S3E4: Sascha Keitz on Building Playdate, Taking Risks & Creating Community

S3E4: I'm Jess and I'm Carly. And this is the Only Human Podcast. I could just feel that I was like so out of alignment with myself and my values. I felt so empty. I started to like feel like a shelf myself. That was so debilitating for me. Like that fear of putting myself out there and just the fear of like letting people in. We have our emotional support winner model too. Yeah, we got the giggle. Hi. Welcome to Only Human, Sasha. Thank you. I'm so happy to be here. I'm so excited for this conversation. Anybody that listens to Only Human knows it's typically just me and my co-host Jess. And like the sentiment is kind of just like two best friends talking about all the things, especially with a mental health lens. But I personally love interviewing people. I love just having conversations and really like being curious about them, getting to know what makes them tick. and you are definitely somebody that has a lot of interesting things going on right now. And so I have so many questions for you. but I'm excited. Thanks for coming on. Thank you for having me. I couldn't think of a better first podcast to do. I'm so looking forward to it. Hopefully it also helps that we already know each other and we're like friends and we've worked together a lot. and as we were just saying, like before we joined, like we try to keep things extremely conversational. We intentionally like rarely edit this podcast. It's like, you know, just human as by design. I love it. Yeah, I love that. So before we jump into literally everything you have going on right now, because just to preface and just set a little context, Sasha is the founder of one of the hottest apps in Philadelphia right now. It's called Playdate. And I have so many questions about Playdate and how the idea came to be. But first I wanna just lit like let the listeners in on who Sasha is. so if you could just give some context, things like where you're from, how old you are, where you went to school, what you studied, all that fun stuff. My name's Sasha. I'm twenty five. I'm from outside of the city, Montgomery County area. I went to Temple for undergrad. I studied tourism and hospitality. I Always, always, always loved events. I knew from I think I was like 14 years old that I wanted to be an event planner, even though that wasn't like a typical job and explaining that to people was definitely interesting, but I always had a vision. and now I live in the city. I live in grad hospital area. I lived in northern liberties previously. I am very active, very social. I surround myself with the best people ever and I just really am loving this phase of life. It is a really, really fun phase. I feel like post college, at first it feels like a little bit rocky. You don't really have your footing. You feel like it's like a huge transition. But then you get a couple years under your belt and you, I feel like I'm flying. Like I've kind of got this thing down. I'm having fun with my friends. You kind of like get into a groove. Absolutely. I feel like you don't people don't really talk about like You no longer have club meetings or you no longer have office hours or sorority meetings or rec sports. So when you first graduate, all that structure and all those ways that you naturally integrated and met people are go away. And it's it takes a little bit getting used to. But I feel like I am at the point where I've got my footing now and have really filled my calendar with things I love. Yeah. So You are running Plate Date, obviously, but you also have a full time job still alongside of it. So what do you do for a living? What's your full time job? Yeah, I work in corporate events. I work for a finance firm. I've been there for four years now. I started as an intern. and we host seminars, client events, everything like that. And it's it's really, really fun. I honestly cannot imagine doing both. I guess I can because I've only human and I did that at alongside a full-time job for a really long time. And I do always say it kind of helps to like oscillate between working for yourself but then working for somebody else. I feel like it's a very nice change of pace to step outside of like your own world and your own business to like serve something else. But I'm curious, when it comes to being an entrepreneur and you think about yourself from a young age, did you see yourself starting something as your own? Or did you think that you were gonna kind of lead that typical corporate lifestyle? I think this is pretty cliche, but I I knew I am incredibly headstrong, as my mom would say. I've always been outspoken, pretty fierce, very, very determined. and I just knew that I was going to make my life big. I I didn't know exactly how I was gonna get there or what it was gonna look like, but I never imagined myself sitting at a desk from nine to five for the rest of my life. I I knew that. I had aspirations of my life being more exciting, more adventurous, more challenging at times. and I didn't didn't expect it to happen maybe this soon or in the way that it has, but it's been the craziest journey and it definitely is what I imagined when I was younger. Mm-hmm. It is so funny to hear you repeat back to me what I've always felt growing up. And it's a sensation that I don't think is easy to describe, but some people feel it deep down and it's this desire for more. And I think it's like this inner calling and it's a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing in a way that it's like again, this aspiration to do more, be more, and have this like exciting, big, fulfilling life. But then at times I think it's also frustrating because you don't exactly know what that thing is or the path to get there. And so it can almost be a little bit discouraging. so it does sound like you've kind of leaned in and found your calling probably sooner than most