Between 2009 and 2012, Apple iPhones and iPod Touches included a feature called “Send to YouTube” that allowed users to upload videos directly to YouTube from the Photos app. The feature worked… really well. In fact, YouTube reported a 1700% increase in total video uploads during the first half of 2009- crediting that growth to its strong integrative ties to Apple and social networks. However, this two-click upload feature was short-lived when Apple severed ties with YouTube by removing its homegrown app in 2012. While Send to YouTube can be thoroughly analyzed as a milestone on the “frenemy” timeline between Apple and Google, I want to explore a pleasant consequence of this moment. Apple uses the ‘IMG_XXXX’ naming convention for all images and videos captured on iOS devices, where XXXX is a unique sequence number¹. The first image you take is named “IMG_0001”, the second is “IMG_0002” and so on. During the Send to YouTube era of 2009 and 2012, the title of one’s YouTube video was defaulted to this naming convention. Unwitting content creators would then upload their videos on a public site with a barely-searchable name. To this day, there are millions of these videos. Try searching for “IMG_XXXX” on YouTube, replacing “XXXX” with your favorite numbers (I used my birthday, 0416). See what you get! There’s something surreal about these videos that engages you in a way you’ve never felt. None were edited, produced, or paraded for mass viewing. In fact, many were likely uploaded by accident or with a misunderstanding that complete strangers could see it. YouTube automatically removes harmful or violent content, so what remains exists in a unique, almost paradoxical state: forbidden, yet harmless. Putting all this together, searching IMG_XXXX offers the most authentic social feed ever seen on the Internet- in video, no less! While many videos are redundant snippets of a concerts, basketball games, or kids’ recitals, you also get one-of-a-kind videos that provides a glimpse into a complete stranger’s life. You’ll see a tumultuous event that made them, their partner, or their friend say, “hey, let’s record this”. I’d like to show you three of these videos that I found in my search. IMG_0416 (Mar 17, 2015) - 23 views The video shows a woman excitedly unboxing a book she received in the mail. From context clues, she seems to be a wife and mother from Memphis who’s unboxing the first published copy of her book. She thanks the friends, family, and publishers who made this happen. After a quick Google Search, I was able to find the book: A Profit / Prophet to Her Husband: Are you ready to be a wife? The book is meant “to help wives understand who they are and who they were designed to be.” It clocks in at 94 pages and has 30 ratings on Amazon! Go IMG_0416! I don’t care what you’re creating- I’m just a fan of creators. It looks like she kept at it- making a second book in 2020! IMG_0416.MOV (June 24, 2015) - 26 views The video appears to show a woman playing a matching card game that teaches you “the basics of the potash stuff” according to the cameraman. As the woman (who I assume is the cameraman’s supportive mother) flips two matching cards, she reads off the countries who produce the most potash. I honestly didn’t know anything about potash! Turns out that it is a mineral with large amount of potassium, which is helpful as a plant fertilizer. With Canada producing the largest reserves in the world, the vast majority of Canadian potash is found in Saskatchewan. I wonder if this family lives in Canada. Or, if this is just another school project of useless facts… I miss those! IMG_0416 (Feb 8, 2011) - 114 views Let’s end on a fun one. The video shows a young man snorting powdered sugar and dealing with the consequences of it. Given his BU hoodie, Dunkin’ Donuts location, and ironic depiction of drug use, I gotta say this is a VERY Boston video. What’s genuinely heartwarming is the shared laughter between the man, the camerawoman, and the motherly figure leaving Dunkin’. The camerawoman calls her “Myra”, suggesting they all know each other. We have nothing better to do, so we’re snorting powdered sugar captures an essence of suburban America that I’m sure many of us can relate to. Edit: 11/3/24 IMG_0417 (Mar 14, 2014) - 16 views I found this after posting, and it’s just too amazing to not include… a woman filming her partner as he finds out she’s pregnant. Assuming all has gone well, the child is now almost 10 years old. I wonder if the family even knows this video still exists. After posting this on Hackernews, it looks like somebody commented on the video lol. I hope the family receives a notification it and is able to share this with their kid. ¹ Edit: The IMG_XXXX sequence isn’t truly unique—after 10,000 photos, the numbering restarts at IMG_0001 (Source).

