A hundred percent.
Kate (35:37):
Okay.
Well, let's get back to theparty.
Eric (35:40):
Yeah.
Matt (35:41):
Alright.
Cheers everybody.
Kate (35:44):
Cheers.
Ben (35:47):
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.
(36:07):
Valerie is a product manager andregularly plays with the improv
troupe letters to chickenonline.
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 Marty Mcguire.
(36:28):
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.
welcome to this startup is being recorded.
This recording is improvisedfiction.
Similarities between it and thereal world are entirely
intentional.
Now enjoy the recording.
Kate (00:23):
Okay.
We were all in here is the doorclosed.
Everyone fits.
Okay.
Awesome.
Um, I guess.
To whoever ends up watchingthis, can you please email it to
me?
Um, our, our normal office isbeing used as the buffet, uh,
for obviously Lars and David'swedding.
And we, we just we'd like torecord our meetings.
(00:45):
And so, um, yeah, whicheverproducer ends up watching this,
uh, please say.
Calathea (00:52):
it's, it's very handy.
Matt (00:55):
Yeah, this, is, this are all like reality TV,
confessional rooms, this small,this, this is like very cozy
Calathea (01:01):
No, I wanted it to feel more intimate because I
really wanted like a reallyintimate feel to our documentary
slash reality show that we'll bethinking about the weddings.
Matt (01:13):
Yeah, well it's
Eric (01:14):
Great job.
Calathea (01:15):
Yeah.
Matt (01:16):
uh, yeah, I don't, I don't know what I expected, I guess,
but it's small.
It's very clean.
I always thought like peoplecried in here.
Kind of smelling that doesn't,that's not a thing, but like
that, that's what I thought.
Um, I'm sorry.
I'm getting a sidetrack toalready.
Calathea (01:31):
No, no, I get it.
I do I do smell like a distinctsmell.
Like, you know, right before therain comes, there's like an
ozone smell.
You know, there's like that whenyou have a lot of people crying
in one space, my old office usedto smell like that.
Matt (01:43):
Oh,
Kate (01:44):
Yeah.
I mean,
Matt (01:45):
right.
Well, we're missing out on thereception.
Uh,
Kate (01:48):
I know the speeches are still happening, but, um, I
didn't realize everyone in thecompany was going to give a
speech, but anyway, Oh, man.
I'm so flustered, but we're,we're here.
Uh, because we really, eventhough it's the wedding
reception of force and tape, itneed to apparently sign the
series a document in the nextlike 20 minutes.
(02:11):
Um,
Matt (02:11):
oh, that's that's great news.
I mean, that means they've,they've stepped up the.
Kate (02:17):
yeah, I mean,
Calathea (02:19):
Oh,
Kate (02:19):
but I haven't seen it.
I just, I mean, it's in ouremails, but I haven't even had
the time to look up.
Eric (02:24):
Yeah, apparently, apparently it was stuck in
John's spam folder for the lastfour days.
Uh, and
Kate (02:30):
Oh, no.
Eric (02:31):
more time.
Matt (02:32):
okay.
Let me, oh yeah.
Kate (02:36):
Okay.
Let's let's just,
Matt (02:37):
it's in my spam folder.
Uh, cause I have filters set upfor when John Ford's me stuff.
Okay.
Wow.
Haven't seen it until, oh, sowe've been sitting on this.
Excellent.
Uh,
Kate (02:47):
Yeah.
It's it'll be fine.
It'll be fine.
Um, let's do just quick, superquick intro.
Cate Blanchett, chief of stafffor set.
Calathea (02:57):
Oh, yeah, it's great.
Creatives are for sin.
Eric (03:02):
yep.
Uh, Eric, Troy Carter, chiefproduct officer at CIT
Matt (03:06):
uh, oh, hi, uh, uh, Matt, matt.yachts.
That's also my website and I amthe CTO here at CIT.
Kate (03:13):
Okay,
Matt (03:14):
Okay.
A lot of this looks familiarlike this is definitely.
Kate (03:17):
Standard language.
Matt (03:19):
had like a highlighter or something for what changed,
because these are.
Kate (03:24):
Wait, uh, section 12.
Eric (03:29):
changes.
What'd he say in section 12?
Kate (03:33):
I just, there wasn't a section 12 before I remember if
it's 12 was my favorite number.
Um, and so I was thinking, youknow, section 12 will be my
favorite and then there wasn'tone, but now there, now there is
one.
