Zinley's Unconventional Market Research: An Uber Adventure

Hey there! Khoi again. Remember me? The founder of Zinley who's always up to something crazy? Well, I've got another wild tale for you about our unconventional market research for our AI software engineer. Trust me, you're gonna want to hear this one!

So, we're building this cool AI that can code like a pro. But here's the thing - the tech world is crazy competitive. We needed to talk to real developers, but how? Then it hit me: Uber and Lyft!

Picture this: We're cruising around Bay Area in my Cadillac XT5, picking up rides between 4:30 and 6 PM. Why? That's when all the tech wizards are heading home from work. Super cool, right?

Now, you might be thinking, "Khoi, isn't it weird to chat up strangers in your car?" Well, yeah, kinda. But we got ideas. We'd guess where they work based on the pickup spot, then break the ice with something like, "Hey, are you a developer at Google? I used to intern there!" Boom - instant connection!

We'd whip out an iPad with our Zinley demo and start chatting. We learned so much about what developers love, hate, and dream about in their tools. It was like a focus group on wheels!

But wait, it gets better. We didn't just meet developers. We bumped into Stanford professors, angel investors, and even a public policy expert from Meta named Linh. She thought I was a serial killer at first (oops!), but now we're friends. Go figure!

Oh, and did I mention I was technically driving with my Nebraska license plate? Let's just say I got creative with the rules. I can't leak more details, but I know it's not exactly by the book!

So there you have it - our crazy Uber adventure. We're out there every day, pitching Zinley, making friends, and having a blast. Who knows who we'll meet next?

Stay tuned for more wild stories!
Khoi