people. When it comes to play date, like when did that initial thought come to your mind? You said that you grew up you've always loved events and wanted to be in the event planning industry, but when did the idea for an app come to be? Yeah. Yeah. So when I moved back into the city after graduating, I lived at home for a year. I moved back into the city. I was Freshly 23. I just wanted to run around the city and do everything it had to offer. If I'm paying my rent here, I need to take advantage of it. And I found that really difficult to do. I am very type A. I'm the planner friend. I'm the one who's texting on Wednesday our plans for the weekend. Like every schedule. We all need one. We play an important role. but so I moved back into the city and I Followed every single Philly Instagram happening account. I followed every single influencer. I would Google every weekend things to do near me. And it just felt so broken. I knew there were things to do, but the discovery of it felt so scattered across different platforms. And there wasn't one platform that you opened with the sole purpose of finding things to do. and the more and more I thought about it, I was like, we have social media for everything, whether or not that's belly where you rank restaurants or letterbox where you rank movies or whatever it is. And I was like, why isn't there a social media to get you to put your phone down and go outside and meet people? so I spent that summer, I always say I would go on these like crazy long walks. I would go for walks for like four hours and I would stop in every single coffee shop. I would stop in every single bar, every small business, and I would read all like you how at coffee shops they'll have the bulletin board with all the different posters and stuff of upcoming events. And I was like, look how much is happening that I wouldn't have known about if I hadn't just stopped into this coffee shop. And that was really where the idea was born. I was like, there needs to be one hub where you go with the sole purpose of finding things to do. But it's updated, it's social media, it's fun to scroll, you follow your friends. It's modern, not like some of the other platforms out there. And that was that was really where it all began. Wow. I yeah, I mean, I totally agree. Like a one stop shop and you're going there and you can kind of like filter with your preferences and share with your friends. Like it it really does accomplish everything you just laid out. I am so curious. I think it's really hard in life to take an idea from ideation mode to execution. And I think there's a lot of people who have a fear of starting. So what was the turnaround time? How long did it take you to go from that conception state to actually moving your feet to get the thing done? Yeah, absolutely. I think starting is the hardest part. I remember I had a note sap that was pages and pages long of, I mean, essentially in my first business plan, like everything laid out. But the thought of actually making the Instagram account, posting the first video, telling my friends. was so scary. I remember being like, well what if it doesn't succeed? Or what if it never gets off the ground? Or I was just so scared of what people were gonna think. in hindsight, that was so silly. But in the moment it's a really real paralyzing fear. but I am pretty lucky that I have a co-founder who's also my boyfriend and he's a software engineer. So when I presented the idea to him, he kind of was like, all right, tell me how this could be a business. Like Really back yourself, understand what we're doing, and and I'll build it. and that's kind of what I spent that summer doing, like really solidifying the business plan, making sure people wanted something like this. and then at the end of summer is when we started building and started telling people. And I remember laughing about it. I'm like, like I'm building an app, like haha. And That's something in hindsight I wish I didn't do because I always knew how serious it was and I knew what it was gonna be. But in the moment it was it was scary and that was kind of my like defense mechanism to just doing this little thing. Yeah, downplaying it, being like this silly little thing on the side because that's like your insurance policy. If it fails, be like I wasn't really taking it that seriously. Like I wasn't banking on it anyway. I couldn't have said it better myself. I it I think it's sorry in my head. Literally before the pod. You're like, what if my headphone falls out? I I wear wires. I'm like, I don't know what these are. But yeah, I think it's something a lot of women do, honestly, too, as a defense mechanism and an insurance plan, exactly what you said. but once I started telling people, we were built from July to December launched. So it was a pretty quick turnaround after that. And I didn't really know what the next few months looked like. We definitely Had a plan, we had numbers, we had goals, but it really did start as a passion project and more so for us to just expand our horizons and do something outside of work and do something hard and do something fulfilling and put ourselves in rooms that were scary. And now being here almost ten, eleven months later, seeing the business that it is turned into is so crazy. I love that you said you needed to seek out like new opportunities and new challenges and, you know, things that actually scared you because I feel like sometimes people think about starting something new and they worry about burnout or, you know, a variety of things. But I don't think people understand the fulfillment that comes out of setting a goal for yourself and going after it. Honestly, no matter what the outcome is, just stepping out of your comfort zone. and sometimes that really is all it takes. I have a question about the you know, the fact that your co founder is your boyfriend. I feel like a lot of people have like