Eric (03:45):
oh, yeah.
Jumped to an 11 to 13.
Last time I remember saying Ilook weird because usually you
skipped 13, but I think it was amistake.
Maybe there was a place holderthat you were missing.
Okay.
Calathea (03:55):
different cultures have different numbers that they
find a nerving.
Matt (03:59):
All right.
Section 12, uh, additionaladditional assets and
acquisitions
Kate (04:08):
assets.
Matt (04:10):
as part of the agreement, the entity known as CIT agrees
to acquire,
Eric (04:16):
Oh, wow.
Matt (04:17):
hang on from.
Uh, well, it looks like one ofthe investors wants to roll a
company into sit, hang on.
Who,
Kate (04:28):
uh, what com company?
I, we, we definitely don't haveany investors who have any type
of couch marketplaces already intheir investment portfolio.
That that was a huge record.
Matt (04:40):
Yeah, no, that, I mean, that was a part of the whole.
The series a thing was like, wewanted people to be on board
with us as their couchmarketplace.
I mean, that's, maybe that'spart of why they were kind of
rude about us becoming thenumber one couch marketplace.
Before we close.
I'm going to, I'm going to getout my laptop.
(05:01):
I
Kate (05:01):
what is this acquisition?
All it says is rough
Eric (05:06):
her back
Kate (05:07):
LLC.
Calathea (05:09):
What was that?
Kate (05:11):
Ruff Ruff.
Like not, not like the dog, notmustard, no muster muster like a
Custer, but not like custard.
Like Custer's last stand.
Matt (05:24):
like a rollout, like a muster AB.
Eric (05:27):
yeah.
Kate (05:27):
Yeah.
Eric (05:28):
Okay.
Matt (05:30):
All right.
They don't,
Kate (05:32):
What is it about Google?
Matt (05:34):
Uh,
Calathea (05:35):
that.
Kate (05:36):
dang.
Matt (05:36):
have the.org.
They don't have a.
they do have a.co.
Okay.
Kate (05:43):
Um,
Matt (05:44):
Is this them?
Let me check.
Uh,
Kate (05:47):
Yeah.
Oh, this
Calathea (05:48):
you mean that there is a rough month muster.com dot or
in.org available, or thatsomehow there were two companies
that chose this God awful name.
Matt (05:59):
no, weirdly, uh, both of those are available, so I guess,
Kate (06:04):
they just
Matt (06:05):
that on my to-do list to register this?
Eric (06:07):
Yeah.
Calathea (06:08):
a brand, a
Matt (06:09):
what are these folks do?
Calathea (06:12):
that would be great.
Eric (06:13):
what's on the dot.
Calathea (06:14):
question.
Matt (06:15):
is just like a slide show of people doing outdoor
adventure sports.
Eric (06:21):
Oh, hold
Kate (06:21):
Oh God,
Matt (06:24):
Oh
Kate (06:25):
there's some, they have a picture of a man who is maybe
naked covered in mud.
Calathea (06:32):
Yeah, there is.
Eric (06:33):
electrocuted
Calathea (06:34):
Yeah, their Instagram is just all naked people doing
yoga and wearing only sneakers.
Are they a sneaker company
Matt (06:44):
It's
Kate (06:45):
a yoga com.
Matt (06:46):
no, hang on.
They have,
Calathea (06:47):
or maybe a, you know, down under pruning company?
Cause I have to say
Matt (06:53):
that's a good
Calathea (06:53):
everybody here, their pubic hair is very well coughed.
Matt (06:59):
Looks like they're okay.
I mean, the main thing, otherthan all of these photos and
links to their social media ontheir website is, uh, events.
And they've got events in,
Kate (07:09):
oh,
Matt (07:10):
it looks like a lot of cities, but it's like, it's at
least like an hour outside ofeach city.
Kate (07:17):
Oh,
Matt (07:17):
Yeah.
Kate (07:19):
God.
Yeah, I
Matt (07:20):
Okay.
Here we go.
Sign up for the one near you.
Coming soon.
The Annapolis, no fun run is notactually in Annapolis.
Kate (07:31):
No fun run.
Matt (07:33):
Yeah.
Kate (07:34):
who would sign up for something like that?
Well, what.
Eric (07:40):
first, first prize is a pair of a used sneakers.
Matt (07:47):
huh?
