A lot of our communication these days takes place from behind a computer screen. The upside of this is that it’s never been easier to connect with such a large number of people, many of whom we wouldn’t otherwise have access to without the help of social media. Whether it’s an old childhood friend discovered on Facebook, a celebrity that you photo-stalk on Instagram, or a thought leader you follow on Twitter, the feeling of connection has never been greater. The downside is that spending so much time cultivating relationships online can leave us feeling lonely, and craving more tangible experiences.
Enter Los Angeles-based startup Quarterly, a subscription service that enables people to receive physical items in the mail from influential curators of their choice. Kind of like the wine club, but instead of wine it’s a thoughtfully selected care package from someone you admire, arriving on your doorstep once every three months. Every object in each package is based on a theme and tells a unique story, reflecting the individual or brand you’ve subscribed to, and helping to inform a deeper understanding of them.
Most of the curators currently on Quarterly’s site are people the company has sought-out, though some have been inbound requests. Bigger names include bestselling author Timothy Ferriss, Bill Nye The Science Guy, musician and entrepreneur Pharrell Williams, and television, food and travel guy Andrew Zimmern. But there’s also niche interest curators like the founders of Cool Hunting, circus performer turned YouTube star Olga Kay, Cincinnati Bengals Quarterback Andy Dalton, and “mommyblogger” Heather Armstrong.
When asked where the idea for Quarterly came from, founder Zach Frechette says the seeds were planted during his time at GOOD Worldwide, a company he cofounded and held the position of Editor in Chief at for just shy of six years. GOOD came to life in 2006, when editorial content was becoming increasingly digitized. While the company had a strong online presence, what really set them apart was that they published a quarterly magazine that was beautiful, high-quality, and included inspiring stories that allowed readers to connect more intimately with the brand, and feel part of a community that was based on common interests and shared values. When Frechette left GOOD in 2011 he knew he wanted to start a company that was focused on creating more powerful off-line connections between people, believing that the pendulum had swung too far in the opposite direction, and needed some correction before coming back to center. He conducted a beta test for Quarterly with curators pulled from his personal and professional network and, shortly after, secured institutional investment from VegasTechFund, True Ventures, and Collaborative Fund.
It was right around this time that Tony Conrad, a founding member and Partner at True Ventures, was enthusiastically chatting with friend Mitch Lowe about one of his firm’s latest investments: Quarterly. Lowe was one of Netflix’s cofounders and served as VP of Business Development and Strategic Operations for the company before moving on to lead operations for McDonald’s and Redbox, later becoming Redbox’s President. A master of operations and logistics, Lowe immediately saw potential for scaling growth at Quarterly, and joined as an advisor before transitioning to CEO in June of 2013. Frechette’s creativity combined with Lowe’s attention to detail is proving to be a solid combination. In the past year the company has experienced over 400% growth, and now has 11 full-time employees and 50 curators. So how exactly does this whole thing work?
Users visit Quarterly and browse the curator bios before selecting a subscription (or gift). The cost is $50 or $100, depending on the curator, and billing occurs at the time of each shipment until users unsubscribe. Quarterly’s employees work intimately with the curators every quarter to determine the theme for their box, going back and forth on the product list until it’s finalized. Some examples of unique items include a gorgeous BaubleBar cuff specially designed for style expert Nina Garcia’s box, a build-it-yourself mini robot solar kit from Bill Nye, and an annotated copy of The Alchemist from Pharrell Williams.
Quarterly is responsible for sourcing all of the items, but because the products are being associated with influential names, the companies usually sell them to Quarterly at a discount, acknowledging the value of endorsement. This allows Quarterly to manage costs so their subscription fees aren’t too exclusive, and instead appeal to a mainstream audience. The curators receive a percentage of the subscription revenue, but many donate this amount to charity, as their motivation is typically more about creating deeper relationships with their fans.
When it comes to selecting curators, Frechette says it’s less about finding people who have millions of followers than it is finding people who’ve already developed a tightly knit community of support. If their fans have already purchased something from them in the past, that’s even better, as having a pre-established transactional relationship increases the likelihood that they’ll subscribe. The company plans to add 100 more curators over the next year, hiring additional staff needed to ensure quality standards are maintained. And the opportunity cost of selecting a curator that doesn’t attract enough subscribers is low, which gives them the freedom to learn as they go, and look for thematic trends.
When asked if there are any analogies people are using to describe Quarterly, Lowe says someone once referred to it as “a tactile Twitter,” but instead of words it's products that are used to tell stories. That's a good vision to live into. And while receiving a quarterly box of curated items from someone you admire certainly won’t cure the loneliness caused by time spent online, or become a replacement for much-needed in-person interaction, it’s a move in the right direction (and a lot of fun).