strong opinions about who you should and shouldn't enter business into. I've met your boyfriend, I see your dynamic, he is lovely, you guys are amazing together, but what has the process been like doing this alongside of him? Absolutely. It was a crazy decision. that I was hesitant of at first, but We are so fortunate that we do completely opposite ends and neither of us could do this without the other. and like I said, how I've always felt a calling to do more and didn't see myself just sitting at a desk working nine to five. He feels that I think times a hundred. And I think that we both saw that in each other and all the stars were aligning and we're like, why wouldn't we try this? And again, if it fails, it fails. But why, why wouldn't we right now? I will say at the time we started, we were also doing long distance. So it was it was a lot to navigate. It was definitely weird. And I feel like as we grow, we have to put different boundaries on it. but yeah, sometimes we'll be like, okay, this dinner we're not talking about play date, like no discussing play date. because it's easy for it to seep into every conversation and every aspect of our life. But it's like to keep our relationship. Yeah. I mean people are always like talking about children. Like, yeah. So it's like for you guys, like not talking about our child play date today. This is about you and me. This is about literally anything else. Seriously. Yeah. And I think it's just on our both of our minds all the time. So it's really hard sometimes to do that. But I do think we have made a really conscious effort to do so, which has been the best decision we could have made for both PlayDate and our relationship. Yeah. So not only are you running this company alongside him, but as I mentioned earlier in the podcast, you're also running it alongside a full-time job. So can you just talk a little bit about like the balance of the two? Like how do you keep your mental state intact and make sure that you're kind of devoting your time and energy to both things? Yeah, absolutely. I feel very lucky that my nine to five is a true nine to five outside of the events I do. But it really provides a nice structure for my day. and I'm, like I said, very type A. I, if you saw my calendar, it is color-coded by work, play date, personal friends, family. Like I am very much a planner and I strive off that. So at this point, I feel very grateful for the structure that my nine to five has provided because it allows me to set set time. that's just focused on PLAD and set time that's just focused on my full-time job. I would be lying if I said it wasn't hard and there's opportunities I've had to say no to because of my full-time job. or vice versa. But at the end of the day, I'm really grateful that I'm able to balance both right now. And both are teaching me a ton of skills that are transferable to the other or just anything in life. but I will say my mornings are like sacred to me. I wake up at 5 30. I'm like need my morning movement, whether that's a walk or a yoga class, whatever it is, even if I can only squeeze in like a 20 minute walk that day, I'm doing that. That is the one time I feel like calm before the stress of the day comes when it it's 7 AM I always say you need to do something for yourself in the morning before you start answering to anybody else. And I know that's easier said than done, but I love the fact that you were like sometimes it's literally a twenty minute walk. Like me and Jess talk about this a lot on only human, like filling your own cup and doing things for yourself, whether you're an employee, a mom, a wife, like everybody has demands to varying degrees, obviously. But I think it's really hard to just wake up and start serving others immediately without taking at least five minutes to meditate, to ground in the backyard, to enjoy your cup of coffee, to journal, like whatever that looks like for you. Because I think life is extremely overwhelming and inundating in every sense of the word. Not only just at, you know, your job, but when you open your phone, on your apps, on your email. Like, so I love that even somebody like you who runs such a busy, busy schedule still makes time for you because I feel like ultimately that's just gonna take you that much further. Yeah. I saw this clip on a podcast. I forget what podcast, but it was talking about when you open your phone in the morning and say you have 50 notifications, whether that's from someone commenting on your Instagram, a text, or an email. is she was saying, she was like, imagine opening your bedroom door and 50 people walking in and asking you that question or saying how was your day or checking in on you. And like that is incredibly overwhelming. And I totally find that. And I agree everyone's situations are different. But having some you time in the morning to kind of set your intentions for the day, but just be with yourself before you allow access to every before you allow everyone else access to you is like super important to me. One hundred percent. Something else about, you know, running your own business that I think not a lot of people think about is the fact that you then become the face of that business and have not necessarily obligations, but opportunities to do things that like fully wholeheartedly scare you. So one of the examples that comes to mind for me and for you was both of our opportunities to appear on Fox twenty-nine. Coolest thing ever, when you get the opportunity, you're like Hell yes, I actually would not turn this down for the world. But I remember how I felt going on air that morning. I was quite literally about to get sick and I had Jess, my co-founder, sitting right beside me, ready to pick me up if I fell, jump in, if I was stuttering over my words. And then a couple weeks later you go on and you're by yourself. And I remember sending you a text or a voice note, probably a voice note