Kate (07:48):
Oh,
Matt (07:49):
signed by the original rough mustard.
Themselves.
Oh, hang on.
This is, this
Eric (07:54):
the rough muster.
Uh, oh no.
Well, that's him.
Kate (08:00):
I that's.
That's the same signature onthis.
That's the CEO.
Eric (08:08):
that is not what he's looked like in previous
meetings.
Matt (08:12):
yeah.
Well, I mean he, the mud washesoff, I assume.
Uh, sorry.
Uh, Kathy, what did you say wason the signup?
Calathea (08:21):
yeah.
On the signup form, they ask youfor the phone number of your
mother, your most terrifyingteacher and your elementary
school bully for quote unquoteresearch.
Matt (08:38):
Yeah.
Wow.
there's a bunch of differenttiers to sign up at two.
If you want to do the four hourrun.
The eight hour deep woodsimmersive experience or the 24
hour survival challenge.
Eric (08:52):
goodness.
Kate (08:54):
Oh, wait, I
Matt (08:55):
they're in events.
They're like a extreme sportsevents company.
Is this is, oh, I just got it.
It's like tough.
It's like tough Mudder.
It's like, have you guys ever,I've never done one of these,
but like every big Corp I'veworked at has had some weekend
retreat that, yeah.
That like I'm refusing.
Kate (09:14):
Yeah, no, I, I did want to, once I got stabbed in the
Facebook barbed wire, but Imean,
Eric (09:19):
Oh,
Kate (09:20):
wait, so we have 15 minutes to decide if we're going
to acquire this company or not.
Matt (09:25):
I forgot about the clock.
Yeah.
Um,
Eric (09:27):
Are there,
Kate (09:30):
already signed this.
Oh my God.
Eric (09:33):
how, how, how much is it?
Like, do we hit, did you haveany financials?
Like we, if we don't, if itdoesn't work out, we can just
shut it.
Kate (09:41):
Okay.
They do, they did attach a duediligence stack.
Let's open that.
Um,
Matt (09:46):
Okay.
Kate (09:47):
wow.
Okay.
So pretty high margin.
Um, it seems like they charge$600 for the 24 hour experience.
Only cost them 30 per person.
Matt (10:03):
Uh, because the survival experience provides no food and
all of the, uh warden's yeah.
They call them event wardens.
They're all volunteers.
Okay.
What are, what are musterpoints?
Eric (10:18):
Oh, like a loyalty program.
Matt (10:20):
Yeah, I'm more than a loyalty program.
Hang on.
Must have rewards.
It's like a currency.
Kate (10:31):
is anyone else keeps hearing mustard?
I
Matt (10:35):
know what you mean.
Kate (10:36):
but
Calathea (10:36):
very clear, a little too close for comfort, honestly.
Matt (10:40):
I, this is just, I mean, the hard thing here is what,
what are our options, right?
Do we send this back withstrikes through, do we need to
get the Mr.
Rough muster on the horn and seewhat's going on here?
I mean,
Eric (10:56):
Wow.
Matt (10:57):
This sounds like he's either trying to get access to
the capital or the people thatwe have, or to fob this business
off on John or on us.
Really.
Eric (11:11):
it's clearly not a money loser.
So
Matt (11:14):
That's true.
Although.
Calathea (11:16):
but it's a totally different, I mean, uh, we have
no experience in events,marketing.
Matt (11:25):
I mean, I don't know if I would say no experience.
We've certainly had to do plentyof events work for, uh, all the
political campaigns.
I mean, you have the, the, thelocal
Eric (11:36):
of
Matt (11:36):
the state stuff.
Calathea (11:38):
Yeah, that's true.
I don't know.
I just, I feel like this is avery masculine hate yourself
kind of brand, and I'm all aboutexploring the human darkness of
the soul, but it just feels liketying our brand to this is going
to change how people see CIT.
Eric (11:59):
I mean, you know, maybe that's what we need though.
Like if our premier goal fromthe beginning was to shape, you
know, the face of global tradeand that, that includes
hyper-masculine endurance races.
Pit people against each other.
I mean, if we want, if we wantto be part of the whole, the
(12:19):
whole thing, why, why not makethis the second piece?
Kate (12:26):
Uh, yeah.
Eric (12:28):
year roadmap, but I mean, this was on there.
It was on there.
