Everyone has a different story to share. Unfortunately people feel pressured to change that story and conform to how the world sees things. But you shouldn’t have to pander to peoples perception of you! Just start uploading to Dynamite! This new app lets you anonymously upload videos to let you be yourself! Tell the world your story and let others appreciate what makes you special.
Today, AlleyWatch sits down with Larry Lieberman, cofounder & COO, to discuss the company, its future, and the new way to share stories via video.
How is it different
Our users may choose any of the app’s Face Masks and Audio Filters to remain anonymous when they share their stories using Dynamite. Videos may be up to 42 seconds long – long enough to tell a story. Users comment using GIFs, text, and emojis and users are easily followed so the community can be updated on the progress of these stories.
What market are you attacking and how big is it?
Everyone has a story to tell – and that is their own story – the unfiltered story. For many of us, mobile video has become the preferred way to record and share everything.
What is the business model?
Our focus is story telling. Good stories are always great platforms for native advertising. Dynamite’s core features – masks, blurs and filters – may one day be used by Doritos to reveal new flavors or Star Wars to leak behind-the-scenes footage from a new film.
What inspired the business?
The inspiration comes from the founders experience managing social media apps with over 100 million users and the gap we see between the realities of life (anxiety, anger, fear, etc.) and the sunny personas projected in most social media feeds. At Dynamite we have a mission – and that is to provide a safe place for everyone to tell their stories.
You have a pretty robust team. How did it come together?
This venture has been in the works for over a year and the formation of the team is one of those magical “Made In NYC” stories. We are four cofounders, including Paul Vidich — a novelist who led digital media teams at Time Warner. The three of us all worked with Paul at different times during his career and have each led several startups with successful exits. Collectively, our previous work with HBOGO, ooVoo and MTV has created many popular mobile video user experiences and technologies.
Why are the videos 42 seconds?
It’s definitely not a random number. We want people to be able to record enough of a story to share what is on their mind, engage the community or even test out a new comedy routine. That’s usually a healthy paragraph – 110 to 120 words that takes 35 or 40 seconds to record. That led Joshua to the Douglas Adams reference from Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy – 42!
What are the milestones that you plan to achieve within six months?
Above all, our number one goal is to connect people by sharing the great stories being recorded in the app. The technical milestones are vast – mobile video is in its infancy and is not easy to do well. We have achieved several critical breakthroughs that aren’t available anywhere else – with more on the way. Adoption is always critical part of the process.
What is the one piece of startup advice that you never got?
“Listen to your wife.” There isn’t a lot of talk about our life partners at tech conferences or in entrepreneurship books. These are the people who know us best and offer the most personalized advice. She’s also the only ones who will walk up to me after a new product demo and say “Wow, you really blew that one.”
If you could be put in touch with anyone in the New York community who would it be and why?
Chad Dickerson of Etsy. We’ve never met, but I follow his work and people I know say wonderful things about him. Maybe one day he and I can meet up for Indian food.
Why did you launch in New York?
“Why did you launch in New York?” is a question that answers itself, no? It’s not that New York is perfect. It’s not that New Yorkers are better. It’s because New York is a magnet that attracts so many people who want to improve their lives and make the world a better place. Required reading, EB White’s Here Is New York.
Where is your favorite outdoor bar in the city for a drink when it is warm out?
Boat Basin Café, Hudson River at 79th Street. It’s fun, sunny and still smells like stale beer.