if I know us. It's always a voice note. Just being like, I commend you so much. So I guess my question is I'm so curious. Like, did you have the foresight of all of the things that would come with starting a business, like opportunities to go on Fox Twenty Nine? And how have those felt to you, especially in those really scary moments when you have to do things like that? Yeah. And I commend you, and I watch your clips and they were amazing. But I completely relate to what you're saying. And no, I did not know what it was going to look like. I think that early on I recognized that quote unquote building in public and having a public persona on social media was going to be good for Play Date. And truthfully, that was harder than starting Play Date. Putting yourself out there for to be perceived and to be judged and to be talked about is really, really vulnerable and something that I really does not come naturally to me even a year and a half later of of doing it. but on that mass scale, I my friends afterwards like, you didn't seem nervous. I think that I almost put on a persona. Like I feel like an actress. Like I'm like, this is not me right now. I'm going to do a role or I'm going to do a skit. Like I almost disassociate, which I don't know we like, I don't know if that's good or bad, but I Get out of my own head for that moment and in just someone else. I'm confident. I'm not nervous, but that's not me. but I've gotten honestly really good at becoming that person because of all the opportunities. And like you said, when they hit your inbox, you're never gonna say no. And it's amazing. And I'm so grateful for all of them. But it is definitely something I've had to learn and I've had to get comfortable with. And truthfully, the way I'm doing it right now is kind of stepping out of my body and being like, okay. You are going to go out there and be the most confident person. You're going to go out there and be well spoken. You're not going to be nervous. And then I get off stage and I'm like, my God, like, did I do well? And that's really when all the nerves and everything hits. But it's it a thousand percent has been an adjustment. And I've gotten a lot better at being public facing and public speaking, but naturally I'm pretty shy. I'm pretty reserved. I'm not really the loudest in the room unless it's people I'm really comfortable with. so it has not come naturally to me to say the least. Yeah. Well, I think that's like a very human, honest moment, because again, I think a lot of people sometimes put off or never start things that don't fit into their natural skill set because they think that they can. And like a big example is I really also dislike public speaking, whether it is going on air or like speaking to an audience. And last fall me and Jess did a lot of keynote speaking at high schools and colleges. And I remember doing my first one at Penn State and it wasn't even a big group. It was probably thirty people. I felt like I was gonna be sick, but it really is like once you start doing more of it, you start to gain confidence and trust in yourself that you can overcome those scary emotions and those nerves. And then you kind of recognize that you can do the thing that you thought you never could and you almost envision a world that what if that stopped you from leaving or from like leading your mission or from like, you know, launching the thing that you've always dreamed of. So I think that's really powerful that you kind of are able to overcome that. And even more impressive, like I've heard entertainers say that before, that they like go put on a hat and just like step into this other being. And I'm like, I wish. I haven't been able to do that yet. But I think that is an immense talent. Thank you. It's so crazy to hear I I mean, I think I know this because we're friends, but it's still so crazy for me to hear that like It doesn't come naturally to you because I see all your interviewing clips and I see all the public speaking you're doing and even talking to you right now, I'm like, you know how to lead a conversation. You're so well spoken. So in a way, and like again, I don't know if this is the best thing to say, but in a way it's comforting because it's kind of that reminder that we're all just faking it till we make it and we're all just doing the best we can. And everyone who you think is so confident and so prepared and so self-assured. They're probably not. And they're probably also having self-doubt and struggling. which is a nice reminder sometimes, I think, especially with social media where everything comes across very perfect looking. One hundred percent. I couldn't agree more. What are some of those other opportunities that you've had to lean into that scared you? Like Fox 29, that was one example. And maybe it doesn't have to be like an opportunity that you're gonna be put on, you know, a stage or a pedestal, but like what are other things that you find really hard? For being the founder of Plate. Yeah, absolutely. I think that approaching businesses that looking at me, don't take me seriously, has been something that I've had a lot of mixed emotions with. It makes me angry. It makes me proud that I'm proving them wrong. but it's a lot of work at 25 to get a 50 year old man to take you seriously. and that's definitely something I've struggled with of okay, this this girl with her her app kind of and like being looked down upon or not taken seriously. so I'm really proud of like the professionalism I have and how I've overcome that and also how I've proved these people wrong and how they are now using my app as a resource for their business and we are helping them. But I do think those situations were uncomfortable. It's uncomfortable for me to be assertive. It's uncomfortable for me to be loud, like I said. but they've taught me a lot. They've taught me a lot about how to get my point across, how to get my point