I just finished reading The Inner Game of Tennis by Tim Gallwey. Originally published in 1974, the book explores how the thoughts of an athlete affect their game. It’s lauded as being at the forefront of what we now call “sports psychology”. Although my competitive sports days are over, I was still intrigued to read it in context of my current life as a startup professional, rec basketball player, and coach. Here are a few takeaways that I have from the book. To preface, Gallwey talks a lot about Self 1 and Self 2. Put simply, Self 1 is the critical, judgmental voice in your head, while Self 2 is the instinctive, natural self that performs effortlessly when trusted. The goal is to remove Self 1 as much as possible so Self 2 can perform. How to Learn “To Self 2, a picture is worth a thousand words. It learns by watching the actions of others, as well as by performing actions itself… The benefits to your game come not from analyzing the strokes of top players, but from concentrating without thinking and simply letting yourself absorb the images before you.” Gallwey argues that every human is encoded with a natural learning process. This process allows babies to walk long before their parents could explain it to them. The key activity of observing a successful outcome with your eyes, ears, and nose is more effective than any technical explanation. I remember watching countless highlights of Shane Battier and Andre Dawkins as a kid- just trying to imitate their exact basketball shots. I would go as far as to open my mouth and scrunch my eyebrows in the same position as their posters on my wall. No one had to explicitly tell me to jump with my legs, position my hands, and flick my wrist; simply observing Battier and Dawkins taught my Self 2 to do it without me realizing. Relating this to career, it’s important to observe those who you aspire to be. In addition to reading books from those at the top, there’s value in being in the room where it happens. This is one reason young professionals should consider starting at large organizations. At Google, one can see how their Senior Directors react to pain, pleasure, choices, and adversity. Talent rubs off, and proximity to leadership is a great way to become a better professional without needing to take a single note. A good coach will encourage their student to find a mentor whom they can observe. Once the observation period ends, the coach should not ask the student what they observed. That’s that trap of Self 1. Rather, the student should immedaitely act and trust that Self 2’s naturally encoded learning will lead to them success. Thinking While Performing “Before hitting the next set of balls, I asked Joan, ‘This time I want you to focus your mind on the seams of the ball. Don’t think about making contact. In fact, don’t try to hit the ball at all.” It’s happened too many times in my golf game; I’d pick up a new, exciting feeling on the driving range, codify those feelings into rules, then enact those rules on the course… only to disastrous results. Creating rigid, conscious rules is a Self 1 exercise that prevents Self 2 from effortless performance. People often misinterpret “thinking” for “performing”. Thus, if you do not think about your newest backswing, you will not do it. However, if you trust the learning process of observing, feeling, and experiencing, you will build a muscle memory that goes beyond any thought. At the beginning of every spring, I would pick up my clubs and play some golf. I always play well in my first couple rounds. And, it used to piss me off! I would think, wow, I must be really bad at practicing if rusty Ben always plays better than golf-every-day Ben. But, I now realize that “rusty” is a poor word. This version of me doesn’t overthink. It is a version that has had time to hibernate and naturally encode all my greatest golf habits (and forget the others). To keep Self 1 from creeping in, Gallwey suggests focusing on something harmless, like the seams of the ball. This keeps Self 1 occupied and lets Self 2 take control. You’re not thinking about what to do with the seams—you’re just acknowledging them. Calm your mind, trust your body. You’re more talented than you think! Competing Against Others “It is the duty of your opponent to create the greatest possible difficulties for you, just as it is yours to try to create obstacles for him. Only by doing this do you give each other the opportunity to find out to what heights each can rise… Instead of hoping your opponent is going to double-fault, you actually wish that he’ll get it in. This desire helps you achieve a better mental state of returning it.” This is a great way to reframe “challenge” as “opportunity.” Whether you’re competing against another person, the environment (a golf course, the stock market), or yourself, pressure is a privilege. If I see a great tennis player on the other side of the net, I ought to smile, as it’s an opportunity to prove to Self 1 that Self 2 is even more awesome than he thinks! I’ll admit, I’ve lost some of my competitive edge since entering the workforce. My competitors are less often other people and more often internal feelings—fear, change, complacency. But I’m starting to see that competitive joy can still be found in these areas too. When I face a difficult situation at work, it’s an opportunity to improve and sharpen my skills. Judging Yourself “Why shouldn’t a beginning player treat his backhand as a loving mother would her child? The trick is to not identify with the backhand. If you view an erratic backhand as a reflection of who you are, you will be upset. But you are not your backhand any more than a parent is his child… Remember that you are not your tennis game. You are not your body. Trust the body to learn and play, as you worst trust another person to do a job… Let the flower grow.” It’s easy to see performance as a reflection of your character or work ethic. A big part of my personality that I’m working on is how negative outcomes in one area of my life tend to impact others. I’ve heard the saying, “would you talk to a friend that way?” and how I should separate my mistakes from my self-worth as a human. This is essentially Gallwey’s advice, although I found his perspective much more optimistic and constructive. First, one must detach the activity from the human. You are not your tennis game. Once you do that, you can see your game for what it is- a living entity that’s filled with potential, secrets, and passion. Go off and explore! That said, I struggle with this idea when it comes to my career. Perhaps I’m too American, but I find it hard to say, “You are not your career,” and mean it. Since college, I’ve expected that my accomplishments, my friends, the places I’d live, and even the women I’d date would spawn from my career and the experiences within it. I think many young professionals feel the same way. This makes detaching from outcomes difficult, and it’s something I still need to think about.

