Latest / The Faceoff Podcast | Youth Sports Business / Episode 4: James Kelly & LitZone — Broccoli on the Pizza

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Episode 4: James Kelly & LitZone — Broccoli on the Pizza · The Faceoff Podcast | Youth Sports Business

• Paul: Welcome in. This is The Coach's Board, the Playbook for Modern Youth Sports. I'm Paul Variano. Every episode we sit down with someone who actually runs this game. Today we're in beautiful Brooklyn Bridge Park on the basketball court. I'm joined by my wonderful guest today, James Kelly, founder and CEO of LitZone. He's a former school teacher here in New York City. Former biology teacher. Who found the best way to motivate and teach his students was through use of sports. We're looking forward to learning more about your background, what you're building with LitZone and what you're thinking for the future. Thanks again for coming on. Absolutely, and thank you for having me. I always love a trip to Brooklyn Bridge Park. this is one of the best places in the entire city. This is an awesome basketball court. They do, practice in the park here with the Brooklyn Nets. Sponsored by the Liberty. Liberty thirtieth season signage all around. Just awesome to be here and thank you for having me. Great. And I love that you're local to the New York City area, which makes this even more special. Tell me a little bit about your experience in youth sports before you got to be country a teacher. I played basketball growing up. I played here in Brooklyn in local leagues. I was one of those kids where you I realized I wasn't going pro pretty early. Even though I was always tall for a kid. I just wasn't the most skilled or athletic But I was always a massive, massive sports fan growing up. I grew up about a fifteen minute walk away from the Barclays Center, back when it was just a hole in the ground. And the second that my mom told me, they're gonna be building an NBA stadium right down the block I pretty much hooked. I started watching basketball basically every single day from, middle school as I was playing, in the summertime in my leagues, it's just always been a passion of mine. It's always been something that I used, while I was teaching, I found it to be a great way to relate to students. What did that teach you about kids, how they learn, how they're motivated, how do they get that information really stick with them? I taught in Brownsville, Brooklyn, which is one of the lowest income areas in New York City. And for me it was really a great opportunity to give back to my community. I taught at the middle school level, so I started off teaching sixth grade science, and then I moved into special education in the science field, so I was supporting fifth grade, sixth grade, seventh grade, eighth grade, pushing into every single class while teaching my own classes. And then during COVID, our school wanted to do a new initiative, which was around the idea of giving students early access to the Regents exams. So I started teaching biology. It was a high school biology class to eighth graders and the funny thing about biology is you teach, mitochondria by a ten letter word, powerhouse of the cell. You teach that in the first week or the second week and you start to see the eyes gloss over and you start to see students disengage and you start to realize, hey like teaching biology is one of the least my problems, one of the biggest problems is actually literacy. it's very difficult for a kid to do well on exam or understand what's happening in the cell if pronouncing the word mitochondria or reading the word mitochondria is difficult in and of itself. basically when I left teaching, I started focusing on literacy full time and building my startup My origin story actually starts with as a founder, AI craze. End of 2023, consumer facing AI tools first dropped. In March of 2023, they first became available to developers via an API. Suddenly you could take these AI tools and just incredible text generation and use it in many different ways programmatically. So I went out and I found a co founder, my current counter. Co-founder of Shout Out Golam. he has triplets, he couldn't be here. Not going to see him for a little while. Shout out Golam. Shout out Golam. And we started building our company, which is our company named Learnyx. we started around the idea of literacy and differentiation. in a classroom when you're teaching 30 kids, odds are you're gonna have five kids who are, finish really early and they break out the 700 page Harry Potter book. then you're gonna have, 20 kids who are somewhere in the middle then you're gonna have another five kids who are really struggling with literacy. Maybe they're reading at a third grade level, maybe they're reading at a second grade level. as a teacher, differentiation is the process of making the content that you're teaching in that class accessible to everybody. And for me, that was the original most obvious use case for AI technology. so we started building a literacy tool around that, a generalized literacy tool around generating text based off of student interests. Leveling that text up and down then also assessing students all dynamically, all immediately on demand about any topic they wanted. While we were doing that, we ended up coming into this issue where one of the biggest things about literacy it's not necessarily access, it's also, engagement and motivation. Our tool it struggled to gain traction in classrooms. We struggled to achieve the outcomes that we want to achieve and we realized we need to go a little bit more niche. We need to find something for somebody that was very specific. We needed to stay in the vein of literacy because that's what our our funders had, funded us to do. We went back to the drawing board. We looked at what are the things that students were using our platform for, what are the things that kids love to read about. And I spent a lot of time thinking back to, my students and myself. As a kid growing up in New York City, reading about the Knicks, Carmelo Anthony's coming to New York, Amar'e Stoudemire's here, is LeBron coming? That was really the era that I grew up in. I