across efficiently, effectively, and just really make your voice heard. I Actually, have recognized that about you in small and big ways. I love working alongside you and planning events because I truly love getting a f a front row seat to how you operate. And the fact that you're 25 years old, it's honestly truly amazing. Like because you do stand your ground and you do know how to advocate for plate eight, but you also know how to be open minded and inclusive and respectful. And I've just noticed so many qualities about you. that a founder should have. Like truly, I know Playdate is gonna be successful as long as you're behind it. so I really commend you because you're so new to this and I've recognized like the strides that you've taken and I truly know that you're meant for it. Like honestly. That is it's true so incredibly kind and that's so nice to hear. But I feel like what you've said with being open minded is because the people I surround myself with, like the Only Human Project and like all the other businesses we've partnered with, are people I like look up to and want to learn from. And I think I really go into a room with what can I learn from everyone? What can I leave here having a new perspective on or having a new idea? because this is my first time doing something like this. And while I'm confident, I know there's things I could learn and could improve on. And I do that every day. And that's what makes me feel smart and feel like I'm growing and everything like that. So I definitely love that it comes across that I can hold my ground because I do pride myself on that. But I Even love even more that it comes across that I'm open minded because it's everyone we work with, I work with them for a reason and it's because I can take away something from them. Yeah. Aww, I love that. I would love to switch gears a little bit and maybe speculate on kind of like the notion of human connection and why in this day and age it feels a little bit harder to find genuine connection, especially when everything seems super digital. And I know Playdate is trying to combat that in the best way. but just personally, I would love your opinion on why maybe like making friends and finding community, especially in a big city in maybe your 20s or your early 30s, feels so difficult. It does. It feels so difficult. I think that we all kind of have this like false reality that when we're scrolling, that we're with our friends almost. Which is kind of scary to say. And it Is that parasocial relationship? But if I'm listening to a podcast and it's a podcast that I've listened to for three plus years, when they're talking, when the host is talking about their day and their weekend, it's almost like I'm talking to a friend. And I think that we kind of have gone too far in that direction, where we have too much access to people like that and not enough human connection where we're actually have having a conversation that's back and forth and you're sharing about yourself. I yeah, it it really scares me, honestly. And like there's nothing online that compares to getting in person and talking with people. And I will say like something I always say about PlayDate, especially far all the vents that are on there, but the events we host, I always say, if you signed up for this, you came with the purpose of meeting other people. And it kind of just breaks down that barrier and it's less intimidating to go up to someone. rather than just at your normal yoga class, someone could be there and have to run to their night shift or someone could be there and have to get home to their baby. So maybe you say hi and they say hi really quickly and it's not really a a vibe and then you are like, my God, I'm never doing that again. But when you come to pretty much any event, but I always like focus on the play date events, when you come to the play date workout event and you come Because it's a free event with a social hour after, you come with the intention of meeting new people and talking to new people. and I really would say like events are so great for that because you can go to something you're already doing, something a hobby you already love, a place, a space where you're already comfortable, but you know everyone in the space that day is there with the intention of making friends. I love that because I do feel like kind of like you mentioned, when you show up somewhere. especially alone, you almost feel like out of place or like weird for going with the intention of wanting connection and making friendships. But again, I feel like at a play date event or an event found on playdate, it is assumed that everyone's in the same boat. So it's so much easier to walk into that room. and so yeah, I love that. I feel like we've witnessed firsthand a lot of friendships being made at our own events, which we'll talk about in a couple minutes. But it really is the most fulfilling thing. And I think it's also important just to recognize how you feel when you leave a human interaction social setting. Yes, you might be a little bit more drained than had you been getting some like social connection via social media or a podcast. However, it's like in the best way. Like if you're an introvert, you might feel more physically tired. But I don't think anybody would be, you know. you know, lying if they were like, but I didn't feel more connected and fulfilled in like a great way. And so I think that alone is like a telltale sign of like really what we are missing when we forgo those in person moments for just like that quick social media fix. Thousand percent. I think it's really hard. I mean, we're all so busy. Yeah. Mm money is tight, time is tight. It's it's really hard. And I have at certain points in my life found myself slipping back into like, I I just want to stay home and scroll and I don't want to do things. and then anytime I do go, I go to the event, I come home like so talkative