There’s no way around it. Startup culture is by far the strangest culture out there.

We’re in the process of hiring another programmer. The other day, my boss and I were talking about general logistics, because in addition to managing our marketing and HR, I’m also our office administrator. Kind of. But I asked him if we should order another desk, since we only have enough for our current employee count. He said we should wait until we actually hire someone, because even though we have a vacant office, there’s a very real possibility we’ll move offices or get bought out before we hire on any more employees, and it’d be too much of a pain to move yet another desk. But I should check the price and sellers of our current desk model and bookmark the page, just in case.

If you’ve never heard the word “startup” before, that’s it. That’s all you have to know. Everything is always iffy, and you always need to be prepared for every possible outcome. For a new social media app in Silicon Valley, that means a TON of trial and error. We need to stay on top of social media trends so we don’t get swallowed up by the big companies, but we also need to stand out enough so we don’t fade into the “I don’t need another…” abyss. But we can’t stand out too much, or people will avoid us because we’re too new and unfamiliar. It’s complicated.

Our founder and CEO, Balaji Krishnan, always says we need to fail fast. We need to brainstorm new ideas, pick one or two that are actually viable, and test them immediately. If they work, great! If people hate the new feature, we delete the code and start over. At least then we know what not to do, and we’re a step closer to heading in the right direction. “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” -Thomas Edison

Everyone in Silicon Valley has a startup, works for a startup, has worked for a startup in the past, knows someone who works for a startup, has had an idea for a startup, works for a startup that analyzes other startups… The list is endless. And within each degree of startup knowledge, there’s a separate scale to measure just how involved you are. Not to mention, everyone always asks you if you’re a co-founder, and it’s expected that you’re living off of pennies for the first few years. In the case of a pre-release “We just had the idea yesterday!” stage startup, there’s a good chance you’re putting your life savings into your fetus of a company, without cutting a paycheck.

Everyone is curious about where your funding is coming from, how many employees you have, and if you’re still “working from home” or if you’ve moved into an office space. And even though you might operate under an official job title, you never have just one job. There’s a general understanding that anyone involved in a startup wears multiple hats. You have your main title, pertaining to 50–75% of your day. But you also have a handful of sub-titles along for the ride, because hiring a different person to do each job is just ridiculous.

The way I see it, there are three different job positions available. There’s the founder/CEO (as well as any co-founders), the specialty skill employees (such as our programmers and UI/UX designers), and the miscellaneous (marketing, brand ambassadors, etc.) that pick up the slack. For example, if we hired a separate HR rep, they’d have about an hour’s worth of work to do each day, if that. So as needed, I, the marketing rep, will review resumés and conduct phone interviews. In addition, we needed some whiteboards hung today, but none of us had the time to do it ourselves. So I, the marketing and HR rep, called the handyman who’s currently in my office, drilling holes in the wall behind me. Even the specialty skill employees have miscellaneous bits along for the ride. My dad is a mechanical engineer for a solar startup, but spends half of his time in the lab working on their tool.

Startups are just baby companies, in an all-too-literal sense. It’s like you’re trying to shove different shapes through their corresponding holes faster and more successfully than the guy next to you, and all you can do is hope you’re not that one kid who keeps trying to force the triangle through the square hole, convinced that one of these days, it’ll work. But the least you can do is flail around to a good playlist, right? Studies show listening to music while working increases productivity. Coincidentally, DabKick’s featured playlist this week is our “Tune Into Work” playlist, now in editor’s picks. Happy flailing!

Lord knows I do.

But we’ve all been that forced listener. You’re a verse and a chorus into the song, and your friend is peering into your soul with a look so ecstatic that you think for a second this could possibly be the best moment of their life. But you feel awkward and uncomfortable because no one’s spoken in a minute and a half, and the silence is weirding you out. You want to start talking about something, whether it’s the song or the weather or literally anything else to fill the void, but you don’t want to insult your friend. So you mumble a little about how you like the bass line on the second verse, stay quiet for the bridge so you respect every new and unshared part of the song, and wait it out until they repeat the chorus into a fade. Then you force out something about how you like the band and you’ll look into them later, and go back to whatever you were doing earlier.

On the other hand, we’ve all been that ecstatic friend. We’ve all heard a song that completely rearranges how we perceive life, and feel this weird, inexplicable calling to share it with the world. But no one seems to care, and all you can do is shush them, reassuring that “No wait it gets better!”

Wouldn’t it be so much easier if we could cut out all the awkward social formalities that we all ignore anyway?

(Buckle up, it’s shameless self-plug time.)

