Entrepreneur Spotlight: Hint
Meet Patrick McAuley of Hingham Massachusetts. Patrick is the co-founder of Hint Interactive LLC; A technology company that aims to aid the public in flirting and ice-breaking through their premier app, Hint. Here's how it works: When you go out, you can check into the app, and then upload a new photo of yourself with a description of what you're wearing. Then, if you spot somebody you're interested in, you can look for them on the app and then send them a pre-written message tailored to whatever location you happen to be at. Let's say you happen to be at a bar: You can offer to buy that person a drink and at that point, they can either accept or deny. It's fast, user friendly and the best part? It works.
One of their events we will be co-sponsoring is their 'Sunset Cruise with Ardalan' on Saturday, May 17th from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM in Boston Harbor. Other sponsors include two kick-ass new media production companies Fresh Headz and Basement Movement. If there was ever an opportunity to take advantage Hint and break the ice with someone new, this would be it. For more information, you can check out their Facebook Event here. Event tickets can be purchased here.
To learn more about Patrick, check out our interview with him in which we discuss Hint and his thoughts on taking the entrepreneurial route.
Tell us about your company:
I founded Hint Interactive in 2012 with my partner Faisal. Our vision was to make a product that allows you to know if someone in the same room is attracted to you, to eliminate the fear of approaching that person, and to make a meeting happen that otherwise would not have. We see strangers that we are attracted to every single day (on the train, at Starbucks, in the airport, everywhere) and 99% of the time we don’t introduce ourselves and find out if that attraction is mutual. It’s our goal to make sure you don’t miss out on the man or woman of your dreams. Hint has evolved quite a bit since its original inception two years ago and continues to evolve.
What was your background prior to starting Hint Interactive?
I graduated from WPI in 2012 with a degree in Management Engineering and worked as an engineer for a large construction company before deciding to pursue my passion in technology.
What was the tipping point that led you to entrepreneurship?
Everyone finishes college and jumps into the workforce because that’s what you’re “supposed to do.” Taking that engineering job right after college was the best and worst decision of my life, and was undoubtedly my tipping point. It quickly showed me that the corporate life was not what I wanted. I have always had goals in life to strive toward and in that particular setting I found that my only goal was to get to Friday. I needed something more exciting, something I was passionate about, something that could make a real difference. That something was Hint.
4. What roadblocks did you overcome to reach the point that you are at today?
There have been countless roadblocks and I know we will face many more. I think the biggest roadblock for me starting out was finding the right partner and making him believe in the vision. I definitely struck gold when I met Faisal. Now, together, we face a similar challenge of making investors, partners, and customers believe in our vision.
How would you define success in terms of entrepreneurship?
If you can wake up every morning and work on something that is meaningful to you, then I think you’re on the right track. But of course we all want to make some money!
What are your plans for the future?
In the short term, we want to make everyone aware of Hint and give them the opportunity to use it, which means completing an Android version (coming in June!). In the long term, we would like to provide our users with additional features and products and expand outside of the US.
Do you have any advice for up and coming entrepreneurs?
Just go for it! You can go work every day to make someone else’s dream become a reality or you can go make your own dream become a reality.
