The Founder Hour Chris Stang | How The Infatuation is Transforming the Way You Discover New Restaurants
Chris Stang is the co-founder and CEO of The Infatuation, a restaurant recommendation website and messaging service based in New York. They are most known for publishing restaurant reviews and guides, and as creators of the hashtag #EEEEEATS. In 2018, the company acquired the Zagat rating company from Google.
Chris grew up in Denver and found his way into the music industry after a stint in college radio, working in promotion and marketing for 12 years at Atlantic Records alongside massive acts such as Skrillex, Coldplay, Matchbox Twenty, Bruno Mars, and Santigold.
In 2009, he had an idea to launch a food blog with his now partner, Andrew Steinthal. After some early growth, they both decided to leave their corporate jobs in the midst of their careers to dive into the world of startups. Since then, they’ve grown a loyal community in over 20 cities worldwide and raised millions of dollars in funding (most recently, a $30 million round from Jeffrey Katzenberg’s WndrCo).
In this episode, Pat and Posh hung out with Chris during one of his trips to LA to learn about his upbringing, experience working in the music industry, the early days of launching The Infatuation, and how he’s been able to manage the company’s massive growth. Chris also shares why they acquired Zagat, the parallels between music and business, the lessons he’s learned as a founder and leader, the next wave of innovation in the food industry, and what’s coming next from The Infatuation and Zagat.
Fun fact: The Infatuation was nominated for a James Beard Award in 2014 for writing a review of a fake restaurant called Underfinger!
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