My year in the start-up wilderness: Starting up, failing and learning tons of lessons from it.

1. have your cake and eat it too … or f*ck it.
kinkste.rs
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2. FetLife is too creepy; OkCupid isn’t creepy enough.
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3. kinkste.rs
relationships & kink relationships
hookups & kink relationships & hookups
the kink+relationship landscape
FetLife
?
© 2014 Kinkste.rs

4. kinkste.rs
Having a kink or a fetish doesn’t mean you just want a
hookup. Why can’t we create a platform for kinksters
to not only get their rocks off, but form meaningful
connections and relationships while they’re at it?
what we are solving
© 2014 Kinkste.rs

5. kinkste.rs
Create a platform that takes the creepiness out of
finding someone who shares your kink—and also
maybe your values and taste in movies.
No judgment—just meaningful kinky connections.
the idea
© 2014 Kinkste.rs

6. kinkste.rs people are asking for it
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7. kinkste.rs it’s a great approach to matchmaking
A fulfilling sexual relationship between a couple leads to:
better health outcomes
People who have good sexual relationships live longer and have a
reduced likelihood for heart disease and certain cancers.
(Example: Men who have sex at least twice a week reduce their chance of having a heart attack by up to 45%.)
longer lasting unions
Research shows that married couples with overlapping sexual needs
and a satisfying sex life have longer lasting marriages and are overall
happier with their lives.
Sexual incompatibility was the #4 reason cited in divorce proceedings in 2010 in the U.S.
© 2014 Kinkste.rs

8. kinkste.rs
We’d match you not only
with people who share the
same kinks as you, but also
share some of your interests
and values.
how it works
feet
pro-choice
light bondage
the big lebowski
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9. kinkste.rs
We know experience goes a
long way, so you can set
your comfort level and also
tell us whether you want a
guru to show you the ropes
or another bashful beginner
to try it out with.
how it works
need it
i like this from time to time
just exploring
not my thing
© 2014 Kinkste.rs

10. kinkste.rs how it works
Everything else? Pure personality. Photos, quizzes, events
—just what users are looking for in order to find a match.
© 2014 Kinkste.rs

11. kinkste.rswhat makes us different?
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community management
kinkste.rs will be a safe place to explore, discover and build great relationships. We can’t
do this without a great community and a heavy handed “no creeps” policy. Therefore
we’ll have a strong set of rules & community management guidelines at launch.
no mismatches
We’d only match you up with people who share your kink. You’d also be unable to see
people who don’t share your kink.
kink testing
Exposing people to kinks they never might have known they have, providing information
on them and providing you the option to check out people who share that kink.
two-step authentication
We know your security and privacy is extremely important to you. Therefore we’ll institute
a two-step authentication process in order to prevent impersonation.

12. kinkste.rs the numbers
really, really big
FetLife
3.3 million
members
5.6 million
members
Dating Website Statistics © 2014 Kinkste.rs

13. kinkste.rs challenges
interface
Users are design savvy and are accessing platforms from multiple
devices and screen sizes.
security & privacy
This is the fastest growing concern for users. The kink aspect adds an
additional layer to users’ privacy concerns.
critical mass of users
It isn’t fun to go on a dating site designed for kink based relationships
and find out no one else shares your interests or kinks.
crowded space
We aren’t the first dating app to market. We have to rely on our unique
approach and selling points to attract users.
© 2014 Kinkste.rs

14. kinkste.rs how we plan on making money
value-based freemium
The more a customer uses the product, the more value he/
she will derive, the higher the switching costs are and at some
point they’ll want to more features and convert to a paying
customer — i.e. to get more functionality out of our product.
© 2014 Kinkste.rs

15. kinkste.rs how we plan on making money
joining & setting up a profile
monthly enhanced membership
quick enhancements
© 2014 Kinkste.rs
Free! Kinkste.rs will be completely free to sign up for and use. You can
message people and look at profiles without paying a dime. This keeps
our membership base fresh and plentiful.
To get the most out of Kinkste.rs, users can get an enhanced
membership for a low monthly price: $7.99. This allows users to search
by special parameters, appear higher in search results and more.
Smaller, targeted enhancements such as profile boosts or sending your
message to the top of someone’s mailbox are pushed out during key
interactions at small price points to encourage impulse purchases.

