Dan Locke on What the Funk

0:00 We are back on what the funk this time with another college friend, Dan the Man, Danny Bones. The father of Lucky Lock, Dan Lock, one of my very best friends, one of my favorite people in the

0:18 world, somebody who helped me get funk futures off the ground, a business partner of mine in giveco, which has the potential potential to to be be one one of of the the most most philanthropic

0:26 philanthropic companies companies ever ever created created..

0:30 You You live live in in Miami Miami now now.. Dan Dan,, really really appreciate appreciate you you coming coming on on the the pod pod today today,, man man.. You've You've been been here

0:35 here for for a a lot lot of of things things in in my my life life,, and and this this is is a a fun fun one one to to share share with with you you.. So So thanks thanks for for coming coming on

0:41 on.. Thanks Thanks,, brother brother.. You You are a are brother to me, and this is pretty surreal. I've never been a brother on a to me podcast,, and and this is pretty surreal. I've never

0:50 been on a podcast, and I know you've been doing this for a long time and been very successful with it, and you've always been an entertainer,

1:00 almost feels like it is live, but I I know know, but I live is know it feels like almost, but it entertainer an been you've always and with it, successful very been time and long for a this doing

1:02 been you've it's it's not not.. Well Well,, I mean, we're live enough live, we're live enough enough.. This This probably probably won't won't be be edited edited unless unless we we do do

1:10 something something really really crazy crazy.. We We can't can't, do too too many many of of our our stories stories from from the the college college days days,, but but to to go go back back,,

1:16 right right,, we we met met the the first first day day of of college college.. I I mean mean,, technically technically,, before before we we were were even even in in classes classes, as we,

1:20 we were refreshment freshmen,, this this would would have have been been August August of of 1998. 1998, The the day data to ourselves ourselves., I I was was on on the the sixth sixth floor

1:26 floor in in the the dorm dorm,. you You were were on on the the fifth fifth floor floor and, and we we were were put put in in this this small small aid aid group group together together and and

1:33 realize realized we we were were buddies buddies. you You had had a a socks socks hat hat on on. I I was was probably probably wearing wearing a a gold gold chain chain and and earrings earrings,

1:39 and and We we had had a a blast blast. We we were were both both looking looking to have to have a a good good time time and and immediately immediately hit hit it it off off. We're We're roommates

1:45 roommates for for a a couple couple of of years years in in college college.. Good Good times times now., Good good times times.. I I believe believe I I actually actually heard Heard about

1:51 about you you before before we we met met in in that that aid age group group because because of of a a disturbance disturbance you you may may have have made made on on the sixth the sixth floor

1:57 floor

1:59 Really Really?

2:03 Well, good. That's possible. It's possible, but my memory Yeah. Well, good. That's good. It's possible. But is my memory is fading fading as as we we get can into enter our our mid mid-40s

2:09 forties.

2:11 It's It's crazy crazy.. Yeah Yeah,, it it is is wild wild to to think think like like at at this this point point now now we've. We've known known each each other other for for a a lot lot longer

2:15 longer than than we we haven't haven't known known each each other other. But but yeah, I yeah, I'll I'll, of of course course, pose post the the question question to to you you.. I'd I'd love

2:24 love to to see see how how you you answer answer it. this this.. The Question question that that I I ask asked to to everybody everybody who who comes comes to to my my podcast podcast and and you

2:29 you know know this this because because you've you've listened listened a a few few times times is is who who are are you you?? Who Who is is Dan Dan Lok Lok?? Who Who am am I I or or who who do

2:36 do I I wish wish I I was was?? You You can can answer answer the the second second part part later later but but I I want want to to go go back back first first..

2:44 I I first first and and foremost foremost,, I am a lover

2:50 Nice. I love people. I have realized that actually a lot lately since I've moved to Miami I am a lover without. Nice. I really knowing many people's love people. I that have realized that

3:01 actually a lot lately since I've moved to Miami without really knowing many peoples that. I I draw draw upon upon other other people people,. it It keeps keeps my my spirits spirits up up.. Yeah

3:07 I. I really really enjoy enjoy being being around around other other people people and and making making people people laugh laugh.

3:13 I'm I'm a a dog dog owner owner. I. I have have a a mini mini dashing dashing name name Lucky Lucky.. I'm I'm a a son son,, a a brother brother,, a a friend friend,, and and entrepreneur

3:24 entrepreneur.. And And

3:29 I I think think that that kind kind of of summarizes summarizes it it. I I'm mean a, I'm a Jew Jew.. Yeah Yeah,, yeah yeah,, me me too too.. Not Not just just a a,, sorry sorry,, go go

3:36 ahead ahead.. I'll I'm go good ahead.. Not Not just just a a lover lover of of people people and and things things,, a a lover lover of of pizza pizza.. Maybe Maybe to to the the level level

3:45 of of nobody nobody who who I've I've ever ever met met before before,, pepperoni pepperoni pizza pizza guy guy..

3:51 I I actually actually,, that that was was like like high high on on my my list list and and it it could could have have been been close close to to the the top top. I'm. I'm actually actually

3:57 trying trying a a place place this this Friday Friday, I I know know that that Sunday Sunday, that's that's only only a. a a pop pop-up up in in Miami Miami that's that's supposed supposed to to be

4:04 be incredible incredible.. You'll You'll be be the the judge judge of of that that.. But But definitely definitely you're you're one one of of the the people people that that I I view view their

4:11 their opinion opinion very very highly highly as as it it relates relates to to pizza pizza.. Like Like if if I I travel travel to to a a place place,, you're you're gonna gonna know know where

4:16 where the the good good pizza pizza is is.. And And I I generally generally do do agree agree with with your your assessment assessment of pizza of pizza.. So So we we got got that that going

4:22 going aside aside from from being being - - I I appreciate appreciate that that. It's. one thing thing that that I'm I'm extremely extremely confident confident about about..

4:30 Well Well,, it's it's,, I I mean mean,, El El Prez Prez over over at at Barstool Barstool Sports Sports turned turned it it into into a a whole whole persona persona,, to to a a whole whole

4:37 business business persona persona.. Anyhow Anyhow,, so so in in addition addition to to being a lover, being a Jew, being being a a lover, being a Jew, being a bright bright guy guy,, being

4:47 being valedictorian valedictorian in in high high school school,, talk talk about about where where you you grew up, you grew know up,, kind of kind of what what motivated motivated you as a you

4:54 as a young young man man,, how how you you ended ended up up at at Brandeis Brandeis,, and and then then we'll we'll get get into into some some career career stuff stuff too too.