remember, there was during they call it, the Dwightmare now, but when Dwight Howard was supposed to get traded to the Nets and then he, went back on that on a famous flight from Orlando. I remember I was reading every single day. Every single day on ESPN, every single day on NBA.com, just trying to figure out what's going on. I realized that I saw that same passion in my students. A lot of the students who struggle the most in class are one, they're boys, and they're typically gonna be the sportier boys. They're the boys a book like Eragon, right, or Cirque du Freak or Harry Potter doesn't necessarily appeal to them. so it can be difficult to find content for them. I realized that Now with our AI technology, with the tools that we built around differentiation, we could create scalable content, scalable scope sports content at different levels, amplify the voices of journalists, people who have like real opinions, and utilize the facts to deliver them sports content in a way that was accessible and then also appropriate Because a lot of sports content, especially nowadays, it's driven by this type of scandal or that type of scandal. then, if you scroll down to the end of the article, there's like weird weight loss ads. there's a lot of weird stuff going on sports sites these days. our idea was that, hey, we could build something here. We can make it in not only a sports product, but an education product, a real education technology product, and go from there. We started looking around for what are additional hooks, engagement hooks. Fantasy football was the number one idea. It was something that you can do from an editorial perspective. You since this, stats and the names are just facts and figures. We went with that. We ran with it. We've had many of our families find us through fantasy football. dad wants to play with son, teacher wants to run a club, that type of stuff. I'm actually happy to share that we passed 5,000 users. The vast majority came this fall for fantasy football season. One another thing I wanna say is we are a social impact organization, we make sure that LitZone is free for schools from seven AM to noon. We have a lot of schools that just use it in the mornings for free. But from a company perspective. Full view: another thing I want to say is are a social impact organization, make sure that the service is for schools from seven a.m. to noon. have a lot of schools that just use their mornings for free. from a company perspective, Paul: Of course you have to find a way to monetize somehow. We had three theories. One of our theories was that schools would be interested in purchasing this and using it the entire day, Full view: of course we have to find a way to monetize somehow. have, theories. One of our theories is that schools get to purchase this and using it the entire day. and then also giving it to the students at home. We had another theory that families would be interested purchasing whether they wanted to run a local league, maybe they wanted their kid to practice math, maybe they wanted their kid to read more. We were serving them. Paul: and then also giving it to their students at home. We had another theory that families would be interested in purchasing it. Whether they wanted to run maybe a local football league, maybe they wanted their kid to practice math, maybe they wanted their kid to read more, we were serving them. Full view: And then there was a third group as well, out of school time organizations, after school organizations. types of organizations, where take your kid and send them. Paul: And then there was a third group as well, which was, out of school time organizations, after school organizations. The types of organizations, where you take your kid and you'd send them Full view: or maybe from three to five p.m. or three to six p.m. Those are more recreational, fun areas. The good news is that the I'm happy to we success revenue from all three spaces. Paul: for maybe from three to five PM or three to six PM. Those are more, recreational, truly fun areas. The good news is that you I'm happy to share we've had, success and revenue from all three spaces. Full view: We've had a lot of families come on and say, I'm part of this homeschooling co-op. I 10 kids. We wanna do a little bit of a fun fantasy football read to read practice. Paul: We've had a lot of families come on and say, hey, I'm part of this homeschooling co-op. I have ten kids. We wanna do a little bit of a fun, fantasy football league to read and practice math. We've had schools come on and say, hey, I'm teaching a health class. I love the way that you guys are handling injuries. I wanna be able to feature this in my classroom, once a week. We've had teachers who are doing sports journalism electives. Full view: we've had schools come on and say hey Teaching a health class. I love the way that you guys are handling injuries I want to be able to feature this in my classroom. You once a week. We've secret ordering sports journalism electives ask us like hey, can I use your platform? We feature you your contents your V caps your reviews your player profiles then of course, we've had the apps organizations where let's say Paul: Ask us like, hey, can we can I use your platform? Can we feature you and your content, your recaps, your previews, your player profiles? then of course, we've had the after school organizations where let's say, one school in Cincinnati who's gonna be bringing on, twenty-six kids to play in massive fantasy football after school club where they're gonna read about football, Full view: school in Cincinnati. 