Found and Blackbird

I have told this story countless times, but for those who do not know, I was obsessed with Curbed, Eater, and Racked in 2005. I would read the constant flow of aggregated information and reviews a few times daily. It was the start of how reading content changed.

Ben Leventhal and Lockhart Steele met through this venture. I sought out Lockhart when I discovered they were seeking to raise capital. I put in cash and sat on the board, and these brilliant men have remained an essential part of my life.

We sold Curbed Media to Vox, which was a big win for everyone. Brad, who sat on the board of Curbed, has been a major part of this journey) realized he wanted to build something again, and decided to lean into Inman. He asked me and Lock to sit on the board, and then brought on Josh Albertson (key player and President of Curbed), to become the CEO of Inman News. The gang is back together for a few years before Inman was sold.

Found had been rambling around Lock and Josh’s brain for a while, mine and Brad’s too, as we continued to think about the food, real estate, and fashion content for this generation. It has grown into multiple cities, soon Paris and London too. We had a board meeting last week (the band is still together) and it is exciting to watch the company grow. Lock and Josh are seasoned entrepreneurs who understand how to build without blowing through capital. What a concept!

Ben went on to build Resy, a company I should have invested in, but the valuation was ridiculous. Fast forward, Ben sells Resy to AMEX, and another win for the original team. Ben is on the next entrepreneurial venture, where he has built Blackbird. This time, I put in some cash and in full transparency Fred led the deal.

Blackbird is the right platform at the right time. Many people tried doing this years ago, but it was too early. Get Blackbird on your phone, and each time you check into a restaurant use the app, and you will accumulate $FLY points (rewards). Think of this as redeemable airline points.

Last night, I used Blackbird to check in and told the server that I was going to pay with Blackbird. When our meal was done, we did not have to wait for a bill; we could say thank you and leave. It is game-changing. I want to do this at every restaurant we go to. We can track the places, earn $FLY, and makes us a loyal customer. Win.

It is exciting to watch Ben and Lock grow as entrepreneurs. I have known them both since they were single, and now both are married with two kids. I am fortunate to be part of their journey. Sign up for Blackbird and Found, you will not be disappointed.