4:59 Oh Oh,, I I,, I I grew grew up up in Raviem in, Revene, Massachusetts Massachusetts., Worked worked at at Kelly's Kelly's Rose roast beef Beef in in high high school school, but that I I

5:06 mixed mixed that that tata tata around around his his

5:10 kid kid. So So your your question question is is what what motivated motivated me me to to what what to to get get where where I'm I'm at at now now? like like like when when you you were were a a

5:18 kid kid, you You know know what what I I mean mean?? Like Like what what were were you you into? Were what you like a computer's kid were? Were you you into into were you like computers kid were

5:22 you into sports sports?? How'd How'd you you end end up up at at Brandeis Brandeis? all All that that stuff stuff?. Oh Oh,, I I was was just just very very driven driven to to be be top top of

5:32 of the the class class, Probably probably because because my my sister sister was was, and and got a lot a lot of of pressure pressure from from my my parents parents, and and,

5:40 You you know know, always always enjoyed enjoyed being being academic academic. I I Didn't didn't get get into into the the schools schools that that I I wanted want to to do, and and I I got got a

5:47 a scholarship scholarship to to Brandeis Brandeis, and met and Met amazing amazing friend lifelong lifelong friends friends, like and and such such a You know great great memories memories from from

5:58 our our time time there there. But it was never really that and great at making quick decisions. So by the time I was was never really that great at making quick decisions. So I, by the time I was

6:08 a a junior junior,, I I didn't didn't know know what what I I wanted wanted to to major major in in.. I was started I started off off as as a a physics physics major major, and and then then a a

6:12 computer computer science science and and economics economics.. And And I I wanted wanted to major majoring in in psychology psychology and and minor minor in in economics economics, but But after

6:21 after college college,, you you and and I I worked worked at at Bison Bison County County together together.

6:27 from majors Not my first days. Meters and and bartenders bartenders and and

6:31 just just trying trying to to figure figure myself myself out out,, decided decided to to apply apply to to business business school school and and got got into into a a dual dual degree degree

6:39 program program at at Boston Boston University University,, doing doing an an MBA MBA and and a a Master Master of of Science Science and and still still didn't didn't really really know know what

6:45 what I I wanted wanted to to do do.. I I think think I I was was a a little little depressed depressed around around that that time time and and I I went went on on a a trip trip to to Israel Israel

6:54 and and kind kind of of started started figuring figuring things things out out.. And And then then I I realized realized that that what what truly truly made made me me happy happy was was

7:01 traveling traveling. and And I I found found a a job job as as an an analyst analyst, working working for for Pyramid Pyramid Research Research conducting conducting

7:10 reports reports and and insights insights in in the the telecom telecom media media space space and. And I I got got to to travel travel to to China China,, Portugal Portugal,, France France,,

7:17 the the

7:19 UK UK,, giving giving presentations presentations on on really really nerdy nerdy stuff stuff in in the the mobile mobile broadband broadband space space..

7:26 China China.. Yeah. I had that, I I had had that that Trisha Trisha Curtis Curtis. She, you You know know,, you're you're, you're like like a a little little bit bit of of a a closet closet

7:34 nerd nerd.. It's It's tough tough for for me me to to call call you you that that because because I I know know that that like like you you have have real real nerdy nerdy tendencies tendencies,,

7:39 but but you're you're also also really really cool cool.. You've You've been been a a popular popular guy guy.. So So I I don't don't like like put put you you in in the the nerd nerd bucket

7:43 bucket,, but but I I think think you you are are like like a a proud proud self-proclaimed self-proclaimed nerd nerd.. I I had had a a woman woman yesterday yesterday named named Trisha Trisha

7:50 Curtis Curtis on on the the podcast podcast who who her her whole whole company company,, her her whole whole persona persona is is petro petro nerds nerds,. right Right?, So so she's she's like

7:57 like the the oil oil and and gas gas nerd nerd.. She's She's an an incredible incredible analyst analyst. and yeah Yeah,, economics economics person person.. She's like brilliant brilliant.,

8:03 but But she she talked talked a a bunch bunch about about China China yesterday yesterday and and sort sort of of how how it it has has impacted impacted the the global global economy economy,,

8:09 especially especially the the global global energy energy economy economy.. I I thought thought it it was was really really fascinating fascinating.. I I think think you'll you'll enjoy enjoy that

8:13 that one one.. I I think think our our listeners listeners will will will too too.. I've I've got got some some really really funny funny stories stories about about being being in in China China

8:20 about About be be I I remember remember when when you you went went over over there there you you you you you were weren't like like, you've you've all always always been been a a little little bit

8:26 bit of of a a nomad nomad.. In In fact fact, when, when you you were were at at my my daughter's daughter's bot bot mitzvah mitzvah, last last year year,, shout shout out out Julia Julia funk

8:31 Funk,, she she crushed crushed it it.. You You were were referring referring to to yourself yourself as as a a digital digital nomad nomad to to people people that that you you met met.. And And

8:39 I I hadn't hadn't heard heard that that phrase phrase,, but but I'm I'm like like,, not not only only are are you you a a nomad nomad,, you you are are kind kind of of a a digital digital nomad

8:43 nomad,. but But you're you're like like kind kind of of the the one one of of the the most most nomadic nomadic of of my my friends friends.. Traveling Traveling is is something something that

8:47 that gives gives you you energy energy.. And And now now if if I I count count,, you you move move to to you

8:53 move to Santa Santa Barbara Barbara,, you you move move to to Austin Austin,, Texas Texas.. Now Now you you moved moved to to Miami Miami without without really really knowing knowing a a lot

8:58 lot of of people people in in any any of of those. those places places,, right right?? So So you're you're not not afraid afraid to to go go and and branch branch out out and and like like find

9:04 find new new groups groups of of friends friends and and explore explore new new places places.. So So let's let's get get back back to about about that that,, my my friend friend.. When When I

9:12 I was was about about 30 30 years years old old,, I I got got an an offer offer to to big big commerce commerce when when I I was was working working at at constant constant contact contact. Yes

9:20 Yes.. And And I I didn't didn't want want to to move move out out of of Boston Boston.. And And. you you were were actually actually somebody somebody that that told me, 'cause told you had

9:29 already moved to Colorado me years before,, because you and I saw what a change had that had on you already, and how ballsy moved it was at the time to for what Colorado you were going through,

9:40 years and before you were. And very adamant, like you you should definitely know try another place, I. And I had always been saw a traveler, but what it was the moving a part, change and it was

9:53 one of the best decisions that in had on you and how ballsy it was at the time for what you were going through. And you were very adamant, like you should definitely try another place. And I had

9:54 always been a traveler, but it was the moving part. And it was one of the best decisions in my my life life. Well Well,, I I thank thank you you,. and And I I had had a a feeling feeling you

9:57 you were were gonna going to give give me me some some credit credit for for that that of of which which I I deserve deserve. very very little little.. But But I I will will say say this this,,

10:02 like like the my my general general approach approach to to a a lot lot of of things things in in life life is is like like,, what's what the is the what's the worst worst thing thing that that