16. kinkste.rs
© 2014 Kinkste.rs
who we are
Stuart Foster
Founder, CEO
Stuart is a seasoned marketing veteran with experience in brand
strategy, research, advertising and marketing startups. From cutting
his teeth in Boston during the founding of his own social consultancy
to breaking into brand strategy and advertising at Mullen to leading
digital strategy on Volkswagen at Deutsch in LA, Stuart has been at
the forefront of culture, technology and insight discovery.
Now settled here in Chicago, Stuart lives, works and plays with his
dog Max within walking distance of Wrigley Field (which he
considers a close second to Fenway Park).

17. Michelle Matthews
Founder, CCO
Michelle Matthews is a user experience designer based in Los Angeles
who cut her teeth in UX in the advertising world, designing delightful
digital experiences for brands such as Gerber, Humana, Pfizer, Kiehl's
and Purina. She got her start in UX after working as a relationship
advice columnist and therapist/sex educator in her past professional
lives. When she's not buried under Post-Its and high on Expo markers
after a killer whiteboarding session, you can find her at a punk show,
checking out a local comedy open mic or at a hackathon.
She recently won the grand prize and category prize at the first ever
Comcast NBC Universal AngelHack for designing an innovative news
platform called Thumbnail (coming soon to an app store near you).
kinkste.rs
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who we are

18. kinkste.rs
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thank you

19. kinkste.rs stuff you might want to know
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20. kinkste.rs brief
© 2014 Kinkste.rs
STRATEGY
Create a platform that takes the creepiness out of finding someone who shares
your kink—and also maybe your values and taste in movies.
No judgment—just meaningful, kinky connections.
SUPPORT
There are dozens of online sites designed for kinks/fetishes
but none focus on building and establishing a relationship.
We want to be the first.
BELIEF
SHARED SEXUAL COMPATIBILITY/KINKS = BETTER RELATIONSHIPS
TONE
Approachable, fun, (a little irreverent) and tongue in cheek.
We want to be cute - but not too cute. Not OkCupid - but
DEFINITELY not fetlife.com
PROBLEM
Having a kink or a fetish doesn’t mean you just want a
hookup. Why can’t we create a platform for kinksters to not
only get their rocks off, but form meaningful connections
and relationships while they’re at it?
CONTEXT
What’s a “better” relationship? Simple: It’s a relationship that
lasts longer, has a higher satisfaction rate (both sexually and
emotionally) and has a higher chance of leading to marriage. We
believe that sexual compatibility & shared kinks are an
underutilized variable to achieve “better” relationships.

21. personas
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22. kinkste.rs
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personas
Occupation: Project Manager @ tech startup, bachelor degree in
communications from U of W, $85k/yr
Interests: Hiking, techie meetups, going out to EDM clubs occasionally
with her girlfriends, coffee snob, farmer market Sunday
Tech Profile: Kate loves technology as its a huge part of her career.
She loves keeping on top of the latest apps she hears about from her
dev and designer coworkers, even if she's sometimes a little behind the
latest trends. She does everything with her iPhone--grocery shopping,
banking, making plans, you name it. She is no stranger to online dating
apps and uses OkCupid and Tinder, but is mostly unsatisfied.
Kink Profile: Kate wouldn't define anything she is into as a fetish, but
she knows she likes things a certain way. She's dated a few people who
have shared her tastes and way more people that did not. She knows
about sites like FetLife, but they are way too extreme for her. She likes
spanking and dirty talk, and even though she considers it necessary for a
happy sexual life, she would not consider it a lifestyle.
Ideals: On trend, hip, good design, like-minded peopleKate, 28
Seattle, Washington

23. kinkste.rs
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personas
Occupation: IT manager for a university, master's in computer science
from University of Michigan, $130k/yr
Interests: Checking out new restaurants, international travel, going to
improv shows at UCB, and he loves beer
Tech Profile: Adam is up to date on technology, but less concerned
with trends. He has the most powerful Android phone money can buy
and takes care of most of his day to day needs on his phone. He also
has a nice desktop at home that he uses for gaming and general internet
browsing. For online dating, he's more likely to stick to the desktop
experience.
Kink Profile: Adam has a very specific sexual interest that he's rarely
had the opportunity to try, especially with anyone he's connected with as
a person. He's had satisfying sexual relationships, but would love to meet
someone who shares his fetish and is also someone he wants to get
pizza with after. He's tried Craigslist and FetLife, but these experiences
make him feel creepy and seedy, so he avoids these options.
Ideals: Genuine, sincere, approachable
Adam, 34
New York, NY