26 kids that play at of football after school club where they're going to read about football. that's everyone from third grade to fifth grade and that type of club. Then also, all the way up to eighth grade that we have. Home school. It seems like every depending regardless of what your abilities are. Paul: that's everyone from you know third grade to fifth grade in that type of club then also, all the way up to eighth grade that we've had with some of our like home school and groups. Well it seems like every depending regardless of what your abilities are or what age group you're at, it seems like there's a little bit Full view: or what age group you're at. seems like there's a little bit for everyone to enjoy. In terms of what that stemmed the principles and the news that you're presenting, could you give a couple, examples what would a first grader, second grader, seventh grader, could be relevant spot is Paul: In terms of what that stabbed the principles and the news that you're presenting, you just give a couple of examples maybe what would a first grade a second grader a seventh grader to be developed our sweet spot is Full view: third grade, so students are be around eight, nine years old, Paul: third grade, so students are gonna be around eight, nine years old. Full view: to eighth grade is our sweet spot. Eighth grade is going to go up to 14 years old. Right there, capturing, the kid who's just starting to discover that sports are real, sports exist. Maybe they, know their favorite player, they certainly know their favorite team. Maybe they watch some football on Sunday with their parents. We really adapt Paul: to eighth grade is our sweet spot. eighth grade is gonna go up to 14 years old. right there capturing, the kid who is just starting to discover that sports are real, sports exists. Maybe they they know their favorite player, they certainly know their favorite team, maybe they're watching football every single Sunday with their parents. way that we really adapt for each grade level, let's say even second grade we've had second graders on. Full view: Let's say even second-grade you add second-graders on, One of the biggest things is that soon you'll be able to be independent to use the platform. We're not doing with early phonics, even though we have lot of aspirations to do that type of work, because we think that that could be a really fun way to raise students who want to learn about a cat, except for the fact that they're a cat, right? So the biggest thing we do is we align it to the academic standards. Paul: One of the biggest things is that the student does have to be able to read independently to use the platform. We're not doing anything with like early phonics, even though we have a lot of aspirations to do that type of work, because we think that that could be a really fun way to engage students who might not, want to learn about the cat sat on the mat wearing a hat, right? the biggest way we do it is we align it to the academic standards. there's something called the Common Core standards. Full view: Something called the Common Core Standards. Paul: you probably heard about it on the news. and they're typically these general standards around, literacy, math, science that kids are supposed to learn every single grade. different states have different standards, but they're typically very similar to each other to the point where if we create, a question for one standard, there's we're gonna be able to find a state, another standard in another state Full view: Heard about it on the news. And they're typically the general standards around math, science that kids are supposed to learn every school year. Different states have different standards, but very similar to each other to the point where if we create question for one standard, we're going be able to find standard in the state. Paul: that it'll fit. So for third grade, the biggest thing that we do is we level down the text. Full view: So for third grade, the biggest thing we use is the level down text. We'll use simpler words, we'll use shorter sentences. Math is going to be a lot simpler. Instead of adding and subtracting fractions completions over three classes, just going to be identifiable. Josh Allen completed Paul: We'll use simpler words, we'll use shorter sentences. math is gonna be a lot simpler. instead of adding and subtracting fractions and like v completions over like, incomplete passes, they're just gonna be identifying it, so if they know Josh Allen completed eight out of sixteen attempts, what is that fraction, Full view: out of What is that right? Well, let's say for an eighth grader we're gonna give you that and then we're ask you multiply it It you pretty drastically to the point where you the seventh grader in eighth grader getting into pre-algebra you you're isolating a variable and that variable is yards per reception, Paul: let's say for an eighth grader, we're gonna give you that and then we're gonna ask you to multiply it across a season. that type of content changes based on the grade level. it varies, pretty drastically to the point where, like a seventh grader and eighth grader, you're getting into pre algebra where you're isolating a variable and that variable is, yards per reception. Full view: That type of stuff where it's interesting, where it's grounded in reality, and kids are saying, hey, OK, Paul: That type of stuff where it's really where it's interesting, where it's grounded in reality and kids are saying, Hey, okay. Full view: this is what a sports data analyst literacy, it'll be a little bit more complex. You'll get, let's 500-word article that is true recap of the Eagles versus Bears game. A third grader is going to get more of a 200-word article, where more of a character-driven story. Jalen Hurts is the amazing quarterback of the... Paul: This is what a sports data analyst is doing. for literacy, it'll be a little bit more complex. maybe you'll get, a 500 word article that is a true game recap of the Eagles versus Bears game, While a third grader is gonna get more of a a 200 word article where we're really it's more of a character driven story. Jalen Hurts is the, amazing quarterback of the Full view: Philadelphia Eagles, the Chicago Bears, Paul: Philadelphia Eagles, the Chicago Bears. Full view: their quarterback Caleb Williams was hurt. So the backup quarterback had to come in and step up. So the narratives would change a little bit, the complexity of the articles and that's the literacy would change. Math is truly standards based. It's third grade standards is what they learned in the third grade, fourth grade standards. Paul: their quarterback Caleb Williams was hurt. So the backup quarterback had to come in and step up, So the narratives will change a little