Why Real-World Moments Create Viral Loops Online, with Ben Schaefer @ Cinque

What if your next marketing campaign didn’t need a single dollar in ad spend?

Ben Schaefer, co-founder of Cinque, built a 400-person community in San Diego through authentic experiences (surfing, music, and connection), all grown through organic social. No ads and no agency. Just people who cared.

In this episode of Hooked, Ben joins Julia and Nick to break down how he turned one simple idea into a viral movement, and why Gen Z’s scrappy approach to marketing is rewriting every rule in the playbook.

🕒 Timestamps

00:00 FYP Palm Reading – what Ben’s TikTok feed says about creativity

07:40 The new art of editing and why Gen Z storytelling hits differently

10:50 From a bank job to building a viral community

17:30 The power of posting before you’re ready

24:00 How Cinque grew with $0 in ads

33:00 Why community converts better than campaigns

40:00 Partnerships that double reach and build momentum

49:00 Ben’s hot take: LinkedIn is the next big growth channel

53:40 Gen Z’s marketing advantage and what brands can learn

What You’ll Learn• How to turn community into your best growth channel• Why “fake social proof” is a powerful testing tool• How to build hype before you build product• Why Gen Z outperforms big brands at authenticityWatch or listen to the full episode of Hooked now → ⁠hookedpodcast.com⁠