Two days ago, I decided I want to buy my first house. My goal is to purchase it before the summer of 2025. Why are you buying a house? To make money. I see this as an opportunity in a space that many friends and family consider a safe, high-return bet (if done right). When joining Kibu, I took a pay cut in exchange for higher upside, executive responsibilities, and the opportunity to work on a great mission. That said, it’s time to use the money I’ve saved to explore additional revenue streams. Purchasing a home, making renovations, earning cash flow from renters, and watching the home’s value appreciate could be the revenue stream I’ve been looking for! Where are you buying a house? I will be buying a house in my hometown of Pittsburgh, PA. My parents and sister still live there, and we all have a good sense of the “best spots” in the city. I love Pittsburgh, and I can see myself visiting 2-3 times per year—especially with my recent move to NYC. On top of hometown knowledge, Pittsburgh is one of those “best value” cities, often getting acclaimed as one of the most walkable, affordable cities in America. Although I’ve just begun planning, I could see myself purchasing somewhere near my dad, close to a train line and some nightlife, like Mt. Lebanon, Mt. Washington, or maybe the Southside. Can you afford to buy a house? Anyone who’s debt-free, has good credit (720+), and earns a steady income can buy a house. However, factors like intent, location, and risk tolerance will decide if one can actually afford a house. As I said above, I intend to purchase a house for investment purposes. That means the monthly mortgage and operating expenses must be less than the rent income I intend to receive: Net Cash Flow = Total Rental Income − (Operating Expenses + Mortgage Payments) Additionally, I need to determine if I can afford the house at the time of closing. Generally, a lender requires a down payment of ~20% of the home’s purchase price. However, as a first-time homebuyer, that payment can be considerably lower. An FHA loan could allow for a down payment as low as 3.5%, but that comes with added upfront and monthly premiums known as MIPs (Mortgage Insurance Premiums), which I would essentially treat as added mortgage payments. As a rough estimate, homes in Mt. Lebanon and Mt. Washington range from $200k to $500k. Per advice on YouTube, I intend to speak with a local lender in Pittsburgh, evaluate my financials, and be told exactly what I can afford. Who’s going to help you? As a first-time homebuyer, this one makes me the most nervous. Even as I write this blog and browse Zillow, I get feelings of doubt. I need to find trusted mentors and professionals to guide me down the right path. Mentors My dad: I’ll look to my dad, a 40+ year Pittsburgh homeowner, to help search for neighborhoods. My dad has also mentioned he’d be willing to periodically visit the house after it’s purchased, which is immensely valuable for me as an out-of-state buyer. Friends: I have two friends in mind who can share their homebuyer stories. One of them was in a similar position to mine: a new NYC resident who bought a house in his Texas hometown. Another friend is a serial real estate investor. YouTube and ChatGPT: I will lean on all the internet’s free resources to help me get the dumb questions answered. ChatGPT is a game-changer for answering FAQs, as it can contextualize answers to my situation and provide solicit-free advice. Professionals Lender: A good lender will be responsive, transparent, and have a proven track record in first-time home buying. Agent: A good real estate agent will have similar qualities to the lender, with strong connections to inspectors and contractors. What’s your timeline? (Sep-Oct): Speak with a Pittsburgh-based lender and learn what I can afford. (Oct-Jan): Search for properties on Zillow, Redfin, and Craigslist. Perform back-of-the-napkin math on the mortgage, operating expenses, and estimated rent to determine if the house will be cash flow positive. (Jan-Mar): Visit a couple dozen homes in person. Look for patterns in why homes are valued the way they are. (Feb-Apr): Make offers. (Mar-May): Make home inspections. Use the data to negotiate credits or a reduced price on the home. (May-Jul): Renovate the house. Be onsite as often as possible to ensure work is being done in a timely manner. (Jul-Sep): Look for renters. Take professional pictures of the house and post it on rental sites. Profit??