24. kinkste.rs
© 2014 Kinkste.rs
personas
Occupation: Barista, started university but dropped out, $25k/year
Interests: Going to clubs, eating at Chipotle, shopping for clothes and
hanging out with his sisters.
Tech Profile: Charles adores his Galaxy S5 and wouldn’t leave home
without it. He still pines for Apple products though and appreciates great
design and the status that they denote. He desperately wants to update
from his laptop as well. After all, he’s had it since the beginning of
college. He frequently “showrooms” and is always on the hunt for the
best deal.
Kink Profile: Charles is still coming to terms with his kinks and sexuality.
He’s been closeted for most of his life due to his religious upbringing and
fear that it would tear him away from his family. He frequently uses apps/
sites like Scruff, Grindr and others - but would love to have something
that would help him build a more meaningful connection with someone
(and help him explore his newfound kinks). He’s still not even sure about
the extent of all of them, just because he hasn’t explored them yet.
Ideals: Family, religion and great sexCharles, 27
Colorado Springs, CO

25. kinkste.rs
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personas
Occupation: Administrative assistant for a nonprofit, bachelor degree in
women's studies from Washington University, $37k/year
Interests: Going to art and music gigs, burlesque, cooking and baking
vegan meals at home, making her own costumes for herself and friends
for burlesque
Tech Profile: Noelle has a smart phone, but not the latest or most
expensive (an iPhone 5c... with a cracked screen), and she recently
bought a new Lenovo laptop after her last one laptop from college finally
bit the dust. She uses the internet for social media and promoting her
burlesque shows, for Skyping with her long distance friends and for
shopping and checking her bank balance. She generally does most
things the old fashioned way besides that. She even pays her bills by
check.
Kink Profile: Noelle's life is heavily steeped in kink culture. She has a
profile on FetLife, but finds it hard to meet people who aren't already
partnered or who are local. She also sometimes feels like FetLife kicks
things off as sexual a bit too soon, and she's bored of the men
messaging her dirty things instead of asking her how she is. She'd love
to meet someone she connects with on a deeper level, but is concerned
about meeting someone vanilla and having to compromise her kinky side.
Ideals: Fun, unique, queer
Noelle, 23
St. Louis, MO

26. production
kinkste.rs
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27. kinkste.rs
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feature list

28. kinkste.rs
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budget for mvp

29. Relationships & Kinks:
Primary Research 2014
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30. kinkste.rs
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What are some of your biggest
complaints about online dating?
Lack of real face to face communication.
Most men I have encountered are
disingenuous about what they actually want.
The stigma attached with online dating.
It can be so easy to be fake on a dating website.
My own anxiety about being judged.
I lose interest in the tireless exchange of messages.
People seem so one-dimensional, myself included.
It's hard to gauge if anyone is accurately
representing themselves.

31. kinkste.rs
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Do you actively seek out
those with the same kink or
fetish as you when looking
for a relationship?
Yes; It helps to be into the same stuff
Yes; Just because someone doesn't like the same
things as you doesn't mean they never will, or maybe they
like something that you've never considered and end up liking.
Yes; Nice having them on same page as you
No; I used to, but not any more.
The most compatible partners I have had are
the non-kinky ones. The worst partners have
been the kinky ones.
24% of Respondents said “Yes”

32. kinkste.rs
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Do your friends/family know
about your kink/fetish?
Friends yes, family no. My friends and I talk about all
sorts of shit. there's no limit to our conversations. From
period shits to kinky sex, we know each other's deepest
secrets.
Friends, yes. Parents, no. Avoiding judgments from
parents, but close enough with friends to share
Close friends know because it's not something
to be ashamed of. My family doesn't know
because it would be weird to tell them.
Not socially acceptable in my circles or as a businessperson, though I suspect it's fairly common
It's my business, not my family's. I am shy
about my fetishes publicly, and consider
them to be part of the 'bedroom'.

33. kinkste.rs
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Do you view sharing your
kink as a “must have” for a
mate?
21% of Respondents said “Yes”
No; Everyone likes different things, I'm open to a lot
of things but I know other people may not be.
To each their own. If I liked the other person
enough, not sharing a kink wouldn't be the end of
the world.
Yes; Important part of relationship.
Must share some interest
No; My kink is not a need, it's a preference.
Yes; Because it's lame when your
partner isn't having as much fun as you.

34. kinkste.rs
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If NO, do you PREFER that
your mate share your kink?
80% of Respondents said “Yes”
Yes; It makes things easier. Like going to the
grocery store and finding everything you want vs
having to go to two or three.
Yes; To do kinky shit with them. Duh.
Yes; I can get off without it, but sex is
WAY better for me with my kink.
Yes; Again, for a more compatible and
fulfilling sexual relationship.

35. kinkste.rs
© 2014 Kinkste.rs