Meet Jerid Gooding | Founder of the in—yc app.

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

Hi Jerid, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
“He who jumps into the void owes no explanation to those who stand and watch.” ― Jean-Luc Godard

Not enough credit is given to entrepreneurs for going out on a limb. It’s a tremendous risk to venture out like that, and it can take a toll both personally and financially. There’s pride in taking that initiative, but there’s inevitably some second-guessing.

Anytime I’m concerned with how a project may be perceived or have any doubts, I think of Godard’s quote.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’ve wanted to make the in—yc app since I first moved to New York City 13 years ago. I started working on it in 2012, but life got difficult and I shelved it. I tried again some years later but ran into some financial trouble with a business partner.
I started Please Space for something a little more secure than the rollercoaster that was working in the art world, though it was still a huge leap. It was a photo, tv and film production studio in Red Hook, Brooklyn. None of it was easy, but I learned invaluable lessons on how to start and run a successful business. I didn’t have experience in the photo industry before starting Please Space but luckily had good people around me to help—and then the pandemic hit. It broke my piggy bank, and nearly broke my spirit but I managed to come out on the other side with my business intact.
During the pandemic, the landlord’s daughter and granddaughter started running the building and they were extremely unprofessional, dishonest, and just awful to work with, and that’s putting it lightly. I took this as a sign. Even though the studio was doing record numbers I knew I had to move on and it was time to focus entirely on in—yc.
Like Please Space, in—yc is just an idea I had. Sure I can direct it and know what I want it to do and how I want it to look, but I can’t really do anything. I just have to find great people that are excited and passionate to help me create it. It’s a skeleton crew, there’s just three of us, but we’re constantly working to bring it to the world for the first time.
The important thing is to realize the world can change, you can bend it to your will. You have to try, and then be stubborn as hell.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have an array of experiences the last 13 years here, we’re talking good and bad. I’m not a homebody, I love being out. That’s what NYC (and my new business) is all about—taking full advantage of what a city has to offer you.

Tyger, Lucien, Emmett’s on Grove, Red Hook Tavern and Lilia are my go to restaurants around town for good food so we’d eat at any of the above. Bemhelman’s, Little Branch, Fresh Kills, Brooklyn Social and Hotel Delmano are some of my favorite places to grab proper drinks and let loose so we’d head to one of those in the evening. We’d have to make time for some jazz at Smalls too, it’s a must.

For shopping, and I’m biased as a surfer, Pilgrim Surf Supply is the most beautiful store I’ve seen in NYC and near the water in Williamsburg. Ven Space just opened near me in Carroll Gardens and has brands I’ve never even seen available in the U.S. CHCM in Soho is also great. It’s always fun to walk around the Lower East Side and pop into all the boutiques and galleries to get a taste of the moment.

My favorite view of Manhattan is from the pool deck at Dumbo House, a good closer for anyone’s trip and that cityscape will stick with them.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shoe Dog, Phil Knight’s memoir, is an incredible story about constantly challenging the status quo, going against the grain and just thinking differently. It was eye-opening to see how the creation of Nike—a globally recognized brand—had such a humble beginning. It stemmed from Knight’s personal passion and shows how pinpointing what’s missing in a market so precisely can completely change it. He recognized solutions even when they came from unexpected sources—Nike’s revolutionary waffle sole brought to his attention by his college track coach or the iconic Nike swoosh drawn up on the fly by an intern—and it was cool to see how much staying focused but open pays off. There’s also humanizing elements like self doubt and personal tragedies that makes you remember it’s never a smooth road.

Website: https://www.inyc.us

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeridgooding/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerid-gooding-24932b149/

Image Credits
I own all the images.