Coincidentally, DabKick does just that. You’re driving to school, or you’re walking your dog, or doing whatever other mundane thing you do when you listen to music. Suddenly, that life-altering, soul-changing song comes on, and you can’t help but share it with the last fifty people you’ve spoken to. Forget Facebook, no one listens to the whole song anyway. And Instagram limits you to maybe one verse and the first sentence of the chorus, on a good day. But then there’s DabKick. Three button-taps later, and you and your friends are all listening together, in real time. No one’s talking through your favorite part. (And if they do, you can’t hear them anyway, so it doesn’t even matter.) If they want to go back and listen to the second verse again, they can. And it won’t even disrupt what part of the song you’re listening to on your end. You also kill like 20 birds with one stone (or however many friends you share the song with, I guess). So you can finally say goodbye to individually convincing each friend to listen to this universe-halting song. You don’t even have to use words! All you do is send them a “listen with friends” request, straight from the playhead on your phone. So simple it hurts.

So get out there and share to your heart’s content! What’s stopping you?

It’s finally summer! School’s out, the days are longer, and barbecue competitions are finally a regular occurrence again. But is all that rest and relaxation slowing you down?

Let me guess. On a typical summer Saturday, you can be found outdoors, drink in hand, and falling asleep (if you aren’t already). Or maybe that’s just me. This summer, why not try something different? By all means, keep napping. But isn’t it time to spice things up a bit? Much like my traffic epiphany, I realized that summer is home to some really great activities that I’m allowing to fly right by me. So I made a list of summer possibilities. And while there’s no way I’ll have the time to do all of them this year, I’ve vowed to (eventually — Lazy’s the name, procrastination’s the game.) dub three of them as my “Summer Resolutions”.

Learn a new recipe every week. I am the recipe-recycling champ. On occasion, I’ll make the effort to recreate some Tasty masterpiece, and then watch as it fades back into the colorful, eye-catching abyss. But this summer, I vow to learn a new recipe every weekend. (And not just the 5-minute “Check out this newish way to mix fruit with alcohol!” clickbait. Let’s be honest, they’re never new.) I promise to add one new real food item to my recipe repertoire once a weekend until pumpkin-everything returns.

I vow to pick a hobby and stick with it. We’ve all been there. Holding onto a hobby is harder than solving a problem like Maria. Personally, I’ve become really mediocre at a pretty lengthy list of miscellaneous things. The flute I played in middle school is collecting dust somewhere at home. I took a handful of art classes when I was young, but stopped around the same time I picked up piano again, for the third time. I took up crocheting, put it down, took it back up, put it down again, took it back up again… It’s a vicious cycle that’s entirely attributed to my own lethargy. But for the next 3 months, I promise to pick something up, and really stick with it. I just have to figure out what it is… Any ideas?

I’ll finally start working out! …Maybe. I have always loathed working out. I’ve never once set foot inside a gym, and I plan to keep it that way. But there’s never a bad time to finally set up that Nike+ Training Club app I downloaded over a year ago and never opened, right? Or maybe I’ll join one of those zumba classes.

Learn a language! Copypasta from my commute-optimization post, I know. (It’s mostly just to remind myself that I still haven’t taken advantage of my own good idea.) But there’s never a bad time to learn a language! All you need is 10 minutes of free time every day. Studies show that prolonged sitting is lowkey dangerous, and that you should get up and walk around for 5–10 minutes every hour. Why not use those breaths of fresh air to level up on Duolingo?

I will 100% finish a book, cover-to-cover. Much like keeping a hobby, I hold the gold medal for number of unfinished books. I’ll pick up a classicthat I’ve always wanted to read, make it about halfway through, and put it down forever. Most of the time, there’s no real reason for it. I love reading, but life happens, and it’s very easy to put down a book and forget about it. But this summer, I vow to really make time for books. Suggestions?

Go outside! Yes, I love hiking. But my bed holds a very special place in my heart, and we all know going outside sucks when it’s 95 degrees on a good day. But A/C is expensive, and Netflix isn’t going anywhere. So why not leave the house every now and then? Literally anything you could do indoors is made exponentially better when you go outside. Boring old indoors lunch? Picnic. Regular sleeping? Camping. Spin class? Ride a bike. Staph-infected public pool? Ocean, lake, river, pond, creek…

Pinterest party, anyone? Okay. I’ll admit, I don’t actually have a Pinterest account. But, much like any other millennial, I have this weird obsession with crafting. Why buy a $15 desktop organizer when I could make my own for $50, right? That being said, I’ve accumulated quite the bookmarks folder of “I’ll get to these eventually…” DIY projects. My mission, should I choose to accept, is to organize them, figure out which ones I can actually achieve (without breaking the bank), and knock them off the list one by one.

Spend the weekends volunteering. Like I said before, Netflix isn’t going anywhere, and tons of organizations rely on volunteer help. YMCA, soup kitchens, retirement homes and assisted living centers, community cleanup initiatives, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition… Why not trade some of that “How many 40-minute episodes can I cram into 20 minutes?” for “How many awful camp songs can I teach these kids today?”