10:09 could could happen happen?? And And I I even even remember remember where where I I was was sitting sitting when when we we had had this this conversation conversation, where where it it must must

10:13 have have been been 2009 2009,, maybe maybe,, maybe maybe 2010 2010?. And And we're we're having having a a conversation conversation,. and And I I do do remember remember you you had had some

10:21 some some trepidation trepidation about about it it. The The offer offer was was was nice nice., like like they they really really wanted wanted you you, it it was was somebody somebody that that

10:27 you you knew knew that that really really wanted wanted to to bring bring you you down down there there and and make make you you like like an an important important person person, make make you you

10:32 a a real real weapon weapon at at an an e-commerce e-commerce company company at at a a time time when when e-commerce e-commerce was was really really growing growing.. And And I I just remember

10:37 just - What was the remember the real real lesson lesson in in saying saying no no to to an an offer offer when when you you really really mean mean it it? Like like I I kept kept saying saying no no

10:47 because because I I didn't didn't want want the the job job and and they they just just kept kept sweetening sweetening it it, but but I I was was really really like like, there's there's no no way

10:53 way. And and then then yeah they they actually actually made made it a good good enough, I I guess guess. I'm I'm sure sure going going down down there there helped helped too too because because

10:59 being being 30 30 and and single single and and social social to to Austin Austin 2009 in, Texas,, Texas in 2009 was was a a ton ton of of fun fun for for you you.. But But I I just just remember

11:08 remember saying saying,, say say it it doesn't doesn't work work,. like You you just just move move back back to to Boston Boston a a year year later later and and you're you're no no worse worse

11:15 for for the the wear wear,. right? And And it's it's sort sort of of the the same same thing thing I for me looked at as. a free Free housing housing. and And a a car car stipend stipend and and

11:24 a self cell. phone and and your your first first place place to to add add I'm I'm not not I'm trying trying to to sound sound like like I'm I'm bragging bragging. I I was was like like blown blown

11:32 away away. I I couldn't couldn't believe believe that that was was happening happening to to me me. to To be be honest honest, I I was was like like, whoa whoa. I I mean mean it, partly partly

11:39 was it was because because a a mentor mentor of of mine mine was was my my boss boss and and he he was was the a one mother who recruited recruited me me. but And unfortunately unfortunately, he he

11:44 passed passed away away for months after after I I got got there there. Rest in Larry peace, rest rest in in peace peace rest in peace to to Larry Larry. I I do do remember remember that that that

11:51 loss loss happening happening. And and he he was was somebody somebody that that I I met met when when you you were were at at constant constant contact contact and and coming coming out out here

11:56 here I I think think that that you you have have the the the crown crown. for for any any of of my my friends friends or or family family. it's It's close close with with family family in in terms

12:03 terms of of who's who's visited visited Colorado Colorado the the most most, which which just just speaks speaks to to you you, right right? You you value value relationships relationships. You

12:08 you also also value value travel travel. How how many many times times do you you think think you've you've been been out out here here? Like like 40 40 times times?

12:15 So so when when did did you you move move there there? two 2000 thousand, three I'm back thousand in that three move. so there 2003. So there was was a a few few years years there there when when

12:24 I I was was working for constant a contact contact where where I I was was coming coming there there every every six six weeks weeks.. I I remember remember that that. You We were were going going

12:29 to to like like four four Collins Collins,, Loveland Loveland.. Yeah Yeah,, Loveland Loveland, yeah, yeah.. Yeah Yeah,, which which,, you'd you'd be be amazed amazed,. I'm I'm not not

12:35 sure sure when when the the last last time time you you went went out out there there is is, but, but it's it's really really,, it's it's really really grown grown.. Like Like Colorado Colorado

12:41 is is a a hole whole, almost, almost that that whole whole stretch stretch from from like like four four Collins Collins all all the the way way to to Colorado Colorado Springs Springs is is like

12:45 like filled filled in in.. There There weren't weren't like like a a ton ton of of hotels hotels when when you you were were staying staying there there, there, weren't weren't a a ton ton of of

12:48 bars bars and and restaurants restaurants.. Now Now there's there's like like lots lots,, you you know know,? people People have have figured figured out out how how great great it it is is here

12:53 here. So So I I want wanna to go go back back to to your your kind kind of of early early career career and and pyramid pyramid research research.. And And I I remember remember thinking thinking

13:01 this this was was a a really really good good fit fit for for you you because because you you actually actually were were an an analyst analyst. You. You were were on on the the news news.. You

13:05 You were were like like the the first first friend friend of of mine mine who who was was like like on on TV TV.. I'm I'm like like CNBC CNBC in in things things like like that that.. And And you

13:11 really you really - - I I was was also something totally also something lucky totally, lucky but, but what what happened happened was was I I was was,, my my boss boss had had me me write write

13:17 this this really really esoteric esoteric report report about about the the cost cost of of wireless wireless airwaves airwaves, Government's governments auction auction off off. airwaves airwaves

13:27 to to telephone telephone companies companies like Like Verizon Verizon and, ATT ATT, for for billions billions of of dollars dollars, the, the auction auction off off-spectrum spectrum.. And

13:33 And I I wrote wrote a a report report that that like like no, no one one,, because because he he told told me me to to,, I I wrote wrote a a report report about about the the costs cost of of the

13:39 the airwaves airwaves and and how how it it differs differs by by country country.. And And I I very very quickly quickly got got invited invited to to speak speak at at conferences conferences and

13:48 and stuff stuff in in France France and and

13:51 in in China China and and Portugal Portugal.. And And

13:55 it's it's just just because because my my boss boss,, Guy Guy Zibi, Zibi, He just is like. he just was like, this is This is what what you're you're going going to to write write about about..

14:01 I I really really had had no no idea idea what what I I was was doing doing.. And And the the day day that that I I got got called called to to be be on on Bloomberg Bloomberg TV TV to to speak

14:09 speak about about the the Virgin Virgin Mobile Mobile IPO IPO,, he he just just didn't didn't want want to to go go.. He He was was like like really really shy shy.. You You do do, it it's,

14:16 worth jacket. He he's was like like,, go go wear wear this this.. And And they didn't, I'm looking back like they they didn't, I'm looking back. Like didn't they didn't prep prep me me at at

14:22 all all. I. I watched watch the the video video. I'd and say say,, um um,, like like a bunch of a bunch of times times., Yeah. totally Totally nervous nervous., but But what what an an

14:28 experience experience.. Good. Good Good for for you you, though though.. Like Like it's it's important important to to cut cut your your teeth teeth and and get get outside outside of of your

14:36 your comfort comfort zone zone.. I I don't don't know know where where your your comfort comfort zone zone actually actually ends ends. Then and your your discomfort discomfort begins begins..