Kate (12:32):
They do have a roadmap at the end of that due diligence
deck, where they talk about, um,ideas of collaborating with us,
you know, it's like a exercisebench slash lounger.
Matt (12:48):
And look at that home exercise equipment.
Wow.
Eric (12:52):
logo on it.
Matt (12:55):
Oh, okay.
Some of this makes sense to
Kate (12:58):
at our little.
Matt (12:58):
like sit, branded, um, like a cool-down area.
Hang on.
What are they?
They call these on the course,uh, oh, quitter centers.
Okay.
That's, that's a rude,
Kate (13:14):
quitter sitters.
Oh no.
Eric (13:16):
to love that,
Matt (13:17):
looking at an endurance event, like people need to rest.
I don't know who I'm tellingthis.
Kate (13:23):
It seems like they used set a lot in these products, but
it's a lot.
Don't sit or sit no more or theanti set, you know?
Matt (13:36):
Yeah, it is really tough to reconcile with how much we've
been a brand about pushingcomfort and home and, uh,
expressing yourself throughleisure and.
Calathea (13:48):
I mean, I'm just really glad we didn't go with
com fleek.
Eric (13:52):
Oh
Kate (13:53):
Yeah.
Calathea (13:54):
that would have been a nightmare.
Kate (13:56):
Oh, God.
Yeah.
Yeah.
At least some exercises you doactually sit like squatting is
kind of like getting into thesit position.
Eric (14:04):
that's that's true.
Well, I mean, like you weresaying, like, what are our
options here?
Kate (14:11):
yeah.
Eric (14:12):
he's he's bringing 33% of the rounds funding, so.
Kate (14:17):
Ooh.
Eric (14:17):
To re to replace that is, I don't know that we can, can
wait another, however long itwould take to, to replace it.
I, I I'm, I'm, I'm kind of fineto take the lead on this.
Kate (14:29):
Yeah, here.
Let's just go through and makesure we didn't miss any of the
conditions.
Um, for instance, oh, we have tofigure out how, what this guy,
what position this guy will get.
He says he, it doesn't matterwhat his roles and
responsibilities are as long ashe's referred to as the Colonel.
Calathea (14:49):
what.
Kate (14:50):
Yeah.
He wants.
Colonel muster.
Calathea (14:54):
Wait, he wants to be Colonel muster and not mustard.
Kate (14:58):
Yes.
He wants to keep the musterbrand, uh, but be a Colonel.
Calathea (15:03):
So on top of all of this, he wants us to call him a
upon.
Yeah.
Matt (15:09):
Yeah.
You know, he is ex-military.
Eric (15:14):
And.
None of us have interestingnames.
Matt (15:20):
Yeah, no, he, he is a Colonel.
He was, or
Eric (15:24):
Oh, he's actually, it was, a
Calathea (15:25):
Oh, that's okay.
That makes a little more sense.
Is his last name muster though?
Matt (15:32):
Yeah.
I mean, well, yeah.
That's
Eric (15:36):
Yeah, but he, he changed it.
He changed it to muster when hewas
Matt (15:41):
Legally that's not, that's not his doing business as name.
Uh, but it's yeah,
Calathea (15:46):
No.
Matt (15:47):
still using.
I, I don't know, did I, I did awalk through of a bunch of the
potential investor portfoliosand, uh, the background
information on them, uh, most ofhis money was, was family money.
So he uses the family name forkind of doing business as, but,
uh, he's, he's leaned reallyhard into this, uh, rough muster
(16:08):
personality,
Calathea (16:10):
I can tell.
Yeah.
Wow.
Kate (16:14):
Okay.
Okay.
Um, they also say that, um, theywould like their volunteer
program to continue, uh, lookingfor opportunities for volunteers
to
Eric (16:24):
Okay.
Kate (16:26):
How should you use the word work in our warehouse?
Calathea (16:30):
Wait, what.
Matt (16:32):
oh yeah.
This is a whole section aboutsynergies.
Kate (16:35):
Yeah, they're saying we
Matt (16:37):
muster community is full of hardworking diligent people
who are.
put to work at lower, no costs.
And there's a whole list of wow.
Just links to yeah.
Spreadsheets
Kate (16:52):
and,
Matt (16:52):
emails.
Kate (16:54):
and their mother's phone numbers and the childhood books.
Eric (16:59):
Oh,
Kate (17:00):
So the, you using the name of the child hood bully as the
manager of this person helpsmotivate them.
Interesting.
