George Rawlings and Matt McNeill Love: Founders of Thursday

Thursday. The company that’s stolen a day of the week and reinvented the way that dating apps work. Imagine creating a business model where your product only works one day a week. It’s not exactly the recommended strategy in any business manual but for the past few years, dating app Thursday has taken social media by storm with their viral stunts and unique personality.

The company is happy not fitting in with the norm and founders George Rawlings and Matt McNeill Love have serious ambition. If you think you know Thursday and its story, think again. If you’ve never heard of them, it’s time to pay attention. This is an interview you won’t want to miss.

In this exclusive interview, we sat down with the founders of Thursday to discuss their fast-growing brand, the funding landscape, their approach to marketing and much more.

Here's what we discussed:

• Could you tell us about your background before setting up Thursday? (00:42)
• What led you to start a dating app? (03:28)
• For those who don't know what the app is, could you talk us through the user journey? (07:39)
• Are you worried that the idea for Thursday doesn't have the longevity you'd hope? (12:38)
• How have you funded the business to this point, and do you have any tips for people going through the process of raising? (14:53)
• Could you tell us about your approach to marketing and if it's got you into any hot water? (24:50)
• How do you generate your marketing ideas? (28:15)
• How do your personal brands fit into the overall brand identity of Thursday? (29:58)
• How does the wording and attitude towards marketing compare between the UK and US? (34:10)
• Everyone’s very quick to claim to be offended. Do people need to chill out more and can brands like yours help achieve this? (36:30)
• Being co-founders can be tricky. Do you two ever clash? (37:30)
• Do you worry that you'll lose the energy and vibe you have as the business continues to grow? (38:37)
• You're still only a year or so in but do you think about an exit or IPO? (39:21)
• Have you considered other verticals outside of dating, such as business networking? (40:27)

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