14:40 I'm I'm not not sure sure we've we've totally totally found found that that. Given given the the fact fact that that you you love love doing doing karaoke karaoke,. You're you're not not afraid

14:48 afraid to to speak speak in in front front of of large large groups groups of of people people and and just just sort sort of of get get yourself yourself into into a a place place where where you you

14:54 can can make make people people smile smile and and laugh laugh which, which when when I I was was your your best best man man

14:58 for for your your wedding wedding in in 2017 2017

15:02 that that was was one one of of the the things things that that I I talked talked about about is is when when you're you're around around you you make make things things more more fun fun and and it's

15:07 It's something something that that I I think think I I and and a a lot lot of of people people do do appreciate appreciate about about use you is. You you are are the the human human icebreaker

15:11 icebreaker my my friend friend..

15:14 Oh Oh I I appreciate appreciate that that because because I'm I'm starting starting to to use use the the term term icebreaker icebreaker in in our our messaging messaging for for give give. Yes yes

15:22 yes Yes, you you want want to to talk talk about about give give now now??

15:25 Sure Sure,, so so give give is is a a company company that that you you and and I I started started together together.. It It was was your your idea idea We We originally originally started

15:33 started calling calling it it give give to to meet meet and and then then Found Found the the give give dot dot code code domain domain I think I think we we bought bought it it for for a a bargain1

15:42 bargain1,, 300 300 and and So give is a So give is a platform platform that that creates creates and and fosters fosters Positive positive relationships relationships between between people People

15:57 who who are are booking booking meetings meetings with each other other. and And it it does does that that by by demonstrating demonstrating support support for for non-profits nonprofits and and

16:04 noble noble causes causes that that are are important important for for changing Changing the the world world in in a a positive positive way way. I I that's That's one one way way to to put put it

16:13 it from from my my sales sales brain brain goes goes to to it's it's a a Tool tool that that can can be be leveraged leveraged to to create create more more authentic authentic meetings meetings and

16:20 and for for you you to to secure secure more more meetings meetings as as a a salesperson salesperson but but I I think think that that there's there's a a lot lot of of different different facets

16:24 facets to to that. the application application.. The The the concept concept of of bringing bringing philanthropy philanthropy into into business business. like What what about about that that has

16:33 has interested interested you you to to this this point point? Is is it it is it metrics metrics driven driven? Is is it it part part of of your your sort sort of of humanitarian humanitarian view

16:40 view on on things things? Like like like where where does does that that motivation motivation come come from from? Because because I I can can tell tell you you from from from my my seat seat, I I

16:48 think think that that bringing bringing any any level level of of human human connection connection and and authenticity authenticity into into business business is is important important. I I think

16:54 think that's that's how how As as a a salesperson salesperson you're, you're able able to to make make longer longer lasting lasting relationships relationships. and and clients clients., and And

17:00 I I think think being being charitable charitable,, being being philanthropic philanthropic will will help help in in fostering fostering those those relationships relationships.. Where Where is

17:08 is this this motivation motivation lying lying for for you you to to bring bring philanthropy philanthropy more more into into the the business business world world??

17:16 So So we'll we'll go go full full circle circle on on the the conversation conversation.. It's It's about about connecting connecting with with people people,, but but good good people people So

17:27 I I find find that that good good people people have have a a better better sense sense of of humor humor for for the the most most part part,. and And it's it's been been just just really really

17:34 fun fun,, especially especially lately lately,, connecting connecting with with people people that that work work in in nonprofits nonprofits or or at at this this cross cross-section section of

17:41 of being being publicly publicly and and privately privately focused focused on on doing doing good good,, but but also also being being a a capitalist capitalist and and making making money money,

17:52 like at at the the same same time time..

17:54 Those Those people people,, I I notice notice,, are are more more - fun to to be be around around,, they're they're happier happier,, they they have have cooler cooler stories stories,,

18:01 they're they're just just funnier funnier,. and And that's that's a a big big motivation motivation for for building building this this company company, actually actually, for, for me me on on a

18:09 a personal personal level level,, because because I I thrive thrive off off of of those those kinds kinds of of relationships relationships.. But But, you know, there's there's a a real real

18:18 problem problem in in our our world world today with the way today with the way that that people people connect connect., that that in in some some cases cases,, especially especially in in the

18:28 the sales sales world world,, is is getting getting worse worse because because of of AI AI and and automation automation.. People People know know that that 900 900 out out of of 901 901 emails

18:39 emails they they get get are are potentially potentially generated generated by by a a non non.. Yeah. So So,, you you know know,, what what I I think think you're you're the the master master

18:50 at at,, and and I I look look up up to to you you on on this this, is is just just is is relationship relationship building building in in general general,, because because you you really really

18:56 care care. and And that's That's what what give give is is meant meant to to do do, is is show show that that you you care care about about something something.. Usually Usually when when people

19:03 people research receive, or a sorry, when people receive a solicitation solicitation for for a a product product,, they they don't don't research research the the salesperson salesperson.. They

19:12 They don't don't necessarily necessarily trust trust the the person person.. They They might might have have a a neutral neutral opinion opinion,, sometimes sometimes positive positive if if it's

19:18 it's good good timing timing, and and it's it's a product a product that that they they really really need need at at that that moment moment.. But But what what do do you you know know? about

19:25 about that that person person?. So So what what Give Give does does is is it it teaches teaches

19:30 whoever whoever you're you're trying trying to to connect connect with with booking booking a a meeting meeting, that you're real, that that you're real, that you you care care about about a a

19:38 cause cause.. And And what what that that does does,, you you know know,, going going back back to to Brandeis Brandeis', undergrad undergrad psychology psychology,, it it builds builds

19:48 relationships relationships before before you you even even could could get get on on the the phone phone with with somebody somebody. is if If you you have have a a mutual mutual interest interest

19:54 and and you've you've expressed expressed how how you you feel feel about it. about that cause and someone else feels the same way,

20:03 they want to work with you a little bit more. And it doesn't even matter if it's the tiny, tiny bit. It's, you know, marketing and advertising. It's all about brand impressions and the number of

20:15 positive impressions you receive of a person or brand contributes to your to purchase behavior.

20:24 Fascinating. And thank you, of course, for the kind words. I would also say in some of my early conversations, when you and I were kicking around the idea of building give and making this sort of

20:36 a real company and product, I talked to some decision makers in my network, whether it be CFOs, VPs of

20:45 IT operations leads, people that I do business with.