Matt (17:12):
This is very detailed.
Eric (17:14):
Oh, wait, what the hell
Matt (17:17):
Uh, what'd you
Eric (17:17):
I I'm I'm listed as a bully.
Matt (17:22):
it's about by her by whom?
Eric (17:24):
Uh,
Calathea (17:24):
Who did you bully?
Eric (17:26):
some, some Jackson white bird in Missouri
Matt (17:32):
do he will do, you know, a Jackson Jacksonville.
Calathea (17:34):
Yeah.
Eric (17:35):
doesn't ring a bell.
Matt (17:38):
Did you go to like elementary school in Missouri?
What?
Kate (17:41):
Yeah.
Eric (17:43):
Oh,
Matt (17:45):
I mean, they could have moved to Missouri by now.
I guess.
Eric (17:47):
No, I didn't.
I mean, I didn't, but I did knowit.
I didn't know that Jack.
And I kicked a Jackson in theface and kickball,
Calathea (17:59):
Oh my
Eric (18:00):
but that was, that was part of the game.
It was it wasn't I wasn't doingit on purpose.
He was playing second base.
I hit a good kick
Matt (18:07):
oh, you with the ball, you
Eric (18:08):
with the ball.
No, no, I didn't I didn't punchsomebody or kick somebody.
No, I kicked them.
Keep the ball,
Calathea (18:14):
really
Matt (18:14):
heard, I heard, I kicked a Jackson in the face and I assume
that was, that was foot to face.
Eric (18:21):
Yeah.
Yeah, I understand.
But no, but, but that was it.
Kate (18:26):
Well, seems like Jackson, white bird had a pretty nice
life up until that
Matt (18:30):
Yeah, maybe that's the worst thing that ever happened
to Jackson.
Kate (18:33):
yeah.
Eric (18:35):
Okay.
Now I'm, now I'm really in,like, I feel like I.
Kate (18:38):
Sure.
Sure.
I mean, yeah, don't worry.
We all have done things in ourpast that had affects.
We didn't think about, I mean,remember Mike?
Eric (18:47):
I didn't even stop.
I just ran to first base.
I didn't even check if he wasokay,
Calathea (18:51):
Oh, my God.
Kate (18:52):
Well,
Eric (18:53):
was seven it's kickball.
I'm not that school nurse.
Calathea (18:58):
Wow.
Kate (18:59):
Have you, you don't want me to get defensive?
Eric (19:02):
Um, and I'm questioning a lot
Matt (19:06):
okay.
Well, we're really close todeadline on this.
Yeah, we, we need, we need tostart signing, I guess.
I don't know what there is todiscuss.
We're kind of up against thewall here.
If we sign this, then the thinggoes forward and we're saddled
with this albatross, whateverit's going to be.
If we don't sign what the deal'soff, uh, are we going to be in
(19:28):
another six months of
Kate (19:29):
I know.
Matt (19:29):
Like we're running out of runway here.
Kate (19:31):
We, we are really out of runway.
Really, man.
That's where rally TVdocumentary is going to give us
a little bit, but not a lot.
Matt (19:41):
Yeah.
I mean, I mean, we spent a lotof that.
That was for capitalimprovements to the space to
make, you know, like this very
Kate (19:47):
that's true.
Matt (19:50):
Okay.
Well, you know, I don't know.
Maybe it's easy for me to say,but it looks like from a tech
perspective, their holdings arepretty simple.
I see a lot of easyimprovements, uh, would love to
put their spreadsheet, uh,behind an authentication wall,
for example, so that it's not soeasy to access this very
personal information.
So some stuff to do here.
(20:12):
So far, pretty simple.
Calathea (20:15):
I mean, I'm not thrilled about it, but I am
excited about a new creativechallenge.
Kate (20:23):
That's a good way to look at it.
Matt (20:26):
oh boy.
I wish I hadn't Googled this,uh, rough muster class.
Kate (20:37):
okay.
Calathea (20:38):
is that really why they're doing lists?
Matt (20:42):
Yeah, this is, uh, negligent and its organization
and supervision of race.
Um,
Kate (20:49):
oh gosh.
Do people get hurt at the races?
Calathea (20:54):
A lot of
Kate (20:54):
Um,
Matt (20:56):
I mean the class, uh, it does, it's a class action.
It doesn't list all of thepeople, but there are, there are
several named folks in the suit.
Sorry.