bit, the complexity of the of the articles and that's in literacy will change. math is truly standards based. it's third grade standards is what they're learning in the third grade, fourth grade standards what they're learning in the fourth grade, fifth grade and all the way up. What you built, James, is absolutely incredible. I thank you personally just keep thinking about my experience. Full view: What you've built James is absolutely incredible. personally just thinking about my experience in that your prime spot between let's call like eight, nine, 10, 11 years old. Like remember concepts were just boring and what you had in some of these 30 year textbooks out of Pearson or large educational companies was so outdated and how you get Paul: in the back at your prime spot between let's call like eight, eight, nine, ten, eleven years old. I remember the concepts were so boring and what you have in some of these, 30 year textbooks out of Pearson or large educational companies it's so out to date and how you get Full view: kids motivated and passionate about learning is something through this. Paul: kids motivated and passionate about learning is something like this. Full view: Where do you see yourself and company a year from now? One of our biggest visions is, we want to be the place where every kid in America and eventually every kid in the world. Paul: where do you see yourself and the company a year from now? One of our biggest visions is we want to be the place where every kid in America and eventually every kid in the world first begins to follow the team that they'll love for the rest of their lives. we want Full view: begins to follow a team that they'll love for the rest of their lives. want to be the first website to introduce them to the starting five of the Knicks, tell them about how these guys went to Villanova together. They won a championship there and they came here and they won a championship here in New York. We want to be the place where they first learn about those players, where they're reading every single day. Paul: To be the first, website to introduce them to the starting five of the Knicks, Tell them about how all these guys went to Villanova together, they won a championship there, and then they came here and they won a championship here in New York. We want to be the place where they first learn about those players, where they're reading every single day. Full view: And we're able to go and say, Hey, here's a randomized controlled trial, of our Paul: And we're able to go and say, hey, here's a randomized controlled trial, Of our literacy outcomes and how students who log on to LitZone every single day are outperforming students who don't. that's really the holy grail as an education technology company. as a sports media company, one of the things we really want to do is to scale to cover as many sports as possible and in a way where it's a little bit more official. Full view: literacy outcomes and how students who log on to LitZone every single day are outperforming students who don't. That's really the holy grail as an education technology company. As a sports media company, one of the things we really want to do is to scale to cover as many sports as possible and in a way where it's a little bit more official. Paul: Because right now we're just purely in an editorial context. So that's very limiting, Full view: Right now, we're just clearly in an editorial context. that's very limited, Paul: it's limiting in the way you can use images. it's limiting in the way you can use player names. it's also limiting in the way that you can use, even video. the leagues are very, very, very strict about their use of video, and that's something we currently don't use on a platform because we find it to be a little bit of a gray area. that's something that scale and money solves. Full view: it's limiting in the way you can use images. It's limiting in the way you can use player names. It's also limiting in the way that you can use, even video. The leagues are very, very, very strict about their use of video, and that's something we currently don't use on a platform because we find it to be a little bit of a gray area. That's something that scale and money solves. Paul: Once you can purchase those licenses, and they are massive, they're talking hundreds of thousands of dollars for these licenses. Full view: you can purchase those licenses, they are massive. We're talking hundreds of thousands of dollars in licenses. Once you achieve that type of scale where you can purchase those licenses, then you can start to show video. You can use video as a reward for reading. You read about the game, okay, great job. You answer those questions. Here's the highlights, that type of work. Another one we really want to feature as many sports as possible. Our focus right now is football. We're doing a little bit of WNBA coverage, but that's something that I wanna do a lot more Paul: Once you achieve that type of scale where you can purchase those licenses, then you can start to show video. You can use video as a reward for reading. You read about the game, okay, great job. You answer those questions. Here's the highlights, That type of work. another one we really want to feature as many sports as possible. our focus right now is football. we're doing a little bit of WMBA coverage, but that's something that I wanna do a lot more of, especially here in Brooklyn. Shout out to Liberty. They're playing tonight. Full view: especially here in Brooklyn, Liberty. tonight. Against the Lynx. We want to feature, fantasy women's basketball. That's something that doesn't get a lot of attention. But we think, Paul: against the Lynx. we want to feature, fantasy women's basketball. That's something that doesn't get a lot of attention. But we think, there's been such a resurgence around women's sports and especially here in Brooklyn with the Liberty. Full view: been such a resurgence around women's sports and especially here. We're moving into basketball season. Basketball is my number one, the NBA is my number one, so we'll be covering basketball pretty heavily. We'll be covering baseball in the spring. We also wanna