Start a book club! I know I already talked about reading in #5, but what better way to keep up than with a pacing partner? And the more the merrier, right? The only challenge is finding a group of friends who’ll agree on a book. Or agree to read, in general. Apparently, the cool new thing is to hate reading. Any takers?

I will finally become good at nail art. Self explanatory. I am very, very bad at painting my nails, but I hate getting my nails done. And so here we are.

Now all that’s left to do is choose! …tomorrow. Until then, it’s time to put on my favorite DabKick playlist (My current favorite is our Tune Into Work playlist in editor’s picks!), and pretend my hypocritical napping schedule isn’t problematic.

If you have any suggestions, I left something off of the list, or you just want to say hi, shoot me an email ([email protected]) with “Summer Resolution!” as the subject!

Everyone’s expected to be on social media nowadays, even businesses. If you’re not active on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, you’re considered “unreachable”; never mind the fact that you’re probably reading this post on your smartphone.

Social media is how we stay busy. Its how we occupy ourselves on public transit, keep up with our favorite celebrities, and discuss the political issues we do and don’t support. It’s how businesses create a tangible community for their consumers, and broadcast new information about their products. Some people have even come up with special organizational tools so you can post to multiple platforms at specific times of the day, when most of your followers are online. It’s even how some people make a living. But is there a such thing as “too much social media”?

Every new fad comes with a few negativities, that’s just how it is. Everything in moderation, right? With social media, there are the obvious detriments, like cyberbullying, decreased productivity, and low self-esteem. But did you know that the color blue can keep you up at night? Studies show that blue light, or even just seeing the color (think Facebook), keeps the mind active. So maybe checking Twitter right before bed isn’t the best idea after all.

Social media also gives us a false sense of connection. You might not be actively communicating with that old college buddy you friended five years ago and still haven’t actually talked to, but at least you “liked” that they went to that art and wine festival last weekend, right? And speaking of food, social media can also alter your appetite. Looking at “food porn” has the same effect as going to a grocery store on an empty stomach.

Even businesses are feeling the negative effects of social media. There’s a healthy balance when it comes to creating a community for your users and fans to congregate; but too much all at once can actually drive consumers away.

Don’t get me wrong, there are some really great benefits to being active on social media. What better way to let your family know you’re still alive and well (when you drop off the face of the earth three weeks into college) than by starting a blog? And we all know there’s no better place to find new and creative recipes than Buzzfeed. But the next time you decide to spend your Saturday aimlessly scrolling through Facebook, check yourself before you wreck yourself. Instead, pull up your favorite DabKick playlist, go outside, and soak up some vitamin D. The fresh air will do you good.

I live in the Bay Area, and my commute to work is usually around 40 minutes, both ways.

I’ve tried all the tricks in the book to make it shorter. Leaving earlier, leaving later, taking alternate freeways, taking backroads… If anything, these “shortcuts” make my commute even longer. My only real solution is to just grit my teeth and move closer to the office. But I’m a recent college grad, and moving isn’t really a realistic option right now. So, to make my daily 80 minutes of “me time” worth the gas money, I’ve started optimizing my commute so I don’t let that time go to waste. If you’re stuck in the same commuting rut I’m in, here’s a few suggestions on how to utilize that time, based on what I’ve found works for me.

Download an ebook! When was the last time you saw a book title and thought “I really want to read that!” and then never touched it again? Now’s your chance.

Call someone you care about. Chances are they’re stuck in traffic, too. If your car is equipped with one of those handy Bluetooth connection systems, call your mom. Call grandma. Call that college buddy you’ve been meaning to reconnect with.

Learn a language. Come on, we all have that one language we’d love to master. Put those 2 years of high school Spanish to good use! There are tons of language programs out there designed specifically for car use, and come loaded on CDs or MP3 programs.

Exercise! Okay I know it’s a little difficult to do in a car, but have you considered biking to work? You’ll be nice and energized when you reach the office, you don’t need to pay for gas, and that fresh air will do you good. Not to mention, you won’t have to worry about snagging that favorite parking spot.

Practice patience. Easier said than done, I know. But give people the benefit of the doubt. It’ll reduce your stress levels, and make you an overall more positive person. Yes it’s annoying when someone cuts into your lane, but what if they’re driving a hurt friend to the hospital? What if they just got word that their house is on fire? Whatever it is, just take a deep breath, put on your favorite DabKick playlist, roll down the windows, and enjoy yourself. You’re going to be there anyway, so you may as well live in the moment.

The media’s been pretty heavy the last few days, so we figured we’d break up the negativity a bit.

My favorite part is that they literally hang them up to dry. 😍

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