20:50 And one of the things that they said is I get hit up by 80 sales people a day. No joke, right? And And I I take take yours yours because because I I know know you you,, I I like like you you,,

20:60 I I trust trust you you,, we've we've built built that that relationship relationship.. But But that's that's happened happened over over time time,, right right?? Like Like what what if if

21:06 you you haven't haven't had had the the opportunity opportunity to to build build that that relationship relationship with with someone someone?? How How can can you you differentiate differentiate

21:10 yourself yourself?? And And that's that's really really where where give give is is meaningful meaningful to to me me in in that that you you can can find find a a way way to to create create a a

21:17 little little bit bit of of a a personal personal connection connection or or at at least least show show that you you are are not not a a robot robot and and you're you're a a real real person person

21:23 and you're and you're willing willing to to make make a a donation donation to to a a charity or or a a cause cause that that they they care care about about, just just to to get get a a little

21:28 little bit bit of of time time on on their their calendar calendar,, right right?? You've You've seen seen this this with with me me too too,, Dan Dan.. Like You you and and I I get get on on

21:35 calls calls with with potential potential business business partners partners or or advisors advisors or or users users of of GIV give,. And like, I just and, I'm I'm fine fine to to not not talk

21:44 talk about about business business the the whole whole time time,, like like generally generally speaking speaking,, like like that's that's sort sort of of how how I I default default to to and

21:49 and how how I I like like to to operate operate,. because 'Cause I I think think there'll there'll always always be be a a time time and and place place for for that that,, but but connecting

21:54 connecting as as humans humans, to to me me is, the most important thing, and And it's it's part part of of the the reason reason why why people people will will come come back back at at some some

22:00 point point and and do do business business with with you you, and and speak speak highly highly of of you you when when they they talk talk to to other other people people.. So So, give GIV is is

22:08 a a product product for for salespeople salespeople.. Who Who else else??

22:13 So So, give GIV theoretically theoretically could could be be used used by by anybody anybody who who wants wants to a meeting meeting with with somebody somebody else else So So, in in business

22:20 business,, there there are are 1 1 billion billion meetings meetings a a year year conducted conducted by by. US US. employees employees alone alone.. So So, the the US US. is is like like 350

22:30 350 million million people people., It's it's five five,, six six percent percent of of the the world world., and And there's there's still still a a billion billion in in the the United United

22:37 States States alone alone.. So So, every every time time a a meeting meeting is is scheduled scheduled,, there's there's an an opportunity opportunity to to use use give Give. The The leading

22:47 leading calendar calendar scheduling scheduling applications applications are are Calendly calendly used used by by businesses businesses are. are Calendly Calony,, HubSpot HubSpot Scheduler

22:56 Scheduler,, Chili Chilly Piper Piper.. I'm I'm still still learning learning about about that that.. Our Our goal goal is is to to be be calendar calendar agnostic agnostic,, like like we're

23:03 we're nonprofit nonprofit agnostic agnostic,, but but there there are are 20 20 million million people people who who use use Calony Calendly,, for for example example,. and And they're they're

23:12 not not just just businesses businesses,. they're They're people people that that want want a a scheduling scheduling link link to to be be included included in in their their signature signature or

23:18 or they they just just want wanna to make make it it really really seamless seamless or to offer offer somebody somebody their their link link so so they they can can book book a a meeting meeting.

23:25 and And And that's that's what what we we do do.. I I mean mean,, it's it's core core,. it's It's about about booking booking meetings meetings., but But we've we've got got products products

23:33 for for three three different different types types of of users users.. One One could could be be a a product product for for employee employee culture culture. So. you can So simply you can

23:42 simply demonstrate demonstrate that that you you care care for for a a cause cause whenever whenever you you schedule schedule a a meeting meeting.. Your Your scheduling scheduling page page has has

23:49 real real estate estate on on it it. And And there's there's a a nonprofit nonprofit that that can can appear on on the the side side and and you you can can just just simply simply show show that

23:56 that you you care care as as a a, almost most like like a a social social media media scheduling scheduling tool tool..

24:01 And And

24:03 that's that's about about demonstrating demonstrating support support.. Our Our product product for for salespeople salespeople is is meant meant to to be be used used as as incentive-based

24:09 incentive-based cause cause marketing marketing, where where you're you're offering offering a a donation donation instead instead of of a a gift gift or or a a dinner dinner or or a a lunch lunch or

24:20 or a a coffee coffee or or a a gift gift card card. It It fits fits into into corporate corporate gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift

24:25 gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift

24:25 gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift Gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift

24:25 gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift

24:25 gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift

24:25 gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift gift giving which which

24:25 is is a350 industry a350 industry and and it it can can be be used used for for a customer customer appreciation appreciation or or employee employee appreciation appreciation, but but it it happens

24:34 happens at at the the same same time time that that a a meeting meeting is is scheduled scheduled and and when when it's it's completed completed.. So So that's that's the the second second product

24:42 product. The The third third is is requesting requesting a a donation donation and and that's that's for for anybody anybody that that wants wants to to raise raise money money

24:51 at at any any time time. if If you're you're getting getting a a lot lot of of solicitations solicitations on on LinkedIn LinkedIn and and there's there's a a crisis crisis or or an earthquake

24:57 earthquake happening happening, you you can can use use your your give giveling link to to essentially essentially volunteer volunteer at at a a rate rate that that produces produces value value..

25:07 So So instead instead of of volunteering volunteering at at the the food food bank bank and and sorting sorting food food, which which is is an an opportunity opportunity cost cost of of about

25:15 about15 to20 15 to 20 dollars an an hour hour, you you can can offer offer your your time time in in a a video video call call with with somebody somebody for for whatever whatever your your

25:23 consulting consulting rate rate is is, where where it's it's all all going going to to that that food food bank bank and and now now the the food food bank bank can can hire hire 20 20 to to 30 30

25:29 people people and and look look at at the the amount amount of of value value you you can can create create by by using using that that product product. And and I'd I'd say say lastly lastly, we're

25:38 we're making making the the product product so so that that

25:41 so you you don't don't have have to to make make a a donation donation, you you can can just just show show support support, but but both both users users will will be be able able to to choose

25:48 choose charities charities where where they they can can fundraise fundraise at at the the same same time time, which which is is meant meant to to

25:54 do what is meant to do which is to bring people together to bring people together and connect over something beyond just a business transaction right right what what talked about this yeah we both

26:11 have had experiences volunteering or uh doing something a little outside of work with work people and that's where we became friends with them right and maybe a social event or an event where you're

26:27 doing something together is when relationships got strengthened. And that's what I give back. Yeah, I think also just in terms of gratitude, right? And giving back. I think one of the

26:44 things that I've really focused on, especially over the past like three or four years is having an expressing gratitude And you could probably say maybe I'm a little bit of a softie because of that.

26:58 But I think that when I find myself, and it didn't even happen this week in a tough spot. I've had a tough week in business this week. It's been a weird time. I think the election has something to

27:08 do with that for the record, not to mention, we just had this whole assassination attempt. There's uncertainty with the current administration. It's hard to like really have confidence. I think

27:18 uncertainty. It's hard to have a lot of confidence right now where things are and an uncertainty on where things are headed. But I was in a tough spot, so I decided to reach out to a few people and

27:30 just say, I'm in a tough spot. And I just wanted to say that I really appreciate you being there for me. And I think just the act of doing that alone kind of brought me up. I didn't get one of

27:42 those. I send you stuff like that all the time, okay? This was for other people. You can tell me right now.