I can't, it's really hard for meto read these.
The legally stuff is just like
Kate (21:10):
so sure
Matt (21:11):
these people heard of type setting, uh,
Kate (21:15):
we would eat this.
Calathea (21:17):
I'm sorry if there's a class action.
There's no way we can sign this.
I mean, if we get saddled withthis like legal fees, it would
make the money not worth it.
Eric (21:26):
Yeah, we have to at least be indemnified against it.
Matt (21:31):
yeah.
Kate (21:33):
is that what happens when class actions from one company?
Eric (21:38):
No, not trying.
Matt (21:39):
The class action.
Okay.
There's something super weirdabout the way this company was
originally set up.
The class action is specificallyagainst the leadership of rough
muster, rough muster.
So it's ambiguous in thelawsuit, whether they're suing
the company or the person,
Kate (21:59):
oh, no.
Matt (21:59):
the, which in fact is not the doing business as I did.
Hang on this.
this.
is very familiar.
Eric (22:06):
Do we have any legal hours left?
Yeah.
Matt (22:10):
I mean, yeah, probably not.
Uh,
Eric (22:14):
Officiating The wedding.
Matt (22:15):
All right.
Yeah.
One of the appendices here, uh,okay.
As part of taking on roughmuster, they will be losing
their brand identity.
The reason that we get to makehim, whatever employee we want
is.
It's because he's not allowed tobe in a leadership position of
any of the further events andall of this looks like these are
(22:38):
terms that would essentiallycaused the class action to be
invalidated.
Eric (22:44):
there we are.
Calathea (22:46):
Okay.
Kate (22:48):
I
Matt (22:48):
Well, mystery solved.
I guess
Kate (22:50):
though.
Like, it seems like a lot ofpeople fell off a cliff.
Matt (22:55):
the good news is.
We can make sure that doesn'thappen again, right?
Like if, if it's our leadershipin charge of these events,
Kate (23:06):
we can put couches at like the bottom of the cliff is what
you're saying.
Matt (23:12):
avoid cliffs
Calathea (23:13):
Yeah.
Eric (23:13):
of the class, a barrier to the cliff.
Kate (23:16):
Um,
Matt (23:16):
although a lot of these like really shares on Instagram
are people who are like superstoked about how dangerous this.
Eric (23:24):
Right.
It's like all five in one starreviews
Matt (23:27):
Yeah.
Eric (23:28):
and they all kind of say the same thing.
Matt (23:31):
Yeah.
It's just, some people love it.
Calathea (23:35):
Um, Hey, how are you feeling?
Cause I feel like this is a hugeoperations to like, just be on
the ground to run all of theseevents.
Kate (23:46):
Yeah, I mean, that is true.
I mean, a whole team of, uh,hyper-masculine volunteers, uh,
could help some things.
Um, I don't know.
I guess I'm okay with.
Matt (24:04):
okay.
Well, I'm the signing.
Kate (24:07):
Maybe it's the hormones.
Matt (24:09):
I signed, um, it's in, uh, yeah, I just, where we're, you
know, we're at the clock.
Uh, I don't, I don't want us to.
To have our feelings, uh, holdus up to the point where we miss
this.
Uh,
Calathea (24:26):
Um,
Eric (24:27):
I trust the four of us can figure it out.
Matt (24:30):
yeah.
I also want to be clear if any,if anybody wants to veto, like
I'm totally done with that.
I just, I'm fine with it.
Uh, so far.
So that's why I went ahead andsigned.
I don't, I just didn't want tobe like a technical snafu
holding us up.
Eric (24:44):
no.
Um, I just signed it as well.
Kate (24:46):
I just, do you think this'll affect by, maybe I
should have led with this, butrough muster did reach out to me
about adopting that second twinthat I'm having.
Um, I don't know if I.
I don't know.
I don't think that's what I'vetotally related, but he seemed
(25:06):
like a pretty good candidate.
All things considered.
Calathea (25:11):
Uh,
Matt (25:14):
Yeah.
I feel like maybe from a, from acare-taking perspective, given
the class action suits aboutinjuring people and putting them
into dangerous injurioussituations, maybe not such a
great environment for raising a.
Kate (25:34):
Child.
Yeah.
I mean his, his, like, they dida lot of health tests on him
basically.
And his blood pressure wasexcellent.
Uh, no family history of medicaldiseases, which I guess doesn't
really matter if you'readopting, but, um, that was
basically the information I got.
