Ben Collins

Yeah. Daniel can talk about this. The very first people we called at all was the Onion Union because we had heard there was this whisper network that the union was this onerous and scary thing and all this stuff. And all they were really asking for, they were in negotiations, was to make sure that any content that was AI was labeled as such. That was really their big ask.

And we're like, that's not onerous. That's regular. That's like a good idea. Yeah. So then we kept pounding on the door and we realized like this might be like a very good opportunity to save this like very beautiful American thing. A couple of weeks later, we got put in touch with Jeff Lawson, the guy who created Twilio. He had some time on his hands recently, and he also really loved the onion.

And we're like, that's not onerous. That's regular. That's like a good idea. Yeah. So then we kept pounding on the door and we realized like this might be like a very good opportunity to save this like very beautiful American thing. A couple of weeks later, we got put in touch with Jeff Lawson, the guy who created Twilio. He had some time on his hands recently, and he also really loved the onion.

And we're like, that's not onerous. That's regular. That's like a good idea. Yeah. So then we kept pounding on the door and we realized like this might be like a very good opportunity to save this like very beautiful American thing. A couple of weeks later, we got put in touch with Jeff Lawson, the guy who created Twilio. He had some time on his hands recently, and he also really loved the onion.

Always wanted to buy it, but didn't really know what to do with it and how to do it. And we're like, we have some pretty good plans for it if we want to talk about it. Within two and a half months, basically, from me posting on Blue Sky and calling Danielle, we were in charge of the onion. So kind of a wild ride.

Always wanted to buy it, but didn't really know what to do with it and how to do it. And we're like, we have some pretty good plans for it if we want to talk about it. Within two and a half months, basically, from me posting on Blue Sky and calling Danielle, we were in charge of the onion. So kind of a wild ride.

Always wanted to buy it, but didn't really know what to do with it and how to do it. And we're like, we have some pretty good plans for it if we want to talk about it. Within two and a half months, basically, from me posting on Blue Sky and calling Danielle, we were in charge of the onion. So kind of a wild ride.

Yeah. And in terms of the business model, by the way, I just want to bring up Scott was the COO, right? Daniel of Gawker?

Yeah. And in terms of the business model, by the way, I just want to bring up Scott was the COO, right? Daniel of Gawker?

Yeah. And in terms of the business model, by the way, I just want to bring up Scott was the COO, right? Daniel of Gawker?

In terms of standing up a brand new company, which is what we had to do, having Danielle and Jeff and Scott around was kind of a miracle. But, you know, going into it, this did not just come out of thin air. We had all worked at these big, gigantic places and were like, you know, if we ran this place, what would it actually look like? We wouldn't be doing this stuff or whatever, right?

In terms of standing up a brand new company, which is what we had to do, having Danielle and Jeff and Scott around was kind of a miracle. But, you know, going into it, this did not just come out of thin air. We had all worked at these big, gigantic places and were like, you know, if we ran this place, what would it actually look like? We wouldn't be doing this stuff or whatever, right?

In terms of standing up a brand new company, which is what we had to do, having Danielle and Jeff and Scott around was kind of a miracle. But, you know, going into it, this did not just come out of thin air. We had all worked at these big, gigantic places and were like, you know, if we ran this place, what would it actually look like? We wouldn't be doing this stuff or whatever, right?

I think everybody has that thought process. And we went into it being like, okay, so what would we actually do then? Like, what is working in our spaces? So a big model that we had in our heads was Dropout. They used to be called College Humor. They were owned by IAC. And IAC, Barry Diller just like gave up on them a few years ago, right before the pandemic started. And

I think everybody has that thought process. And we went into it being like, okay, so what would we actually do then? Like, what is working in our spaces? So a big model that we had in our heads was Dropout. They used to be called College Humor. They were owned by IAC. And IAC, Barry Diller just like gave up on them a few years ago, right before the pandemic started. And

I think everybody has that thought process. And we went into it being like, okay, so what would we actually do then? Like, what is working in our spaces? So a big model that we had in our heads was Dropout. They used to be called College Humor. They were owned by IAC. And IAC, Barry Diller just like gave up on them a few years ago, right before the pandemic started. And

One of their employees at the time, this guy, Sam Reich, Reich, sorry, Reich, Reich, Reich, Reich. He's going to get so angry that I mispronounced his name. He's the son of Robert Reich, like the former labor secretary. Not a joke. He was like, you know, what if we just leaned into what we're good at, basically? And they they stood up a new subscription service for what they're good at.

One of their employees at the time, this guy, Sam Reich, Reich, sorry, Reich, Reich, Reich, Reich. He's going to get so angry that I mispronounced his name. He's the son of Robert Reich, like the former labor secretary. Not a joke. He was like, you know, what if we just leaned into what we're good at, basically? And they they stood up a new subscription service for what they're good at.

One of their employees at the time, this guy, Sam Reich, Reich, sorry, Reich, Reich, Reich, Reich. He's going to get so angry that I mispronounced his name. He's the son of Robert Reich, like the former labor secretary. Not a joke. He was like, you know, what if we just leaned into what we're good at, basically? And they they stood up a new subscription service for what they're good at.

And they have a bunch of shows that are really good. They're like game shows and all these other things. And they're like six bucks a month. Our, you know, people are developing parasocial relationships with our talent. They'll give us that.