Are virtual design sessions the wave of the future? New platform Intro is here to find out.
Interior designer Nathan Turner is one of the esteemed experts available for sessions through Intro.
In the middle of a hectic workday, Nathan Turner pops up on my iPhone. The interiors icon rips through my rapid-fire burning design questions in a flash. Instead of agonizing over wallpapers, Turner has me ordering the perfect shade of grass cloth and empowers me to go for bold. It is liberating and insanely easy. As he says, it is like having an interior designer bestie on speed dial.
Boasting interiors industry superstars like Cara Woodhouse, Shawn Henderson, Barrie Benson and Turner on the roster, Intro is literally a game changer. Built to democratize expert advice across a range of fields, Intro offers one-on-one video chat sessions with everyone from Alexis Ohanian to Rachel Zoe. The FaceTimemeets- MasterClass concept is the brainchild of Intro CEO and founder Raad Mobrem. “Meeting the top experts in any field has always been a luxury reserved for the few. At Intro, we’re democratizing access so that everyone can get access to anyone,” says Mobrem. We polled the maverick for an inside look.
What inspired you to launch the platform?
Early in my life, I was lucky to have a chance encounter with Paul Orfalea, the legendary founder of Kinko’s. We started talking, and in 15 minutes, I learned more about entrepreneurship than I ever had before. I was inspired by his story, and was encouraged by Paul to start a company. That conversation changed my life forever and I decided at that moment that I was going to become an entrepreneur. Years later at the age of 27, Intuit would acquire the company I founded and transform it into the new QuickBooks Online.
Intro wants to democratize this type of access so that everyone can get the same opportunity I was given. It should be easy to get time with renowned entrepreneurs and ask them business questions. It should also be easy to get access to any kind of expert, such as interior designers, nutritionists and more, so that people all around the world can have the opportunity to learn from the best in a more personalized way and improve their lives. I believe that by doing this, and, in turn, empowering people to make progress, we can truly make the world a better place.
How do you think it fills a void in the market?
It’s very difficult to get access to indemand experts and ask for their time. It’s also difficult to facilitate a short consultation when they say yes. With Intro, we make it easy to book the most in-demand experts and get personalized advice over a one-on-one video call.
For the first time ever, you can jump on a video consultation with a celebrity interior designer like Nate Berkus and get design advice personalized to you. Need business advice? Book the founders of Zillow, ThirdLove, Reddit, and get one-on-one time. Eager to live a healthier life? Book a renowned nutritionist or fitness coach and learn what plan works for you. Intro’s marketplace makes it simple to discover the right expert, get access and receive personalized advice from the comforts of your home, with sessions starting as low as $39.
Intro CEO and founder Raad Mobrem
How do you hope this will democratize so many industries?
By providing people with an opportunity to tap into experts that were once inaccessible, Intro unlocks an incredible exchange of ideas and limitless potential for individuals. It is clear that when we collaborate and help one another, great things can happen, and we are already seeing that in the outcomes of the conversations people are having on the platform.
Photography by: PHOTO COURTESY OF BRAND