cover, Paul: we're moving into basketball season. basketball is my number one, the NBA is my number one, so we'll be covering basketball pretty heavily. We'll be covering baseball in the spring. we also wanna cover, soccer. And football, global football. The World Cup, it took America by storm. I think that Full view: football, football, the World Cup, it took America by storm. Paul: the only way from here is up. I think the MLS is gonna have their best season. One of the things when you're serving, in New York City you're serving, these diverse communities in the Bronx, these diverse communities in Brooklyn, people who are, first generation immigrants, and their families all watch soccer. Full view: only way for characters to come, think the MLS is going to have best season of the things you New York you're serving these diverse communities, the Bronx is diverse communities, in Brooklyn, who are generation progressives, And their families all watch soccer. Paul: We wanna be able to reach them and serve them in a way that you can't really right now unless you're covering soccer. Full view: to be able to reach them and serve them in a way that you can't do right now unless you come from soccer. again, All these things are solved with scale. We're a small team, we hire writers to write our storylines. I'm the NBA writer, and we have a tech team, so we use those storylines, we use the stats, and we assemble them into articles using AI technology. Ultimately, we want to scale, feature more and more writing Paul: all these things are solved with scale. we're a small team, we hire writers to write our storylines. I'm the MBA writer, and we have a tech team, so we use those storylines, we use the stats, and we assemble them into articles using AI technology. ultimately, we want to scale, feature more and more writing Full view: on the platform about every sport possible, whether it's tennis, whether it's Paul: on the platform about every sport possible, whether it's tennis, whether it's lacrosse. Full view: lacrosse. Maybe even, NASCAR racing, the types of things that you can see kids being passionate about because one thing that we found is that a lot like adults, kids are very specific about what they wanna watch and what they wanna follow. A Baltimore Ravens fan couldn't care less about the Green Bay Packers, Paul: Maybe even, NASCAR racing, the types of things that you can see kids being passionate about because one thing that we found is that a lot like adults, kids are very specific about what they wanna watch and what they wanna follow. a Baltimore Ravens fan couldn't care less about the Green Bay Packers, Full view: how do we make sure that we're giving that Baltimore Ravens fan kid Baltimore Ravens content every single day. That's what I imagine for Paul: how do we make sure that we're giving that Baltimore Ravens fan kid Baltimore Ravens content every single day. that's what I imagine for us from a scale perspective. it's a pretty big dream. realistically, there's nothing else out there right now like that for kids. the closest would be, Sports Illustrated magazine, Sports Illustrated Kids, amazing, amazing resource. But it's still, a physical resource and it's only about once every two months. not enough for the kind of sustained, Full view: us from a scale perspective. It's a pretty big dream. Realistically, there's nothing else out there right now like that for kids. The closest would be, Sports Illustrated magazine, Sports Illustrated Kids, amazing, amazing resource. But it's still, a physical resource and it's only about once every two months. Not enough for the kind of sustained, Paul: daily reading practice that really drives these educational outcomes that is our social Full view: being practiced that really drives these educational outcomes that You Paul: impact goal. Full view: I had a great mentor, said the best way to describe it is, it's like broccoli on the pizza, it's like if you have a kid and the kid doesn't like to eat vegetables, you put the broccoli on Paul: I had a great mentor, said the best way to describe it is, it's like broccoli on the pizza, It's like if you have a kid and the kid doesn't like to eat vegetables, you put the broccoli on the pizza. Full view: We're getting there. sport, one school, Paul: We're getting there, one sport, one school, one user, one classroom at a time. A year from now, we'd like to have a successful full year of coverage for football, NBA, MLB, and then WNBA. Five years from now we want to expand to hockey. We certainly want to expand to soccer, Full view: user, one classical time. a year from now, like to have a successful full year coverage for football, NBA, MLB, and W. Five years from now, we to expand to hockey. We certainly want to expand to soccer. Paul: those other sports as well. We'd love to, scale, Full view: other sports as well. love scale, the money challenge. We'd love to be at a scale where we can start to approach leagues for formal partnerships. Then you can start to build out things that aren't editorial, that are able to, use the image of a player, as a motivational way for a kid to read that isn't just an article about that Paul: the money challenge. We'd love to be at a scale where we can start to approach leagues for formal partnerships. then you can start to build out things that aren't editorial, that are able to, use the image of a player, As a motivational way for a kid to read that isn't just an article about that player. Full view: you open up, once you do opportunities are really Paul: Once you open up once you do that, the opportunities are really Full view: endless, especially when you get into, educational games, videos, cetera. This wouldn't be Paul: endless, especially when you get into, educational games, videos, this would Full view: your first time raising capital, right? Would be our first time raising a formal capital round. We have, fantastic backers. Our first backer was Blue Ridge Labs, which is a social impact accelerator based here in Brooklyn. Paul: would be our first time raising a formal capital round. we have, fantastic backers. our first backer was Blue Ridge Labs, which is a social impact accelerator