I had one month to find a place to live in Manhattan. I reached out to friends for tips, and nearly all of them pointed me to StreetEasy, the Zillow-owned NYC real estate search platform. Some of my more Type-A friends gave me extra helpful advice: Narrow your search to 2-4 neighborhoods Understand brokerage fees and factor them into your rent budget Prepare recent pay stubs, bank statements, W2s, and rental history in advance Never turn down an opportunity to view an apartment Download the StreetEasy app, turn on notifications, and check the site early and often. Dozens of listings appear hourly. Every minute counts. Every. Minute. Counts. A Redditor who recently leased their apartment reinforced this in a recent post: Be the first person to inquire. Yes, that sounds insane, because ultimately it’s luck. But it’s very important. The chances of you scheduling a showing or being taken seriously if you’re anyone beyond the 10th person to inquire is extremely unlikely. Which means for the 240 other inquiries I received today, there was no point. Feel free to ask how many other people have inquired. If they tell you “many”, or “we’ve had a lot of response” and they don’t offer a showing time, then just move on. It’s not going to happen. Be that first person for someone else’s listing. The first person to inquire to my listing just happened to be really prepared, very eager and an awesome guy and got the apartment immediately. Another commenter echoed the sentiment: For me, the number one thing is being the first or one of the first to reach out. Last year my wife and I had Streeteasy and Zillow up day and night and would contact via text, phone, and email immediately (though email rarely worked). Let’s call this the First Mover Advantage. Not only is it an established economic term, but it’s also a clever pun on “moving.” And hey, I’m just a wild and funny guy 😜. The problem with StreetEasy’s phone notifications is that they simply don’t give you a First Mover Advantage. They suck. Either I’d see a listing with 40 saves already, or I’d get hit with ones I’d seen multiple times (which I later learned were sponsored content). I wanted a notification tool that could alert me to new listings faster than StreetEasy itself. A bot that could monitor StreetEasy 24/7 and make it stupid-easy for me to inquire. So, I built FirstMover. FirstMover is a pretty simple app. Here’s the code for it, if you’re a programmer. Every 10 minutes, it scrapes StreetEasy for new listings. When it finds one, it sends a push notification to any user whose search criteria on FirstMover matches the listing. I built the v1 in a day, thanks to ChatGPT and some prior web scraping experience. For phone notifications, I used Pushover, a low-cost solution. Within a week, FirstMover found us an apartment. I connected instantly, booked a next-day tour, submitted my application, and got the place. When I asked the broker why we were chosen, he said, “Well, you had good credit, but honestly, you were the first to respond.” That’s market validation, baby! My co-founder Justin and I are planning to productize FirstMover and offer it for $25/month. Why $25/month? We think $25/month is a fair price to cover our costs (web hosting, DB hosting, ScraperAPI) and make a little pocket change. Since our service is built for high-churn - helping you find an apartment, then moving on - we think $25/month (~86¢/day) is a reasonable value for a 24/7 assistant to help you land your next $3k apartment. If you’re technical, you can always clone my repo and set it up yourself. All I ask is that you reach out so we can collaborate on a future project 😄! (LinkedIn, X) How will you find customers? Not sure. We definitely don’t want to buy any Google or Facebook ads. We don’t have much of a social media following, let alone a network of NYC apartment hunters. Our plan is to start grassroots by joining relevant Subreddits and Facebook groups to build a waitlist. Maybe brands and influencers in complimentary markets, like Kiki Club, could spread the word in exchange for a revenue split. Is this legal? Great question! I think we’re good. While Zillow and StreetEasy’s Terms of Use prohibit scraping, it’s worth noting that I never agreed to those terms. All the data we’re collecting is publicly available, without a paywall or login. A guy who scraped Crunchbase used a similar argument, which is pretty cool. He even cited two court cases, including Meta v. Bright Data, where the court explicitly ruled that “the Facebook and Instagram Terms do not bar logged-off scraping of public data; perforce it does not prohibit the sale of such public data.” This ruling sets a precedent that logged-off scraping of public data is fair game. It’s actually really interesting - especially when you consider its implications for both AI models and small projects like FirstMover. Final Thoughts I’m excited for this. Not just because I think it’s a great project that people will like, but that it aligns with business strategies that I’ve been thinking about for a long time. The Internet has greatly diminished the information gap between buyer and seller, and FirstMover is a service that gives buyers one small leg-up. It’s funny that I admired Zillow for doing exactly this 2004, and now I’m contemplating if they’ll sue me for doing that exact thing, lol. We’ll see!