A revealing chat with the creator of Grunkle
Grunkle is a pioneer in the groundbreaking new trend sweeping social media where users can send pre-selected one-word messages to each other. CEO Grant White describes it as a "funkier, more diverse" version of the popular app "Yo".
"Yeah, 'Yo' was great," concedes White. "But compare it to Grunkle. With Grunkle, you can send five different words, not just one."
Grunkle users can indeed select from a list of five words: Wibbly, Bundle, Foonf, Plek, and, of course, Grunkle.
How were these words selected? White laughs. "I know, right? It's so random, it's so great. It's a real game changer."
Despite securing $23 million in funding, some have criticized Grunkle for being "a useless piece of crap" (David Pogue, The New York Times), while others posit that the app "[has] no value of any kind whatsoever" (Medium; Gizmodo). However, White is confident that Grunkle is the next major stride in social media and has designs on using his success to help out struggling startups. "We're going to use this platform as a force for good," he confides.
White's most recent investment is with a dedicated communication app called Instant Messaging. "I met with the guys a couple years ago, and they pitched me their idea. Let me tell you, I kicked myself for not thinking this one up myself. It's genuinely going to revolutionize the way we communicate."
Founder Branson Furby takes credit for Instant Messaging's name, explaining that the goal was simply to achieve the same kind of catchiness that rocketed companies like Snapchat - Instant Messaging's top competitor - to the big leagues. "I said to myself, OK, let's break things down a little. Get back to basics. You've got this name, "Snapchat." What does it really mean? Well, you've got "snap". And you've got "chat". Another word for snap? Instant! Another word for chat? Ha-ha, I think you know where I'm going with this."
According to White, Instant Messaging, unlike Snapchat, can be used directly from the desktop. And they've forgone the 140 character limit that plagues Twitter users. "Instant Messaging is the future," says White. "And Grunkle is leading the way."
White admits that he lets his values influence the way he runs his company.
"We're about inclusion. That's why we've made it easy to become part of the Grunkle community. We've got positions open for Grunkle Ambassadors. You don't get paid, but you can definitely help promote our brand. You can even host your own GrunkUps - meet-ups just for Grunkle enthusiasts to share their stories, exchange Grunkles, and have a great time."
Interested in working for Grunkle as a paid employee? White grins. "We've got cold-pressed juice."
When asked what he believes it will take to mitigate the pervasive lack of diversity in the tech community, White gives a knowing nod. "Disruption! Innovation!" He pauses, then adds, "We're just a small, passionate team."
"Grunkle is bringing people closer together," explains White. "And really, isn't that what it's all about?"
Chaunch Underarm is a tech-blogger. Catch one of his Yolo Tech Talks at Hustle Con this May.
Comments on the article? Shoot Chaunch a Grunkle at @grunklin_chaunch.