based here in Brooklyn. shout out to Sergio, Eugene, and Gaylene for, taking a chance on a teacher from Brooklyn and a developer, first time together. Full view: Shout out to Sergio, Eugene, and Gaylene for, taking a chance on a teacher from Brooklyn and a developer, first time together. Paul: they're based right here. we could walk over there and have lunch if we wanted to. they were our first backers for our first product. we recently were backed Camelback Ventures, which is another social impact venture Full view: They're based right here. We could walk over there and have lunch if we wanted to. They were our first backers for our first product. We recently were backed by Camelback Ventures, which is another social impact venture firm. Paul: they do more than just venture because they also give a lot of grants to nonprofits and they're nonprofit themselves. They're based in New Orleans. And so we just, just named a Camelback Fellow there. Full view: more than just venture because they also give a lot of grants to nonprofits and their nonprofit themselves. based in New Orleans. So we just needed to come back there. And then we were just named a honorable mention from the CTIA Wireless Foundation where they're sponsored, they're backed by, the wireless giants like T-Mobile and AT&T. I was just down at DC for that celebration. They gave us a grant as well for our work Paul: And then we were just named a honorable mention from the CTIA wireless foundation where they're sponsored, they're backed by, the wireless giants like T Mobile and ATT. I was just down at DC for that celebration. they gave us a grant as well for our work Full view: with our mobile applications to specifically support our mobile application. We haven't raised a formal round, but we do have, Paul: with our mobile applications to specifically support our mobile application. we haven't raised a formal round, but we do have, Full view: the backing of these incredible organizations, Paul: The backing of these incredible organizations, social impact organizations as well. The Full view: advice you would give to the founders? I would say, two things. The first one is, we face setbacks. We face, more than one setback. Our first time launching LitZone was actually Paul: the advice you would give to the founders I would say two things. The first one is, we face setbacks. We face, more than one setback. our first time launching LitZone was actually Full view: last Paul: Last football season we launched, two, three weeks late. by then you post about it, you share about it, and then, the number one comment is gonna be aren't you a little late? be ready for setbacks. But more than be ready for setbacks is be ready to commit, a few years to it. make sure that you have, a support system and that the people who are coming along with you for the journey are aware that this is gonna be, Full view: watched three weeks ago. then a post about it share about it. number one comment is going to be on Google Live. ready for setbacks. But more than be ready for setbacks is be ready to commit, few years to it. sure that you have, support system and that the people who are coming along with you for the journey are aware that this is going to be, two years until you start to see, Paul: Two years until you start to see, Full view: signs of traction or success. We still feel that. We're almost three years in now from our inception and we've had all this incredible backing. But it really is it feels like, you're climbing up a mountain without a rope. You're climbing up a mountain without a rope, that's how it feels. So you have to be ready to Paul: signs of traction or success. we still feel that. almost three years in now from our inception and we've had all this incredible backing. But it really is it feels like, you're climbing up a mountain without a rope. You're climbing up without a mountain without a rope, That's how it feels. So you have to be ready To climb Full view: climb Paul: for three years. we're still climbing. And I think that, especially in the nature of what we're doing, it's so definitionally seasonal that for us we do see it as a long time. every year is a different cycle for us. that's because of, and school years. And of course the sports seasons themselves. Be in it for the long haul. Full view: years still climbing I think that you in the nature of what we're doing so definitionally seasonally that for us it see it as every year is and because of know schools years and of course the sports season themselves being a film long haul Nobody has an overnight success. They say it's like Paul: Nobody has an overnight success. they say it's like Full view: the phrase is, slowly, slowly, slowly and then all at once. That's typically how these things feel. This year we had, trickle of users, trickle of users, trickle of users, trickle of users, and then, NFL season starts September 9th. Monday it's gonna be Monday, September 7th, 1,400 people sign up. That's Paul: the phrase is, slowly, slowly, slowly and then all at once. That's typically how these things feel. this year we had, trickle of users, trickle of users, trickle of users, trickle of users, and then, NFL season starts September ninth. Monday it's gonna be Monday, September seventh, fourteen hundred people sign up. that's the type of thing that happens. It's gonna be slow, but if you stay with it, you'll eventually find something. My next piece of advice is on finding something. You truly need to talk to the people you're serving every single day. the worst possible thing you can do is say, okay, instead of Full view: But you stay with it will eventually find and next piece of advice is on finding something truly need to talk to People you're serving every single day The worst possible thing you can do is say okay You instead of talking to the student that I'm serving, the family I'm serving, let me go and ask an Paul: Talking to the student that I'm serving, the family I'm serving, let me go and ask an expert or let me talk to another investor. let me do all these things except talk to the actual user. But at the end of the day, what you're gonna do is you're gonna Full view: or let me talk to