Meet the Entrepreneur: Connor Chase
Welcome to the 85th edition of Start-up Society, run by Arteen Zahiri and Rumeer! This blog highlights some of the most exciting start-ups in the country striving to keep the American Dream alive. This week, we are doing a podcast and summary article double feature for our new installment of Meet the Entrepreneur featuring Connor Chase, CEO, Co-founder and Head of Design at Zenbase. For the full conversation, tap into the podcast here!
Introduction
Zenbase is a wellness app that encourages people to meditate or engage with wellness content by incentivizing users with crypto rewards. To prevent abuse, there are built-in timers and protections in the app. Currently, it is launching on iOS in the next 30–60 days but will be on desktop and android shortly after launch.
Connor’s Background
He picked up UI/UX design during his sophomore year of college and had an immediate affinity for it. Since then, he has earned his certification in UX and has built nonstop to hone his skills. He is the Head Designer for Zenbase and is prioritizing an easy-to-use, beautiful app. Connor is an avid meditator. He also uses the Brave browser, which gives rewards to users for using the browser. He saw the opportunity to combine these concepts twelve months ago. He called his Co-founder, Jessie Freelander, and they immediately got to work.
What Impact Did RevRoad Have?
Connor currently works as a UI/UX designer for RevRoad, a venture studio/accelerator, and spends his free time building Zenbase. His advice to anyone who wants to start something is: “Everyone has the same 24 hours in a day… all it takes is hard work.”
What Is Zentoken? What Does Zenbase Have to Do With NFTs?
They are not going to launch a cryptocurrency out of the gate. The Zenbase in-app currency will be a digital counter with no blockchain infrastructure. As the app builds its user base, these Founders will roll out the fully realized in-app crypto infrastructure via the Polygon Network. Zentoken will be used to buy Zenbase Premium and will be subject to multipliers by meditating with friends.
Additionally, Zenbase will be the “SoundCloud for wellness.” Eventually, it will be a two-sided marketplace for wellness content. Creators will be able to release guided meditations, meditation music and other pieces of content as NFTs where users can interact with the content using Zentoken. Zentoken rewards will also be split 30/70 to content consumers and content creators. The partnerships Zenbase is focused on building out currently are with wellness content producers. Meditation, Tai Chi, Chi Gong, even wellness games, are all under the future purview of the company.
What Have the Last 12 Months Been Like for Zenbase?
The first 6 months were spent building a different brand with the same concept, but it was recycled and rebranded into Zenbase. The team has gone from two people to seventeen, consisting of the two Co-founders and an army of student Zenployees.
If You Could Leave the Audience With One Piece of Advice, What Would It Be?
Meditate!
Why Zenbase?
Zenbase was created with one goal in mind: to improve the world. According to Michael Beckwith in his series on the Gaia streaming service, Transcendence (2018–2020), those who are in a meditative state are both 400% more creative and better at making analytical decisions. Zenbase encourages everyone to find a wellness regimen that works for them. Meditate for free forever and get cryptocurrency rewards with Zenbase.
