Hooked with Julia and Nick

In this episode, we sit down with Andrew Monreal, founder of Arrow and Scratch AI, to break down how he grew multiple consumer apps using organic TikTok, product-led virality, and influencer distribution.Andrew walks through exactly how Arrow hit 100K users with slideshow content, why most founders focus on trends instead of building marketable products, and how Scratch AI scaled quickly using influencer-owned distribution.They dive into the real differences between organic vs influencer growth, how to design app UI that doubles as marketing, and why “posting first, building later” can save months of wasted work.If you’re building a consumer app (or thinking about it) this episode is a tactical breakdown of what actually works in 2026.Timestamps00:00 — Why you should post before you build10:42 — Discovering TikTok slideshows14:26 — Why faceless content is dying22:11 — Designing UI for virality26:01 — Validating ideas with content27:50 — Surviving organic highs + lows32:09 — Pros & cons of organic growth34:29 — Scratch AI + influencer strategy43:22 — Creators building products This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playkit.substack.com

A deep dive into building a repeatable UGC machine through systems, not luck. Practical tactics for sourcing and training creators without cold spam. Pay structures, review controls, and community routines that keep quality high. Signals and timelines for when to scale creator count and turn comments into a conversion channel.

In this episode, we sit down with Zehra Naqvi, founder of Lore, the internet’s home for obsession. Before launching a single feature, Zehra and her team built a waitlist of over 100,000 users, generated 215M+ organic views, and grew a 14,000-person Discord community, all by rallying Gen Z around one shared frustration: the internet is broken for fandom.We get into everything from why TikTok’s algorithm has a “short memory,” the exact strategies behind Lore’s viral TikTok and Twitter moments, why leading with the problem (not the solution) built insane trust, and how their Discord quietly became a cult-like community that now powers the product itself.If you’re a consumer founder, marketer, or anyone thinking deeply about the future of social media, fandom, and community-led growth, this episode is a masterclass in building something people feel emotionally invested in before it even exists.Subscribe for more episodes delivered straight to your inbox00:00 — Going Viral Before LaunchHow Lore went viral on Twitter in its first week and what happens when you move fast on shared frustration.00:11:49 — The Power of Starting With the ProblemWhy Lore’s earliest content focused only on frustration, not features or product demos.00:13:38 — “We Are You” as a Brand StrategyHow shared pain points create trust, camaraderie, and community faster than any feature launch.00:15:00 — Why Most Founders Market Too EarlyThe mistake of pushing solutions before trust, and why Lore avoided it.00:18:42 — The Waitlist Strategy (100K+ Signups)How Lore tested fandoms, rode cultural moments, and scaled organically.00:21:26 — 215M Views Without Hard CTAsWhy curiosity beat conversion tactics, and how to subtlety drive massive signups.00:25:58 — UGC Over InfluencersWhy Lore chose everyday fans over big creators, and why that mattered.00:30:46 — The Discord FlywheelAdding a Discord button to the waitlist → 14,000 members → organic fandom governance.00:31:36 — Letting Users Build the CommunityFandom requests, voting systems, mods, and self-sustaining culture.00:38:19 — The Future of Social MediaLore as the antithesis to curated personas and infinite feeds, and what comes next. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playkit.substack.com

In this episode, we sit down with Lillie, co-founder of Ditto, the app often described as “Pinterest meets your Notes app.” After scaling major skincare brands as a marketer, Lillie pivoted into building consumer social: raising capital, launching Ditto, and now running one of the most ambitious campus ambassador programs in tech.We get into everything from how Ditto is reinventing social media and why Gen Z needs a new way to share online, to the exact playbook behind Ditto’s IRL college launches. Lillie breaks down their three-school pilot, what they learned from literally living on campus for a week, how to build a campus “cult,” and why most brands fail at college marketing.If you’re a consumer founder, a marketer, or anyone building for Gen Z, this episode is a masterclass in IRL activations, student psychology, and modern distribution for consumer apps.00:01:18 — Who Lillie Is & Ditto’s MissionFrom scaling brands → raising money → building a more authentic social app.00:06:20 — What Ditto Actually IsHow a breakup + a Notes app list led to a viral moment and the idea behind Ditto.00:10:02 — Why They Chose TikTok as the First ChannelThe “single-player to multi-player” insight and how TikTok unlocked Ditto’s early users.00:11:39 — Why Campus? Why Now?Identifying Ditto as a “best-used-in-groups” product and the strategy behind going IRL.00:13:15 — Ditto’s Pyramid StrategyTop: TikTok & reachBottom: campus evangelists & tight friend groupsHow the two meet in the middle.00:14:30 — How Ditto Designs Events That Actually ConvertThe 4 pillars of campus strategy: events, ambassadors, guerilla marketing, content.The North Star: create a cult.00:16:15 — Why Most College Events Don’t WorkThe trap of “pretty but useless” activations (free coffee, beer pong, merch) that don’t drive retention.00:17:04 — Product Education: The Secret IngredientHow Ditto used a giant LED screen to display live user lists and create “magic moments.”People competing to get on the screen. Viral content moments. Actual retention.00:19:02 — What Actually Drives Retained UsersWhy small group talks and genuine connection outperform high-budget parties and stunts.00:20:19 — How to Test Campus Events the Right WayPick 3 experiments. Do each one exceptionally well. Then evaluate.00:21:53 — Becoming an Insider: The Ditto HouseWhy Ditto lived on campus for a week: classes, libraries, coffee shops, observing behavior, throwing house parties.Not scalable, but priceless insights.00:24:12 — Lessons From Going All-InHow being physically present built trust, loyalty, and brand obsession — and why other apps failed when they “tried campus.”00:29:42 — Why Most Apps Say “We Tried Campus, It Didn’t Work”Debunking what “trying” actually means — and why most companies quit too early.00:31:04 — If You’re a Founder Starting an Ambassador Program…The 3 steps:* Define your hypothesis* Pick acquisition channels* Run tiny but high-quality experiments00:33:38 — The #1 KPI for Ditto: Build a CultHow they measure brand desire, DMs, applications, referrals, merch-wearing, and UGC.00:34:06 — What’s Changing for Semester TwoScaling from 40 to 300+ ambassadors, shifting from hand-picked to flexible open applications.00:36:01 — The Many Types of AmbassadorsWhy guys are joining, how students spread the app through clubs, Greek life, and fantasy leagues.00:37:38 — Building an Ambassador EngineReferral links, flexible tasks, payouts, and turning ambassadors into community. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playkit.substack.com