another investor, me do all these things except to the actual user. But at the end of the day, what you're gonna do is gonna... create a bunch of assumptions in your mind and you're gonna convince yourself that they're facts. You're going to identify things in your product that you think are a challenge, you think are wrong, right, or incorrect, when they might be correct. We did that this summer because it can be so difficult to talk to people about football or basketball in July. Paul: Create a bunch of assumptions in your mind and you're gonna convince yourself that they're facts. You're going to identify things in your product that you think are a challenge, you think are wrong, right, or incorrect, when they might be correct. we did that this summer because it can be so difficult to talk to people about football or basketball in July. Nobody Full view: Nobody Paul: wants to talk about it. we're going in this own internal feedback loop of going in a different direction. we built up a whole story and the story's fun, But we found that a lot of kids are just clicking through. they just wanna start reading about Justin Jefferson. They just wanna draft their team. And that's something that you're not gonna Full view: sort in this feedback loop in a different direction. built up our story. is fun, found that of kids just couldn't do it. start reading about Justin Jefferson. to draft their team. something that you're not going know until you put it in front of people. Paul: know until you put it in front of people. That's Full view: first thing is you have to get in front of people before then everything is hyper-deafening. Then you have to seek out feedback constantly throughout the way and in doing that it should be a specific user experience. a lot of resources there on how to ask questions on how to you identify assumptions and test those assumptions. that's gonna be the biggest thing. can go in and can ask somebody hey do you like this? But then they're just gonna say yes. Paul: the first thing is you have to get it in front of people. Before then everything is hypothetical. And you have to seek out feedback constantly throughout the way. When you're doing that, it should be as specific as you can. there's a lot of resources there on how to ask questions, on how to, identify assumptions and then test those assumptions. And that's gonna be the biggest thing. You can go in and you can ask somebody, hey, do you like this? But then they're just gonna say yes. Full view: But there's also another method where you can show them, hey, Paul: But there's also another method where you can show them, hey, Full view: here are three things, of course now with AI you can design three different things. Whether it's a description of what you're building, and ask a few people which one they like most. You'll often find that there's a lot of agreement with other people that you can't see because you're too deep in the weeds. completely agree. Even while I'm building, starting off The Coach's Board, it's Paul: here are three things, of course now with AI you can design three different things. whether it's a description of what you're building, and ask a few people which one they like most. you'll often find that there's a lot of agreement with other people that you can't see because you're too deep in the weeds. I completely agree even while I'm building, starting off the coaches' board, it's Full view: the constant feedback loop, it's working with the end user. You don't know what you don't know. Like said, you have an hypothesis of how your end user is going to react, but until you put it out there, and sometimes you're not even ready to put it out there. Sometimes you just need to put it out there to get that feedback and then making that improvement. Paul: the constant feedback loop it's working with the end user. You don't know what you don't know. you have an hypothesis of of how your end user is going to react, but until you put it out there and sometimes you're not even ready to put it out there. Sometimes you just need to put it out there to get that feedback and then making that improvement. Full view: We do have to get going, but before we let you go, we're gonna do a rapid fire. Yeah, let's go. Favorite slice of pizza in New York? Favorite slice of pizza in New York. That's a really tough one. I've gotten into a lot of arguments with my friends friends about it and I mean that genuinely. We'll argue about what's the best train line in New York, I think Paul: We do have to get going, but before we let you go, we're gonna do a rapid fire. Yeah, let's go. favorite slice of pizza in New York. Favorite slice of pizza in New York. That's a that's a really tough one I've gotten to a lot of arguments with my friends about it and I mean that genuinely. we'll argue about what's the best train line in New York, I think it's the A. but it's the A. But for pizza, Full view: I'm a little biased. In the past three or four years, this place opened up called the Little Pizza Parlor. Just to die for. I've lived in my neighborhood my entire life, 30 years now. By far the best pizza that's ever come into the neighborhood. You'll hear Mama's Too, which is on the Upper West Side. That's a great slice. Paul: I'm a little biased. in the past three or four years, this place opened up called, the little pizza parlor. just to die for. in my neighborhood my entire life, 30 years now. By far the best pizza that's ever come into the neighborhood. you'll hear Mama's Two, which is on the on the upper west side. That's a great slice. Full view: That's seven dollar eight dollar slice, you know, like gourmet slice I want a four dollar five dollar slice that is amazing little part of it here on I think Duffield just off the building in Jason Mettletech That's my favorite spot. Good luck trying to get a slice for the mix game though gone there and they told me no. than the transplant Joe's pizza that I get asked Paul: But that's a seven dollar, eight dollar slice. That's a gourmet slice. I want a four dollar, five dollar slice that is amazing. The Little Pizza Parlor here on Duffield, just off of Willoughby and Jay Street MetroTech. That's my