So that looked great.
Matt (25:57):
but he didn't approach you about this as related.
The series a investment, right?
Kate (26:06):
I don't think so.
I mean, yeah, the applicationscome in like semi anonymously.
You can usually figure out whoit is and, um, Yeah, there was a
few mentions of our investor,you know, investor who's
invested in both of us is hisname like, uh, I thought that
(26:28):
was just coincidence.
Calathea (26:32):
Hey,
Kate (26:33):
said things like, you know, this is very important to
you in your company's futurebecause of what I've heard from
Jared.
Um, but I mean, I just thoughtthat was.
Well-wishing kind of thing.
Calathea (26:50):
I'm really worried about this kid, Kate, I I've
been giving this a lot ofthought and you know, now that
bugs bees is fully grown andemancipated and making his own
choices.
Um, I'm really missing havingthat maternal sense in my life.
And I think Kate,
Eric (27:10):
Um,
Calathea (27:11):
I am ready to adopt that child.
Matt (27:15):
Wow.
Eric (27:17):
I've got to, then I thought you were going to
suggest it bugs me and adopt thechild.
Calathea (27:22):
Bugsby is far too immature to adopt a child.
And especially after what he didin the, you know, Iowa race, I,
I just don't trust his moraljudgment anymore.
Eric (27:31):
Yeah.
Wow.
Wow.
Kate (27:35):
I would love
Calathea (27:35):
please don't hold that against me.
I mean, I tried my best withbikes B I'm really,
Kate (27:39):
Oh,
Calathea (27:40):
forward to take, you know, really pushing harder on
this one.
Kate (27:45):
Yeah, no, I think I be pushing hard on babies is like
great.
You know, I mean, you don't wantto push hard on their heads
because they're malleable forlike several months, but yeah,
they emotionally, it's the rightthing to do.
Matt (28:02):
and raising a human child is going to be very different in
many respects from raising, uh,Cynthia and mascot.
Eric (28:13):
I hope.
Calathea (28:14):
In many ways, it will be easier because you're not
having to create everythingwhile raising it.
I mean, the child already comeswith like a personality and
flash and all of those pieces.
Kate (28:24):
That's so true.
Matt (28:26):
Yeah.
And isn't, uh, automatically,you know, part of the internet,
which, um, yeah, it's, it's beenrough for.
Kate (28:35):
Well, I think then honestly, most of my problems
have been solved today.
Um, and I think, you know, this,this muster guy he'll, he'll
just have to accept that hedoesn't get to adopt a child.
He'll probably be fine with thatand not hold it against.
Eric (28:50):
will go wrong.
Matt (28:51):
let's make sure all the series a paperwork is finalized
before you respond.
Yeah.
Kate (28:58):
Okay.
Well then
Matt (29:00):
God.
I hate, I hate even saying thatbecause of.
It shouldn't be business.
It's super, super weird.
This is tangled up in thecompany.
So your, your body K,
Kate (29:12):
and soon to be its own body.
All right, I'm going to sign it.
Matt (29:19):
Okay.
All right.
Last two.
Good.
And just in time, cause I'm,might've looked qua and uh, they
broke out the good stuff.
The key lime.
Yeah, well, special occasion.
Uh, also, Yeah.
Uh, if you guys watch thislater, uh, congrats, Lars David,
Kate (29:39):
Yeah.
Always remember this day for somany reasons.
Should we also just like do ourconfessionals for Lars and David
while we're here.
Matt (29:55):
uh,
Kate (29:58):
I can start, um, as the future mother of your baby, one
of the babies, of course, thebaby that you'll separate from
its twin sister.
For life that we promise to nottalk about so that it would have
a secret parent trip trap, likemoment someday.
Um, I'm just very, I just feelvery connected to you both.
(30:19):
And, um, you know, during theGDPR issues, I was worried, I
was really worried about ourcookies and stuff, but now I
realize that it led to so muchmore and honestly, Cookies that
you chose instead of the cakeart, just so beautiful in such a
way to kind of tie the bow.
(30:42):
So thank you.
Thank you.
Larson David for making my lifefuller and my stomach and
multiple.
Eric (30:51):
Hmm.
Matt (30:52):
that's a, that's hard to follow.
Eric (30:54):
Yeah,
Calathea (30:55):
honestly.
Um, I guess I can go next.