27:51 I appreciate you, Dan. I do But I think it was whoever was at the top of my phone at the time, all right? You weren't texting me enough. So that's probably maybe if you showed more gratitude and

28:02 texted me more, that's fine. No, but seriously. And I think that helped bring me back up like to a more solid baseline. And some people even responded back like, Hey, you always show a lot of

28:14 gratitude. I appreciate that. And I think give fundamentally will just make people express more gratitude and maybe make them feel a certain way because all of my business beatings feel. type of

28:26 way. I'd like for them to feel a little bit more authentic and stronger and continue to foster through philanthropy, fill in tech, and giving. As far as you personally, what are some of your like

28:41 most meaningful nonprofits, groups that charities that mean something to you and why?

28:49 So I, my mother had breast cancer last year, and she was treated at Dana-Farber. I didn't know very much about breast cancer. Men can also get breast cancer. I learned recently. And luckily for

29:08 my mom, she's, she had, I mean, unlucky, but also lucky, she's cancer-free because she had a mastectomy and one of her breasts. Nice. But she still faces risks, and it's been very hard on her

29:21 mentally.

29:23 And

29:26 as it has on all of us. And

29:30 that's definitely cause that I'm supporting. And again, Dana Farber was a place that treated her immensely well. And other causes that I've been learning about recently, kindnessorg, for example,

29:48 building this company, it's really eye-opening. There's 16 million charities in the United States There's about500 billion donated to them every year. And

30:03 less than six, around 6 is donated by corporations.

30:09 And a lot, what I'm learning is a lot of those donations are actually for services. Some nonprofits provide services to those corporations. Some are corporate foundations,

30:24 A lot of businesses don't realize they can use sales and marketing dollars on donations to get meanings. I'm not trying to bring it back to what Give does. No, no, no. I think that, hold on,

30:35 just to jump in, I think that that's actually pretty meaningful because every company has some sort of sales and marketing or sponsorship or events budget, right? And I think that the way that

30:48 companies think about this fundamentally is that's gonna be for dinners, for lunches, for coffees, for airport travel, things like that. And what you're saying based on the research that you've

30:60 done is you could actually leverage making donations and use that and carve out some of your sales and marketing budget because those donations will end up in creating more business, right? Yeah,

31:15 so thanks to, also thanks to you, I started a fractional CFO business andFung Futures was my first client.

31:24 I did extensive research on this and looked into the IRS code. And it's like a lot of businesses don't realize or don't even think to use donations in this way for some reason. And it's just another

31:41 way of sort of offering a gift, but there's no transfer of value between one person and another. So it's truly an altruistic way to do business. Think of going to CVS and they ask you to round up

31:54 every time you make a purchase. Well, imagine a world where every meeting that gets scheduled has a donation that's attached to it. And I think that's ultimately our goal, right? Is if we could

32:05 bring donations into as many business meetings as possible and to every business meeting, the world would truly be a better place. I think that's sort of what it comes down to, breaks down to and

32:17 that more authentic connection will be made But the biggest challenge is I see it is still change, right? And even this is something that you've gotten on me about before too, with here I am

32:30 running funk futures and we're bringing new technologies, companies that we work at to market. And meanwhile, I'm resistant to change sometimes when it comes to leveraging technologies that I'm

32:40 comfortable with and that I've used for many, many years. Yeah, you're gonna talk

32:48 off the podcast. But I think that I'm emblematic or representative Dan of a lot of people in that regard You've developed some level of comfort. I started using Salesforce in 2003 and I've used it

33:00 for the majority of my career. I'm sure there's other great CRM tools. I wanna use Salesforce, right? So I think the way that this has to happen is it's more a change of thinking than it is a

33:12 change in terms of technology adoption. And we'll see how that sort of all plays out. So with Giv, final question about Giv and then we're gonna move into some more fun stuff is Who? gets the

33:26 benefit of giving a donation. So I am using Give, and I use my GiveLink, and I propose to you that I'll make a150 donation to the Susan G. Coleman Foundation, or something like that, for breast

33:42 cancer, for 30 minutes of your time, right? And that meeting ends up happening. I submit the donation, do I get the tax benefit? Does my company get the tax benefit? What does that workflow

33:55 look like? Who gets the benefit of the donation? The easy answer is it's always whoever makes the payment. So you can't take a write off because you chose a nonprofit. So people get to choose

34:08 which nonprofits the

34:11 donations go to on Give. If you're choosing, you don't get any benefit other than you get to feel good, which is a great benefit and it's your cause

34:23 but it's always whoever is writing the check, making the payment using the credit card. Could be company, could be individual. Could be company, could be individual, or targeting companies, but

34:35 at the end of the day, it's whoever wants the meeting is making a donation. Yeah, yep, I love it. I mean, obviously I'm one of the founders of the company, but I think the concept is, I think

34:49 it's still early in its evolution, Dan Like, I think that it's a change of thinking as much as anything, but I do think that social impact is becoming more and more of a thing. And the world keeps

35:00 getting smaller. We're all more connected digitally. So this can happen both for a web meeting as well as in person, right? Where people can leverage give to make a donation and everybody feels

35:12 good about what happens. Want to talk to you a little? Yeah, go ahead. I'll go ahead Well, I was just saying we're following a playbook from the Cold Start problem. So the Cold Star Problem was

35:25 a book by Andrew Chen. He was one of the early employees at Uber, became like a rock star VC at

35:37 Andrazine Horowitz. And the book takes a look at, it provides case studies on Uber, Tinder, Slack,

35:44 Facebook, Instagram, Dropbox, LinkedIn, Zoom, PayPal, and what these companies did

35:50 to go viral So a viral coefficient is something, a metric, that companies look at to see how quickly users are joining the platform and it starts with word of mouth. So if you can get every person

36:08 you tell about your concept to tell at least one other person, it creates compounding effects, that is what creates virality.

36:23 A bunch of methods these companies used using the word free, furl programs, sharing incentives, influencers, exclusivity, exclusivity is huge.

36:41 You know, the way Facebook started by only allowing users to come from Harvard, and then - It's just colleges, yeah But it creates this bomo effect that is, you know, very much just related to

36:58 crowd behavior.

