Benedict Townsend

On that fateful day. And we've got good news. Enter Karen Spencer, the missing piece of our puzzle, the key to unlocking the mystery of who really killed Vi. We'll hear from her right after this. And we're back. And Mary has big news.

On that fateful day. And we've got good news. Enter Karen Spencer, the missing piece of our puzzle, the key to unlocking the mystery of who really killed Vi. We'll hear from her right after this. And we're back. And Mary has big news.

Like, the Viners love her, and I can see why. She really lived up to the sunny reputation. Now, obviously, me and you are chomping at the bit to ask her about the meeting at Vine Street, and we kind of thought that would be the meat of the conversation. Wasn't even ready for all the stuff she was about to unpack about the situation she walked into at Vine. Once again, thank you for your time.

Like, the Viners love her, and I can see why. She really lived up to the sunny reputation. Now, obviously, me and you are chomping at the bit to ask her about the meeting at Vine Street, and we kind of thought that would be the meat of the conversation. Wasn't even ready for all the stuff she was about to unpack about the situation she walked into at Vine. Once again, thank you for your time.

I bet, Nick, by the way, usually when I talk to tech people, they're in some very industrial corner office. You're in the jungles of Costa Rica right now.

I bet, Nick, by the way, usually when I talk to tech people, they're in some very industrial corner office. You're in the jungles of Costa Rica right now.

With a background so lush and green, it genuinely looks AI-generated. Karen in the Costa Rican jungle, a wide-brimmed hat over pigtails.

With a background so lush and green, it genuinely looks AI-generated. Karen in the Costa Rican jungle, a wide-brimmed hat over pigtails.

I'm incredibly jealous. That is great. Up to now, the Vine staffers I've spoken to have had backgrounds in the worlds of tech and app design. Karen's a bit different. Before joining Vine HQ, she was already at home in creative spaces and in Hollywood.

I'm incredibly jealous. That is great. Up to now, the Vine staffers I've spoken to have had backgrounds in the worlds of tech and app design. Karen's a bit different. Before joining Vine HQ, she was already at home in creative spaces and in Hollywood.

It seems like Karen, along with Ashton, was way ahead of her time when it came to recognizing the winds of change that had come to her industry, courtesy of social media.

It seems like Karen, along with Ashton, was way ahead of her time when it came to recognizing the winds of change that had come to her industry, courtesy of social media.

It's kind of mad now to think that this would have been so mind-blowing, but in 2009, it was seismic. Karen was determined to blaze the trail of this new kind of media. She started work at an influencer agency called The Audience, which she says was the first ever...

It's kind of mad now to think that this would have been so mind-blowing, but in 2009, it was seismic. Karen was determined to blaze the trail of this new kind of media. She started work at an influencer agency called The Audience, which she says was the first ever...

So first of all, you know, before you joined Vine, you were obviously very early on in that kind of influencer space. Do you remember the launch of Vine? Was that news at all for you? Did you think anything of it?

So first of all, you know, before you joined Vine, you were obviously very early on in that kind of influencer space. Do you remember the launch of Vine? Was that news at all for you? Did you think anything of it?

But how was the traditional media old guard responding?

But how was the traditional media old guard responding?

When an opportunity to work directly with Vine came up, it seemed like a clear match.

When an opportunity to work directly with Vine came up, it seemed like a clear match.