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Interview: Metrofunk.com CEO Han Kao

By Amarendra Bhushan for CEOWORLD Magazine Updated:November 19, 2007

Han Kao, Metrofunk’s Co-Founder and CEO graduated from Columbia University with a B.A. in Economics in 2003. Having spent most of his life growing up in New York City Han was always intrigued with the world of the trendsetter and their ability to influence people’s taste in nightlife, fashion, music, and film. Metrofunk offers influencers a leveled playing field to promote and monetize their creative works.

By: editor
Ceoworld.biz
Tuesday, November 19, 2007
The following Interview is brought to you by ceoworld.biz.

ceoworld.biz: What’s your founding story?

Han Kao: Having spent most of his life growing up in New York City Han was always intrigued with the world of the trendsetter and their ability to influence people’s taste in nightlife, fashion, music, and film. But the independent nature of trendsetters (promoters, fashion designers, artists, film makers, etc.) resulted in the lack of a central source of information and trying to find events or information on what was going on in the industry was tedious and daunting. His idea was to establish an online medium that would both unify the trendsetters as well as aggregate the events and content that they produced.

So upon graduation and after walking away from generous offers from prestigious investment banks and consulting firms, he dove right into the world of nightlife promotions and spent two years promoting all the hottest parties and celebrity events in New York City.

Han then organized a team of industry veterans to form the Metrofunk management team. On November 14^th Metrofunk.com will be holding a red-carpet launch party at Stereo, one of New York City’s most exclusive celebrity nightclubs.

ceoworld.biz: Tell me about Metrofunk.com

Han Kao: Metrofunk.com is the first metropolitan-based online social network devoted to nightlife, fashion, film, and music. The site was created to allow industry trendsetters such as nightclub promoters, fashion designers, music artists, and filmmakers, the ability to create, build, and monetize their individually branded online social networks.

Metrofunk offers influencers a leveled playing field to promote and monetize their creative works. The mission is to empower trendsetters around the world by giving them the technology to create and build their own personally branded social networks. These personal social networks will later serve as grassroots distribution channels for their own products. They will also be provided with a suite of social media tools to post and promote all their creative works: events, fashion collections, films, music, photos, blogs, and videos.

In order for other users to view and access the content, they must be invited to the site by an existing trendsetter network. One might compare Metrofunk.com to the Barneys and Saks Fifth Ave. of social networking. All user generated content is displayed in a popularity-driven manner and categorized under one of Metrofunk.com’s four lifestyle verticals (nightlife, fashion, film, and music). The site is designed so the trendsetting community, not hired editors, decide what’s hot and what’s not.

ceoworld.biz: How is the site going?

Han Kao: The site is doing really well, people have been quite supportive of our movement. We have spent a year modeling the site and another year developing the actual features, and we’re finally almost done. We haven’t even launched yet and we already have hundreds of industry trendsetters, celebrities, and TV and film stars requesting trendsetter accounts on the site already. We’re going to try to keep it exclusive and only give trendsetter accounts to people that really deserve it. Our redcarpet launch party on Wednesday at Stereo is going to be awesome, we really can’t wait to open up Metrofunk to our users.

ceoworld.biz: How do they typically drive traffic?

Han Kao: People come to Metrofunk.com for two reasons: 1) To be part of the most exclusive social network on the internet and 2) to be associated with the best content (events, fashion styles, etc).

ceoworld.biz: What do you recommend to people who are new to your site?

Han Kao: Ask around for an invite. Once you get an account the rest is easy.

ceoworld.biz: How does Metrofunk.com make money?

Han Kao: Sponsorships, product placements, advertising, ticket sales, and merchandising.

ceoworld.biz: How many registered members do you have?

Han Kao: A few thousand, mostly friends and family as nobody else has access to it yet.

ceoworld.biz: What social networking or social gaming sites have been an inspiration to you?

Han Kao: Well we’ve been working on the Metrofunk.com model since friendster.com, the first real social network, came out. This was before myspace and facebook came out.

ceoworld.biz: How many employees do you have?

Han Kao: We have a talented team of about 20 good core people right now, and growing rapidly.

ceoworld.biz: What are your goals for 2007 through 2008?

Han Kao: We’re really looking to make a footprint in the online entertainment industry and give trendsetters more influence and control over their products and their followers.

ceoworld.biz: Your last comment on Metrofunk.com

Han Kao: Are you invited?

Nicole Fertile

Director of Media Relations
Metrofunk Corporation
www.metrofunk.com
Assignment Editor
WNBC
(914) 715-6082

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