37:02 It's fascinating, yeah, and I know you're a big reader, probably more so than me, but this is proven, right? It's worked before, and I think there's a number of cases, LinkedIn is one as well

37:11 that a lot of people have referred to. I remember when somebody told me about it, it was actually a boss that I couldn't stand, she was the worst super - So that LinkedIn is a great example. of

37:23 come for the utility, stay for the network. So you have acquisition and then you have retention and people may not remember, but when LinkedIn started, it was a place just for jobs, for the most

37:38 part. And it was first place to post your business identity

37:47 And Facebook is where you put your personal identity online, right? And Instagram is where you put your photogenic identity online and give in theory should be where you put your philanthropic,

38:00 your charitable identity online. Exactly. And if you look at Instagram, that's a great example too of that because Instagram didn't start with a news feed or feed So they brought users in because

38:16 they had the coolest and most innovative picture taking tool. Yeah. Everyone, Instagram first started, everyone was using these like, like a lot of filters to start. Yeah. And they got a ton of

38:30 users from that, but it wasn't until they opened the feed that they made it social. And that's what brought people together through connection And that's where they got their viral coefficient above

38:42 one.

38:44 And I worked together when you signed up for Instagram. We were in the back of a taxi. This is before Uber going from - yeah, going from Eldorado Springs to downtown Boulder to hit up Pearl Street.

38:56 I think there were some NCAA basketball games. This must have been 2010. And I just remember you downloading it, and you looked at me and you go, this is an incredible app. Because at that point,

39:08 there weren't a ton of amazing apps, honestly. And I remember you kind of going through it You're like, this is like, this thing's going to stick. And they sold pretty quickly. I was an

39:17 incredible buy by Facebook, of course. But I just remember you saying that. And I'm like, yeah, it kind of is, right? Like, it's going to kill cameras and camera shops, potentially, but man,

39:28 this is like, this is pretty slick. I want to talk about your entrepreneurial spirit. Because I think that you've always had this. I mean, even going back to college days But you were one of like

39:41 my first friends to. really go out and venture out. And it was through pizza, right? Where you saw a concept and really went for it. So talk about like your entrepreneurial spirit and your love

39:54 of pizza and how sort of that got things started for you from an entrepreneurial perspective. And then where has it led to this point? Well, I would say it started just in my upbringing. My dad

40:07 and my grandfather had a plumbing business called Lock Mechanical and then they went into real estate together, but my grandfather worked until he couldn't anymore. He was like 90 years old when he

40:21 died and he was still trying to like plumb, I guess it's a plumber. And so I had a paper route when I was like 10 or 11, but

40:34 I started working in food in high school at Kelly and Rose Beef with a lot of my friends and7 an hour was 10 hours shifts. It's actually not that bad. Yeah, and remember the price of a small roast

40:51 beef was for 50 plus tax. What is it now? And it's probably over10, 11 at least. Wow. But anyways,

41:06 I just, I loved, I liked food and we were close with Adam Berman freshman year He and I both liked cooking and we both got jobs together at the Stein, a restaurant on campus at Brandeis making8 an

41:19 hour. And then you told us about Bison County and you were making30 an hour. No way, that's possible. And the next thing I knew I was paying John Rapp to make my bed because I was like I knew I

41:35 was making. And I don't know, years later, I went into the pizza, pizza business. one another Brandeis guy, Joe Balmel, who had just graduated from culinary school and had connected with a

41:51 world famous pizza chef. I was living in Austin, rent free at the time, and saving a lot of money, and decided to become an investor in pizza company in Santa Barbara, then had to move out there

42:06 because the two of them were chefs or our chefs and didn't know anything about business, because we had started franchising to other people. So I moved to Santa Barbara. From Austin, we grew

42:19 persona pizzeria to seven locations in California, Texas, Chicago, and then merged with another brand called Ferrenza Pizza, and together we opened 35 restaurants in the States I mentioned, and

42:38 then in Idaho, South Carolina,

42:43 in a couple other states, North Carolina or a few locations. So the concept real quick was, it was like Chipotle for pizza, right? Like very, very fast. You look at the line, you pick certain

42:55 items, it goes in the 800 degree oven and your pizza's out right away. So getting rid of that, like reheating the pizza slice, you actually get something fresh. Mod pizza is here. I feel like

43:07 that's like the only one now. So it has the bit, that industry just really consolidated. It's all about the bankruptcy So in 2012, there was like 15 different concepts. It was like the pizza gold

43:19 rush, sort of like. And I learned this at Pyramid Research studying telecom. Anytime there's a new concept, even within an existing industry, there's generally a hysteria and a rush into that

43:34 market by people that are excited about it And inevitably, there's a lot of consults. So, above 15 or so brands that came out around 2010 to

43:49 2014, there's very few left in that space because they were all kind of copying each other. We had amazing pizza, our marketing wasn't that great and pizza was good, but the pizza was

44:07 the best pizza I've ever had and

44:12 you know how critical I am and ultimately came down to a metric, revenue per square foot. It's hard to sell enough. People don't eat pizza seven days a week like they do sandwiches.

44:29 So the pizza models that have succeeded dominoes, they say it's a technology company now, but it's a big part of it is because small footprint, they have a very small, their rent is low. and the

44:43 margins in pizza aren't as good as people think once you add labor and rent and other costs besides the food cost.

44:55 Yeah, I mean, that actually is a really good point and I would say Domino's, which is a brand that like, I feel like we ordered a bunch of in college and then completely disappeared from my life

45:07 for many, many years has really come back now because if you go on that app, not only does it like tell you exactly how long it's gonna be before somebody gets there, same like Uber Eats, DoorDash

45:17 type concept, but there's always deals. It's always like buy one medium, get one medium for free and I gotta feed five people here and my daughters are now 12 and 14, they eat just as much as we

45:29 did, right? So they're like, we gotta get like a bunch of pizzas. If I'm gonna go to a local place, which I'd love to do, it's gonna be like 60 bucks. If I go to Domino's, it's gonna be half

45:40 of that, right? So the quality is just good enough. that it makes sense, but what percentage of the time do we actually go into Delmanos versus Order? Well, the fascinating thing I learned about

45:51 pizza from a business perspective is the average consumer doesn't really care about a pizza that's going, like on a scale from one to 10, they don't make their decision that much because a pizza is

46:06 an 85 versus a 65 So Blaze Pizza is the biggest in that Chipotle for pizza space. Why marketing? They have LeBron James as an investor. Marketing says stuff like take a risk. It has nothing to do

46:25 with pizza. We were trying to be like high quality and talk about the ingredients. Not enough people care about that. So you have to think about your marketing funnel, right? Like what percentage

46:38 of people like pizza probably 90 sure and then. as you go down that funnel, what percentage actually go out of their way to go eat an eight or nine out of 10 all the time? It's really, it's very

46:55 much a product that has a lot of substitutes. Yeah, I mean, that makes sense. And you guys did, I remember early on it was, we have double zero flour and tomatoes that were picked at the base of

47:08 Mount Vesuvius and fresh local mozzarella cheese And that means something to me. In fact, I learned a lot from you in that process. So I do look for those things. And once you do, then I think

47:21 you become more of a pizza snob. So you finish up your time in Santa Barbara. You guys kind of successfully were able to scale and merge and grow a franchise, fast casual pizza chain. Then I think

47:36 you decided to move back to Boston and launch, locked CFO. So talk about that a little bit because it was around the time that I'd started from Futures and just post COVID. I feel like the whole

47:47 fractional game was going crazy.