Um, Lars and David, I am soexcited about.
Our new birth of a documentary.
I mean, just the story thatwe're going to be able to tell
about CIT and thank you, Kate,because I didn't even think
(31:19):
about the possibility thatsomeday down the line, I will be
Natasha Richardson and our kidswill break you up so that I can
marry any one of you.
Um, I'm just putting it outthere.
It's probably a very long wayaway and I really wish you the
best until that moment happens.
Matt (31:39):
uh, okay.
I, I can, uh, I can go next.
Uh, Larson David, uh, you knowwhat, uh, what a real, uh,
enemies to lovers story.
I mean, classic, uh, I rememberthe shouting matches, uh, in the
(31:59):
server room, uh, like in theindividual.
Cases, uh, Laura's have you, uh,you know, confronting David with
every GDPR, take down a requestand CCPA compliance, uh, request
for information.
Um, and, and seemingly, uh, youknow, we talked about bullying.
(32:19):
Uh, it seemed a little bit likebullying, but, uh, then that
turned into sharing mealstogether, uh, you know, going
through that paperwork togetherand, uh, It was just a really,
truly strange thing to see, uh,happen.
And I'm so happy for both ofyou.
I'm so glad that you have found,uh, the, the opposite that
(32:44):
attracts for you, you know, thepiece that, uh, that helps
complete your puzzle.
And I wish you both, uh,
Eric (32:53):
Well, Laura Larson, David, uh, you know, you, you really
have shown what it, what ispossible, um, you know, here in
life and not just at work, but,you know, patience and grace and
collaboration, and, you know,From now on I'll I'll always
(33:14):
have a Trump card to play whenanybody says they can't team up
with, with engineering.
So thank you for that.
Um, yeah.
If, if you two could do it, thenanybody could do it.
And, uh, you, know, you, asyou've pointed out many times
you have the right to beforgotten, but I hope you never
choose to exercise that.
Right.
Matt (33:34):
yeah.
Calathea (33:35):
That is so nice.
Kate (33:37):
Oh,
Calathea (33:38):
nice.
Kate (33:40):
I mean, I, I think we're done here.
Matt (33:44):
Okay.
Uh, everybody, that means, thatmeans, I think that means we did
it, right?
Like that's that's series Aclosed.
Uh, I mean, yeah.
Eric (33:59):
chapter ended chapter beginning.
Matt (34:02):
is months of like really questionable moral decisions,
moral decisions, ethics, uh,finance, logistics, uh, we've
had every hurdle thrown at usand we have, uh, jumped or
bodily thrown ourselves overeach one.
And, and I just hate congratsthat it feels weird.
(34:25):
It feels good.
And, Uh,
Calathea (34:27):
Uh, it really does.
Matt (34:30):
No thinking about hurdles.
I wonder maybe I should sign upfor one of these things.
Eric (34:36):
Think we got to
Matt (34:37):
where is the next rough mustard near us?
Do
Calathea (34:40):
Maybe we should all do one together.
Yeah.
Just to give it a test out.
Kate (34:46):
Great.
Yeah.
Just again, remember I'mpregnant, but that shouldn't
stop me.
Calathea (34:53):
Maybe Kate, you shouldn't do it.
You can cheer us on from thesidelines.
Kate (34:59):
Oh.
Want to miss out?
Eric (35:01):
can provide logistics.
You can give us food and waterat the aid stations.
Calathea (35:05):
Yeah, you'll be like a team member, a support team
member, you know, like providingus detailed maps, helping us
train, helping us provide snacksand aid first aid, maybe given
what some of the reviews say.
Kate (35:20):
I'll bring my blood.
Okay, great.
Matt (35:24):
This is great.
Yeah.
I think, uh, you know, there'seven a sign up form for new
volunteers.
You will be a great quittersitter.
Kate (35:32):
we should change that name.
Eric (35:34):
Yup.
Matt (35:34):
think so.
Yeah.
Kate (35:35):
Yeah.
Calathea (35:35):
A hundred percent.
Kate (35:37):
Okay.
Well, let's get back to theparty.
Eric (35:40):
Yeah.
Matt (35:41):
Alright.
Cheers everybody.
Kate (35:44):
Cheers.
Ben (35:47):
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.
(36:07):
Valerie is a product manager andregularly plays with the improv
troupe letters to chickenonline.
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 Marty Mcguire.
(36:28):
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!