and so happy and I'm looking up something because someone mentioned an article they read or someone mentioned a podcast they listened to. And I just come back always feeling creative and social and energized. And it's It's a good reminder because even me who has an event social media app who sees thousands and thousands of events a day and gets online every day and preaches to go to events. Sometimes I need that reminder of like, yes, you're tired after work, but if you sit here and scroll, you're still going to be tired. If you go out and talk to people, yeah, you're going to be tired when you get home, but you're also going to be motivated. You're also going to feel creative. You're also going to make a new friend potentially. You're also going to pick up a new hobby. So I think pushing ourselves outside of that comfort zone and accepting, okay, maybe this isn't the easy thing to do, but in the long run, this is what's gonna make me feel better. Yeah. And I think everybody has a different threshold like than, you know, an introvert versus an extrovert. It might look like somebody pushing themselves out of their comfort zone once every two weeks and going out to that social outing, and that's enough, right? For somebody else, it might look like going to three or four events or social outings per week. And so I think everybody is just a little bit different in terms of like their capacity. but I totally agree. I always find myself pushing myself to go because I know I'll be happy that I did. But it's almost like we said, sometimes starting is the hardest part. Totally. Getting yourself out the door is the hardest part. Same thing with like exercise, going to the gym, going for a run. Nobody ever feels like going when they're on their way. But you're always so much better. And so I feel like sometimes it's having the foresight of like what is gonna make me feel better, more connected. I think as a society, we've gotten away from doing the hard things because we're like really looking for that instant gratification of what's gonna make me feel good now. We've lost the ability to, you know, really get in tune with what's gonna make me feel better later and really provide like a full, fulfilling life. I totally agree. I think we all have to learn to be uncomfortable and know that's when we grow. Yeah. So through Playdate, you've obviously had the opportunity to really bring a lot of people together. I'm just really curious, like, have you been surprised by what people are looking for, like outside of just social connection? Do you find that certain events are performing better than others? Certain features on the app are being used more than others. Yeah. I will say that when I was building it, I really truthfully came at it with my own perspective of someone who Had friends here, but just wanted a bigger circle, both socially and for things to do and places to go. But I have met so many people throughout this process who have moved to a new city, whether or not it's they just got a new job and they know no one here, or their husband got transferred for work and they're here. Whatever the reason is, I have like I feel like every time I go to these events, I'm talking to people who are in. such a more uncomfortable situation than I was. And hearing them use Playdate as a resource has been by far the most like rewarding part because I'm just so in awe of these people because we're here saying it's hard to start and it's hard to go out there and it's hard to go to an event. And imagine when I meet someone who's from Italy and moved here a year ago knowing no one for grad school and she's at the event. And it just is so motivating to me. And So impressive. And it just makes me want Playdate to be an even better resource for them. And I feel so honored that like something I built is helping people find community. Like that is literally all I could ever ask for. And whether or not anything changes with Playdate, like that is so fulfilling in and of itself. but yeah, it's been amazing. I will say the wellness kick, everyone's on it. The wellness events, I mean, I know you guys post your events and those like I I would see had like 15 saves on every event. but yeah, everyone's doing a sculpt and like socialize and a a themed Pilates event, which we love. Way to be social and healthy. a lot of arts and crafts events as well, which I love. I feel like it's a lot of people picking up like hobbies that they've always wanted to do, whether that's a pottery making class or like a sip and paint or paint your partner, like really just fun things that aren't going and spending $40 at dinner. might as well spend forty dollars at make a mug at a pottery class. so yeah, that is like but then again, we see every type of events, type of events that I didn't even know were being hosted or people were going to. And I'm like, I love this. And I love that these people who have a niche interest are finding other people with this interest on my app. Yeah, that is so sweet. And I do feel like people in general are just craving doing things again off of the screen and like with their hands and using their creativity. obviously wellness, that trend I feel like is here to stay. But yeah, I do also feel like I see a lot of people leaning into things like pottery, like you said, and it is just so refreshing because I do think using that part of your brain is so important because the rest of our day spent at work, it's like a very niche skill set and I think we need to allow time just to kind of let our imagination, you know, run a little wild and just tap into like a different part of our brain. I love it. I've been seeing people in like connecting with your inner child or we have all these adult ballet classes right now that are literally like selling out in like two hours of being on plate. It's so crazy. But all these hobbies and dreams and when you were young, you were