We had the good fortune of connecting with Mallory Loar and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mallory, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I believe there is something truly special in building something you would love to see in the world alongside people whom you respect and who possess an immense amount of talent.

As I was leaving Discord, I knew I wanted to build my own company, but I wasn’t sure what that would look like.

When I learned about the ongoing loneliness epidemic that gen-z and millennials are facing, I realized that I wanted to take my passion for building online/offline communities and my experience in building tech over the last 10 years and build something that helps make it easy for people to spend quality time together in real life, as I believe that’s the antidote to loneliness.

What should our readers know about your business?
The biggest risk you can ever take in life is not following your dreams, which is a form of disrespecting yourself! Personally, I’ve always been the type of person to jump in without thinking too much about it. Growing up, I learned about risk-taking through competitive sports and always being encouraged to try new things. I’ve challenged myself by putting myself out into the world, whether it was singing in front of hundreds or building massive online communities. Most importantly, watching my dad make sacrifices and demonstrate determination in building multiple businesses taught me invaluable lessons about accepting risk.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Our mission at Whatever is focused on transforming relationships through meaningful, IRL experiences. We’re here to make it easy for you to discover curated date ideas, plan dates instantly so you can spend more time with your partner.

Relationships are hard. We all know that they’re so important, but most people don’t spend enough time making sure the relationship is in a good spot. From the many conversations we’ve had with couples, we’ve learned they need help with those recurring romantic plans. They all understand the value of date nights, but often neglect them due to the planning and making time. We’re here to provide not just date nights, but fresh new ideas to keep relationships healthy and exciting.

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.