47:52 So that's really a significant statement because at the beginning of the pandemic, I think you probably talked me into putting fractional on my LinkedIn. And so I moved back to Boston. I got this

48:06 really amazing job with EasyKater, which is the world's leading business restaurant. Oh, sorry. World's lead is largest restaurant marketplace for business catering. Sorry, that was impossible.

48:19 And I got this amazing job. They were growing like crazy and, you know, the world stopped. And EasyKater's revenue went from, you

48:28 know, millions of dollars a month to zero, basically, because nobody was going to the office and they were providing, they were marketplace for providing business lunches. So got laid off like so

48:43 many people

48:47 and was at a point where I hated actually working for companies that were really large. And we had a discussion about this at a Red Sox game and I'm pretty sure this is where we decided to go forgive

48:59 because you were already doing phone futures. And I was like, I need to start my own thing And I think you, I don't know exactly how. You're like, brand yourself as a fractional CFO. And I had

49:14 been a CFO for persona and forensic pizza and corporate finance and a little bit of a background. And I put fractional CFO on my LinkedIn headline and I started getting inbound leads. I think we're

49:29 early to using that term. I haven't gone one of those leads like that in a while because there's some billion fractional CFOs now. Yeah, there's so much fractional. That word is really, I mean,

49:43 it just means part-time basically, but it sounds fancy, you know, you charge more like a lawyer as for an hourly rate or a retainer, but got

49:55 to work with a number of startups, early stage companies, companies looking to pivot their models in e-commerce, SaaS, online services, sales marketing recruiting, and health and exercise,

50:15 cannabis. So I've got a pretty diversified background, so it was easy for me to kind of adapt to these different industries. I mean, at the end of the day, I think that

50:29 there's only so many business models, right? There's transactional, there's subscription, there's services and there's software,

50:40 right? There's There's really not that much else. And the basics are the same. There's acquisition and retention, customer experience. So I was providing my clients a little bit more than what a

50:53 CFO does. I had also been in charge of persona and forensics, mobile app, online ordering, third party integrations. And I had learned a lot about developing apps and managing products And

51:10 working with all the companies as a fractional CFO combined with becoming an entrepreneur in the pizza business has prevented us from making some mistakes with give because we already made the

51:24 mistakes. We've seen it, yeah. Now, and also varied skill sets I think is important to have which being a generalist, especially with where my company future is having generalists on the sales

51:38 side is really important. And that was one of the things I enjoyed about working with you is, yeah, you were the fractional CFO. I'd also call you the fractional

51:48 COO and probably like the head of marketing too. So I mean, there's other things that that you call me the CEO of the ROC home. I also called you the hand of the king, which was time.

52:03 That made me feel really good about myself All right, so just a couple more minutes here and I want to put you on the hot seat. Rapid fire, some some questions. So I'll just throw it out there.

52:11 One. Yeah. It's on. What is your favorite pizza place in the world?

52:18 Oh, wow. In the world. If you can only have pizza for your last meal, you're going to the election where the answer is and it's closed. It was a place in August, Massachusetts on route one

52:30 called Angela's coal fired and they have the wings that were up on too, but they closed like last year, but I think I, it took me a long time. Every time I travel, I try to try more pizza and try

52:45 to try it in that top spot.

52:50 There was a place I went to in Miami recently, actually downtown, that was really good.

52:57 My cousin actually visited when I first moved here and he was like, we need to go back there on the way to the airport. I don't know why I can't think of the name right now, but - Oh, it's like

53:06 that. It's like that. There's also some recency in place there. I mean, you might've said Bianchi's a few years ago. Yeah, he's gone downhill. I hate to hear that. Well, it's like hit or miss,

53:18 I'd say. It's hit or miss. Yeah. For me, I think it's Tony's in San Francisco. Oh, Tony's in San Francisco? Yeah, that's actually definitely there. That place is amazing, amazing. But

53:33 anyways, there was your question on mine. Two. You're living in Miami right now. If we look down the road, say five years from now, are you still living in Miami? You're gonna be back up in

53:42 Boston, you're gonna move to Texas, California, you've been all over the place. Where do you think you're gonna be in five years? I'm either going to be here living closer to the beach or in

53:56 Mexico or somewhere in South America. Yeah, I bought while you're fluent in Spanish, so I do buy that too And now finally, as it comes to, to give, right? What does give look like in a year,

54:09 three years, five years? Are you trying to scale this and grow this to be one of the most philanthropic companies ever created? Is this a company that gets acquired? Goes public, like what are

54:23 your grandiose visions for the forgive and where is it down the road? So our vision collectively is philanthropy in every business meeting.

54:35 rounding up at CVS, every time there's a meeting, there could be a donation that happens. And

54:44 we're going to market now in the last month or so with multiple products because our product is flexible and we can target different users. But where I see us 12 months from today is that we have

54:59 thousands of users using our free product which is just a scheduling page that demonstrates support for nonprofits. So you can just personalize it. And instead of using your boring old calendar page,

55:14 you're using a give link and we're going to start by giving it away for free to nonprofit employees. There's 16 million nonprofits. There's millions of nonprofit employees and there's millions of

55:32 them that are using calendar other scheduling tools. So we're going to give the product away for free to as many people as possible so that we can build a brand that truly connects people and

55:45 inspires people. It's going to be fun, man. It's going to be fun to play this out. Final question. Where can people find you social media sites that you're frequently on, websites, things like

55:56 that? Oh, well, giveco, so it's G-I-V dot C-O. Check the hats

56:04 Yeah, these are the hats, and you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn. My name is very common. There's probably 500 people named Dan Lok in the United States. So you might want to

56:20 search for me on LinkedIn with Brandeis or just see that I'm a connection with Jeremy, probably the easiest And on Instagram, my handle islock legend.

56:36 I'd like to think I'd become a legend someday, but

56:41 You already are to someone what at the beginning when I said who I wish I was I wish I was a comedian That's what I wish. I don't think that that's like I feel like the barrier for entry For that

56:53 type of gig is much lower because you could just start putting your comedy out there online Seems like you got too many other things going on. No, let's let's go

57:04 I do

57:07 Nice anyways, I love you man. I really appreciate you coming on Hopefully this is everything you dreamed your your first podcast would be and I have a feeling now your your what happens is When

57:16 people come on a podcast other people say oh, I've got a podcast. I want to have this guy on so watch You're gonna start getting invited on more podcast, especially give gross. Oh, no question.

57:26 No question. Yeah So you'll be on the circuit here soon, but I appreciate you give dot-co for everybody listening locked CFO Dan Lok my man. Thank you for coming on what the fun.

Dan Locke on What the Funk
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