Georgia Messinger & Ari Sokolov
Co-Founders of Trill
Acquired by Blue Fever
“There have been moments where we struggled, burnt out and experienced imposter syndrome, but if you have a team that supports you, those days feel small against the good days when you’re feeling good about the product you’ve put out.”
Tell our readers a little about your journey and how you've gotten to where you are today?
Ari: We started Trill because a good friend of ours who is bisexual was having a tough time coming out. She talked to us about [how she navigated this experience], and about the people in our community who were either accepting or struggled with accepting how she identified. We recognized a huge need for LGBTQ+ students and youth who needed a place and space where they could be their [authentic] selves. So, we decided to design an app, Trill, to serve LGBTQ+ teens. Within one month, we had 15,000+ beta testers sign up. What began as a passion project evolved into an app that suddenly had this large following of LGBTQ+ teens. We were able to secure funding alongside our original founding team of five. Georgia and I stayed on as we went on to college and we were able to grow the platform and launch publicly from the app store.
What motivated you to see Trill through?
Ari: I always found that side projects were a part of my life and it felt natural to continue to work on [Trill] even while going to college.
Georgia: We had this community and it was super energizing. People were and are using [Trill], and enjoying it. How could we stop? It’s been super rewarding and we were having a great time getting to build a business and even bringing on professors to become advisors.
How do you think users viewed Trill, particularly during the pandemic?
Ari: For high school and college seniors, not being able to graduate in person - a defining marker in a student’s life - was tough. [And in instances where students had to return home], some did not have welcoming home environments but they had no other choice [than to return home]. This was particularly hard for LGBTQ+ youth who were not accepted and it led many to feel isolated. Trill fostered community.
Tell us about what you’ve coined as “Emotional Media”.
Georgia: Social media is about making people feel addicted to their phones and there’s a lot of social comparison associated with that. Social media can be toxic. Emotional media takes parts of social media but gets rid of parts we don’t love. It’s about prioritizing user feelings and putting the user at the forefront through an empathetic user design approach. Basically, we think that in creating something new - what we’re hoping to do with Blue Fever - requires its own industry.
Yes, in Fall 2021 Trill was acquired by Blue Fever. Tell us a little about that.
Georgia: At the end of summer 2019, we paused and began to consider potential homes for our users. There were some non-negotiables we had and wanted to make sure there was a mission fit [with any potential buyer]. We wanted a buyer that prioritized the same things as us, who value privacy and focus on emotional well being and mental health. Some of the barriers that Ari and I had faced to pursue an acquisition while we were active students on campus, were nonissues during the beginnings of the pandemic. We were back at home, stationary. So we leaned into [a potential deal] in 2020. Through a mutual contact, we were introduced to the CEO of Blue Fever, Greta McAnany, and began to engage in February 2021.
What piece of advice do you have for others who may be interested in entrepreneurship?
Ari: Find something you’re passionate about. Make sure it’s a problem statement that resonates with you and that it’s something that you want to do and are excited to do; an idea that energizes you. Also, find a team that will support you. Some people can be solo founders but I wouldn’t have found as much success, so find a team that will complement your skillset and can go on this [startup] journey with you. There have been moments where we struggled, burnt out and experienced imposter syndrome, but if you have a team that supports you, those days feel small against the good days when you’re feeling good about the product you’ve put out. And finally, don’t get intimidated. We’ve learned so much about entrepreneurship and I highly recommend it.
What’s the most important business or general life discovery you’ve made in the past year?
Georgia: Take care of yourself along the way. We’ve been through a traumatic [pandemic] period so you need rest and re-charge. And also, know that really anything is possible. I never thought we would’ve gotten to the point we did. It all starts with believing.
RAPID ROUND
What's one thing we wouldn't know about you based on your LinkedIn profile?
Georgia: I belong to a family of eight. Family is super important to me.
Ari: I like a lot of design work in addition to being technical. And I’ve become really interested in Formula One racing.
If you could write a book, what would it be about and what would the title be?
Georgia: Messi: Untold Stories
Ari: It’s Logical Nonsense
What word can you not get enough of?
Georgia: Cozy.
Ari: Authenticity.
What's your favorite place in the world?
Georgia: Greece.
Ari: L.A..
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This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