like, I'm gonna be a ballerina and then it's now you're twenty five and you've never done ballet. It's like, why not? Why don't I go to a ballet class or why don't I try this pottery making class that 'cause I've always wanted to. So yeah, I I love it. I it's inspiring for me, honestly. And it's like there's there's so much more to learn and do and every day you could you could do something different. It's the willingness to become a novice again. And me and Jess just talked about this last episode because she just had her like first week at work and she basically switched industries. Like she's still in like healthcare and like kind of working for a hospital, but she's no longer you know, that ER nurse that she once was. And so she's learning a lot of new things. And we've really just talked about how hard it is to try something new. And that could be whether professional or even something as simple as a hobby. and I think now more than ever people are willing to try and not be good at something and maybe look silly or put themselves out there at a risk of, you know, feeling that sense of failure. Because they know it's it's fleeting and it's also not that serious. So I love that you're also finding that people are leaning into things like that on the app. Thousand percent. I feel like it's kind of the tides changing with social media in general. I think everything used to be like saturation up, filter on on Instagram, like perfect aesthetic, clean girl aesthetic day in my life. And at least for me, I've been seeing a lot more like realistic day in my life or what I'm doing to avoid burnout or a new hobby I'm picking up. And it's been really nice to see that it's okay to not have everything put together. That at twenty five you're gonna reinvent yourself, you're gonna fail, you're gonna laugh, you're gonna learn, and it's all a part of the journey rather than just I have this routine and this is what I'm good at and this is what I do and this is my life. Like, no, life changes and that's where you grow and that's where you learn. That's always been my most exciting but comforting thought. Like literally every day is a new day to try something new to be somebody different, like to reinvent yourself to become the person you've always wanted to be. You're never stuck in a situation and like I feel very passionate about that and like just really making sure the people in my life understand that. Like you can do and you can be whatever you want. And it's never too late. and it's not reserved for anyone special. It can be you. So Yeah. I love that. When you look into the future of Plate, what are like your biggest hopes? Are there plans to expand in other cities? Like kind of what's on the horizon in the dream list? Yes. Like I said, what started out as a passion project has turned into a business, which has been so crazy and such a learning curve. And honestly, probably the scariest part because when there's money involved and other people involved. It's a lot scarier. That being said, I am more motivated than ever to grow Plate 8. we do have plans to expand to other cities that will be coming soon. we have some plans to maybe bring some other people on. We just onboarded our first intern who is doing amazing and it's been amazing to learn how to be a boss and also how to relinquish some responsibilities. but yeah, I I see it being the app that people go to to find things to do regardless of where they are. And I don't think that's gonna happen this year or the year after that, but I think that it's going to. And that's something I felt very confident of and confident saying since the beginning. and I know that we will do whatever it takes to get there. I love that mentality. You really do hear people say, like if you are unwilling to fail. You just won't. And it really feels like you have that mindset that you'll do whatever it takes to scale this thing into what you know it could be, especially in a world that needs it more than ever. So I love that. Thank you. Yeah. Just a couple more questions for you. I always love to kind of bring in like the humanity of where we might still be figuring something out or feeling only human. So what is something in your season of life right now that you really are still figuring it out? I would say the business side of Playdate, it has been incredibly intimidating. And truthfully, it's something I've put off because I thought that everyone who was doing this kind of got a playbook. I was like, well, I didn't get the playbook. Like I don't have parents that gave me the playbook or I don't have the resources. And it was so scary to me. It was like a club I wasn't let into when it comes to funding or when it comes to investors or whatever it is. I was I was very intimidated. and like we said, starting is the hardest part. And I got over that kind of recently, which I'm very happy to say. And I'm diving headfirst into it. And it really is like I'm I'm a novice. I'm I'm a beginner. I don't know anything, truthfully, but learning and waking up every day feeling like I know more than I did the day before is incredibly exciting. And I'm really, really glad I had that shift of okay, I don't know it now, but I could know it tomorrow rather than I don't know it and I'm too scared to learn it, or I'm just too intimidated by it. So that's definitely where I'm struggling. It's hard to go into meetings knowing that I am the one with the least experience, the least education, the least l like number of years on this earth. It's it's intimidating, but Again, I always try and keep that mindset of if I'm in the room, I deserve to be in the room and I'm gonna learn from the people in the room. And yeah, that's that's really what I'm taking with me, I guess, this season, and really just head down learning how to grow a business. Yeah, I do love that. And I don't really think anyone would expect you at age twenty-five, you