In this episode, we sit down with Mia Mirzayan, NYC-based strategist, content creator, and founder of Creator Vault. Mia has spent the past three years creating organic and paid content for brands like ADIDAS, Banana Republic, Canva, and Haus Labs.We get into everything from landing higher-paying gigs, to what separates top UGC creators from the rest, to the real difference between influencer vs. UGC campaigns. Mia also shares the mindset shifts that helped her build a career in content, and what inspired her to create Creator Vault - the app helping creators earn more, avoid bad brand deals, and make smarter business decisions.If you’re a creator, strategist, brand marketer, or anyone curious about the behind-the-scenes of UGC, this one is full of tactical gems.00:00 — Intro & What We’ll CoverSetting up the episode, what UGC really is, and how Mia got started.00:08:53 — Getting Ghosted by Brands & How to Protect YourselfMia shares her own story of being ghosted and the systems creators can use (Creator Vault, DuPay).00:09:56 — Tactical Advice for New UGC CreatorsWatermarking, submitting fewer videos first, getting partial payment up front.00:14:00–00:20:00 — Creator Vault Deep DiveHow it works, who it’s built for, and how it helps creators avoid bad brand deals.00:29:40 — Pricing: What to Charge for UGCMarket-rate guidance for organic UGC and ad content, usage rights pricing, and how to avoid undercharging.00:35:00 — Influencer vs. UGC CampaignsWhere they overlap, where they differ, and what brands actually want in 2025.00:40:00 — Building a Sustainable Creator CareerMia’s perspective on longevity, repeat clients, and protecting your energy.00:47:38 — Mindset: The Real Reason Creators SucceedMia’s philosophy on belief, daily reps, failing forward, and staying consistent.00:49:11 — Handling Hate Comments & Staying ResilientWhy mindset matters more as you grow, and why “cringe” is part of the job.00:52:00 — Final Advice for UGC CreatorsWhat she wishes she knew earlier, and her #1 tip for getting started. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playkit.substack.com

Paid ads are getting more expensive. Consumers are tuning them out.The brands still winning are the ones with a repeatable organic content strategy that turns views into installs.On Wednesday, November 19th, I’m hosting a live session breaking down exactly how to create high-performing viral formats that drive real business outcomes: installs, signups, and sales.You’ll learn:- How to identify and build repeatable content formats- What makes organic content convert (and what doesn’t)- Real examples of formats driving millions of organic views- How to adapt winning formats to your product or nicheIf you’re ready to turn organic content into an actual growth channel, this is your playbook. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playkit.substack.com

Join Quinn Slocum, the 25-year-old founder of @BestCelebrations and @Culture, as he shares his journey from editing Vine clips to amassing over 4 million followers without paid ads. Quinn unveils the '1,000 True Fans' framework, crucial for sustainable growth, and reveals how he built lasting communities through personal engagement. Discover his strategies for growth—from a scrappy start buying and flipping accounts to redefining his brand's identity. Learn about team building without burnout, and making authentic partnerships that foster long-term equity.

Zuhair Lakhani, founder of DoubleSpeed and a growth hacker, dives into the future of AI-driven content creation and the creator economy. He shares insights on how he generated $100K in sales on TikTok using just AI tools like Midjourney and ElevenLabs. Zuhair explains the concept of warming accounts for algorithmic success and the advantages of using synthetic influencers. He also discusses the balance between AI automation and human involvement in content creation, emphasizing the need for mastering virality before scaling.

He built three 7-figure brands. Shut one down. Then grew his personal Instagram account from 0 to 150K followers in three months by turning content into a system.In this episode, Caleb Ulffers breaks down the exact playbook founders can use to grow faster through short-form video (even if you’ve never posted before).We talk about gear, process, mindset, and why founder-led content is the most powerful growth channel in the world. If you’ve ever wondered how to start, what to post, or how to make content actually drive sales: this is your episode.🎧 Watch the full thing: hookedpodcast.com⏱️ Timestamps00:00 – Caleb’s background and how he rebuilt post-Haven03:30 – Why short-form content is the new founder moat07:00 – The “Cut 30” system that changed everything11:15 – Why most videos flop (and why that’s okay)13:30 – The real reason consistency beats virality17:00 – Building series and systems that scale20:00 – The inbound power of founder-led content27:00 – Caleb’s gear, setup, and scripting process31:00 – His 90-day playbook for brand growth39:30 – Getting your first sponsorships the right way44:00 – The mindset shift every creator needs This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playkit.substack.com

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.🕒 Timestamps00:00 FYP Palm Reading – what Ben’s TikTok feed says about creativity07:40 The new art of editing and why Gen Z storytelling hits differently10:50 From a bank job to building a viral community17:30 The power of posting before you’re ready24:00 How Cinque grew with $0 in ads33:00 Why community converts better than campaigns40:00 Partnerships that double reach and build momentum49:00 Ben’s hot take: LinkedIn is the next big growth channel53:40 Gen Z’s marketing advantage and what brands can learnWhat 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 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playkit.substack.com