Matt Brimer intrigues me. He’s 29-years-old, comes from the Midwest, and has co-founded General Assembly — an education startup with 500 employees, 12 international campuses, and $50m in funding. But that’s not what makes him unique. In addition to General Assembly, Matt — along with fellow entrepreneur Radha Agrawal — runs one of the most successful dance parties on the planet. But unlike most raves, there’s no alcohol or drugs, and it starts at 6 a.m. Photo Credit: http://technical.ly/brooklyn/ Matt and Radha operate and produce Daybreaker: a carnival-like event that started as a social art experiment in New York, but has since grown into a global phenomenon. Daybreaker takes place twice a month in more than eight cities around the globe. It’s a celebration that starts at sunrise and ends before the workday begins. Unlike a typical rave, Daybreaker events do not serve alcohol, encouraging health and community over hangovers and exclusivity. And the movement is growing at an incredible rate — one new city is added every month. I spent the day with Matt and Radha to understand how these two disparate worlds collided, who the people were that flocked there so voraciously, and how they created a business out of a seemingly terrible idea. What’s most intriguing about Matt and Radha is that they’ve created something that nobody else could envision, but that everyone wanted. They’ve identified and filled a societal need that the rest of us didn’t even know existed. I went to the most recent Daybreaker event in New York City to figure out exactly how the worst idea ever (a dance party before work) became a successful business. Watch the video up top or right here on Youtube. And don’t forget to enter your email below. Next week’s post is all about MONEY. You’ll love it.