know, Like a year into this thing, like I don't think anybody would expect you to arrive at the call with all the answers. And I would imagine it's kind of a balancing act of fake it till you make it, like being confident and sure of yourself in some aspects, maybe when you're talking about play date and the dreams that you have. But then there's also an element of, you know, really leaning into your only human side and acknowledging up front where that's not your wheelhouse, where you feel a little bit of discomfort. I feel like it's probably like a little push and pull to kind of set those expectations because I often find that when you really allow people to see where you're at, they're more willing to meet you there. and that's almost like a very comforting feeling that you don't have to like wear this mask or like really try to sell this facade. You could just be you and acknowledge up front kind of how you feel and like what you know and what you don't know. I could not agree more. I think vulnerability is a superpower, being able to stand there and say, I don't know, or I'm sorry, I messed up. I think that is like the best quality someone could have. And it's something that I really pride myself on of I don't want to be a know at all. I don't I don't have all the answers. And yes, while in the world of business, you do need to know some things and fake it until you make it. I think there is something so raw and human about. Saying, hey, can you explain that? I didn't necessarily understand. Or this is my first time hearing this term. Could you explain what that means? And also as like a little bit of a a business look at it, like people like to feel smart and people like to feel valued and like they know something. And kind of asking them always always makes them feel good. People like to talk about themselves and people like to show off their knowledge as well. It's a win-win. You stroke their ego. They give you the information that you need. You're like, I now feel smarter. So do you. Exactly. so we usually wrap up our podcasts, at least in season three. This is something new, but we really just end with an intention we're carrying into the week ahead. I actually didn't even pre-think of one, but to give people a little bit of context who might be listening, this is coming out Monday morning. We are recording the Thursday before. and we have something exciting on Sunday. We have our last Sunday social. So if you have an intention prepared, I'll let you go first. If not, I will go off the cuff because mine will probably be related to the Sunday social. Mine was if you're in the room, you're meant to be in the room. to just feel confident and kind of don't have that imposter syndrome. And everywhere you get invited, you got invited for a reason and you're supposed to be there. So I think that's what I'm trying to carry into this week and not no self-doubt, no saying, why me? or I'm not the smart enough to be in this room. No. If you're if you're in the room, you deserve to be in the room. I love that. And it couldn't be more true. I would say my intention is probably, like I said, on the back of the Sunday social, which is every month we host one little community walk, I guess we'll say in the spring, summer, and fall, because this October month it's our last Sunday social of the season. Or of the year, I guess I should say, of twenty twenty six, which is sad. But it's been really fulfilling and it just proves to me time and time again how something as simple as a free walk where we all meet in one place, written house square, ten thirty AM, take a little walk, end at a cafe with some vendors. Like it's such a simple concept, but we've really seen the impact that it has. and so I would probably want to carry that intention and that energy in To my week because I often find myself, as we kind of talked about a couple minutes ago, just like shying away from that social interaction because I do identify as a homebody and an introvert, but it's not until after I've had it that I really am so grateful that I went. So not only on a big scale like the Sunday Social, but also on a smaller scale, getting coffee with a friend, going out to dinner, even if I feel a little bit tired. I want to kind of challenge myself to do the thing that I know I'll be happy that I did. I love that. Also, You can totally cut this, but I'm so grateful that we started the Sunday social, literally thinking about that. This is our last one of the years. Thinking about our first one of this year, where we were looking around and we're like, are people coming? Are like and we don't think people did come that first. No, not at all. And I'm proud of how we made the most of that one, but then also pivoted and made it better. And Seeing that we have over 200 people RCP'd for Sunday, just I know it's gonna be really special. And I'm so glad we've gotten to grow together and build this together. And seeing that it's like a real event that is connecting people and people are making friends from it is is so cool. And I couldn't have done it without you guys. And I'm so grateful that we've gotten to go on this journey this year together. no, I literally couldn't agree more. And I've loved like getting to know you personally alongside working with you professionally. But I do feel like there was such a natural like synchronicity between Play Day and Only Human, which is why when we like talked about having you as a guest on the podcast, we had to do it because I do just feel like there is a lot of overlap, not only in our missions, but also in our communities. and so I'm equally grateful and thank you for coming on. I loved this episode. Thank you for having me. This was so fun. I'm so grateful. Thank you so much. And it's amazing what you and Jess are doing. likewise. I know Playdate's gonna just go to the moon and I can't wait to watch that happen. So Thank you. Sasha. Bye. Bye.