favorite spot. Good luck trying to get a slice during the Knicks game though, because I've gone there and they told me no. Better than the transplant Joe's Pizza that I get asked, some Full view: other content creators. All right, what's the worst train line in New York? The worst train line. It's tough because all the train lines serve a purpose, but I really dislike the C Paul: Some other content creators. what's the one the worst train line? the worst train line. it's tough because all the train lines serve a purpose, but I really dislike the C train. Full view: Whenever I'm on the C train, I'm not actually on the C train, I'm on an A train going local. I'm trying to get to JFK 'cause I have a flight. Or I'm trying to get to Rockaway to go to the beach and it's just crawling along. While the A train, the A train flies, it skips, sixty blocks on the Upper West Side. It goes all the way up to Washington Heights. It goes all the way out to Rockaway. Paul: Whenever I'm on the C train, I'm not actually on the C train on an A train going local. I'm trying to get to JFK 'cause I have a flight. Or I'm trying to get to Rockaway to go to the beach and it's just crawling along. While the A train, the A train flies, it skips, sixty blocks on the upper west side. It goes all the way up to Washington Heights. It goes all the way out to Rockaway. There's a beautiful, just absolutely stunning above ground portion that's going over Jamaica Bay where, you can't even believe that you're in New York City. I'm an A train. Naturally if I like the A, I dislike the C. But people use the C train. Nothing against C train. I've used it before, obviously. But I got out of the city a couple of years ago, so I'm thankful I don't have to deal with that. But let's stick with transportation. Yellow cab or Uber? Full view: Beautiful like just absolutely stunning above grounds portion that's going over to make a bay where you can't even believe this year in New York So naturally if I People use the sea train nothing against I've I got out of the city a couple years ago, so I'm thankful I don't have to deal with that but Speak let's with transportation yellow cab or uber Uber. Paul: Uber. Price transparency, convenience, but nothing makes me happier or my wife happier, When you order an Uber it's a yellow cab. I could show you when my wife says, hey, it's a yellow cab, we gotta take a picture. I'm like, all right, I'll take a picture of you, I gotta get out first, go around the side, film it while the taxi driver's like you know, like but yeah, so yellow cab is still the classic and I remember those days, this is how big of a basketball fan I am, I still remember, I played a lot of music growing up. I played guitar and I was doing, a performance, a classical guitar performance on the Upper East Side. Back then we were hailing cabs just like the movies. We hail a cab the inside of that cab is when I find out that LeBron chose the Heat over the Knicks. Full view: this is how big a basketball fan I am. I'm still remember, a lot of music growing up. guitar and was doing performance, a classical guitar performance the Upper East Side, if I back then we were hailing cabs, like movies. hailed cabs inside of that cab is when I find out that LeBron chose the heat of the mix. Paul: I'm there with my mom Full view: there with my mom Paul: and she's like, why would he choose Miami? It's New York and we're driving through Times Square and you think it's the center of the universe and he's taking his talents to South Beach. Full view: You That makes sense. Okay, one last question, because this episode will probably get aired right in the middle of the baseball playoffs, and we haven't Paul: one last question because this episode will get aired right in the middle of the baseball we haven't heard. Full view: heard, Mets or Yankees fan? Yankees. Definitely Yankees. My mom's a Mets fan. But for me, it's just something about going to the Bronx, getting on the 4 train, being the first Yankees jersey on. Paul: Mets or Yankees fan? Yankees. Definitely Yankees. my mom's a Mets fan. But for me, it's just something about going to the Bronx, Getting on the 4 train, being the the first Yankees jersey on. Full view: And then all of a sudden the car fills with Yankees jerseys and you get out to the stadium and it's massive. You're getting 10K steps that day. There's Paul: And then all of a sudden the car fills with Yankees jerseys and you get out to the stadium and it's massive. you're getting 10K steps that day. there's just something about Yankee Stadium that does it for me in a way that the Met Stadium does not. Full view: just something about about Yankee Stadium that does it for me in a way that that's the Mets stadium does not. How can people find you and LitZone? Paul: How can people find you in Litzone? We are LitZoneSports.com. You can follow us at LitZoneSports on every social media site. If you're interested in connecting with me professionally, I'm on LinkedIn, James Kelly. But that will be under the company name, which is Learnyx, so L-E-A-R-N-Y-X. Full view: are, LitZoneSports.com. can follow us at LitZoneSports on every social media you're interested in connecting with me professionally, I'm on LinkedIn, James Kelly. will be under the company name, which is Learnyx. So L-E-A-R-N-Y-X. That is the company behind LitZone. That's the best way to find us. Excellent. Well, thanks again for coming on. Thank you for coming on and sharing more about Paul: That is the company behind LitZone. that's the best way to find us. Excellent. Well, thanks again for coming on. Thank you for coming on and sharing more about Full view: your background, your story, Learnyx, LitZone. Looking Looking forward to watching you scale from the sidelines with this incredible product and platform for kids and youth sports. Absolutely, and thank you for having me. I really do appreciate it. Excellent. Thank you. Paul: your background, your story, Learnyx, LitZone, Looking forward to watching you scale from the sidelines with this incredible product and platform for kids and youth supporters. Absolutely, and thank you for having me. I really do appreciate it. Excellent. Thank you.