Who We Remember Tessa Adams on her grandfather: Bold life lessons and reinventing social media
We ask each of our guests a simple yet profound question: "Whose life story from your own family would you most want to have documented on film?" and "How does your family's story shape your own personal and professional legacy?"
Today's guest: Tessa Adams, Founder and CEO of everle™
Tessa's pick: Her paternal grandfather, Charles T. Adams
Sound Bites
- "He worked under J. Edgar Hoover, met JFK and Roosevelt, and even helped catch some of America’s Most Wanted. We always thought it was cool growing up—‘Watch out, my grandpa’s in the FBI!’"
- "For my 29th birthday, he wrote: ‘By 30, I expect you to be married or the CEO of your own company.’ At the time, I was shocked, but now I see it as his way of saying, ‘I believe in you.’"
- "I hit a breaking point—crying in my closet with my closest friends, who had no idea I was struggling. Social media was a huge part of that pressure, so I decided: if the solution doesn’t exist, I’ll build it myself"
Summary
In this episode, Jamie Yuenger speaks with Tessa Adams, founder of everle™, a social media platform designed to prioritize mental health and data privacy. The conversation delves into Tessa’s deep admiration for her grandfather, Charles Adams, a dedicated FBI agent turned private investigator who left a lasting impact on his community.
She shares how their shared birthday and his strong personality shaped her, including a memorable birthday card predicting she’d either be married or a CEO by 30. This moment, along with personal struggles with social media’s pressures, led her to create everle™—a platform designed for authentic, ad-free connections. Tessa envisions everle™ as a healthier digital space, aligning human connection with privacy and well-being, a mission she believes her grandfather would have both questioned and respected.
About Tessa
Tessa is the founder and CEO of everle™, the first social media platform dedicated to data privacy and mental health. Unlike Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, Everly prioritizes member privacy and actively supports the mental health of its users. Under Tessa's leadership, Everly has emerged as a groundbreaking solution in the digital landscape.
Takeaways
- The Power of Legacy: Tessa’s grandfather, an FBI agent turned community leader, left a lasting impact that shaped her values and ambitions.
- Social Media & Mental Health: Personal struggles with online pressure led Tessa to create everle™, a platform designed for authentic, private connections.
- Redefining Digital Spaces: everle™ challenges traditional social media by removing likes, ads, and influence-driven content, prioritizing real human interaction instead.
Join Us
Visit us at storykeep.com/podcast to learn more about how StoryKeep is preserving family histories. Subscribe on your favorite platform to catch new episodes released bi-weekly, available in both audio and video formats.
Join me, Jamie Yuenger, as we go on a journey of remembrance and discovery, celebrating the stories of those we cherish. Don’t miss our enriching journey—subscribe today and be part of "Who We Remember."
Credits
Produced by Jamie Yuenger and Piet Hurkmans. Our show’s musical intro and outro is taken from the track “Thursday” by the independent artist Nick Takénobu Ogawa. You can listen and support his music on bandcamp here