A framework I let guide my guest list curation is, “If I didn’t find their work interesting, would I still be enthusiastic to invite them to meet my grandmother?” It’s a real character test. There isn’t a single guest I wouldn’t invite to my grammy’s house for a meal. Not one.
As with any artist, I deeply love my work. And as any founder, I have profound conviction in my product.
The tricky thing about curating guest lists of great people is that, unfortunately, as I speak with and observe more and more talented people, I’ve found that the density of pretentiousness grows on the same curve as talent. Thus, the art of it all is not merely finding talent, anyone can do that. The art is finding lovely people hidden within a deep pool of talent. Doing that well is the source of my conviction.
Which brings me to the theme of this newsletter: people who I’d bet on because above all else, they’re lovely. Here are the people who are exceptionally talented, but whose success will be accelerated by their likability. These are people who are quick to trust and easy to befriend. Read on for people the world will know (and also jobs and events I think you’ll like)
All names mentioned are past 3rd Space guests.
jobs we think are interesting
Director of Development @Now This
He’ll have his own highlight soon enough, but Michael Vito Valentino was brought on to make Now This cool again. Their bet on a then 25 year old editor in chief worked. Being on a team with low bureaucracy and youthful hustle is a seat you want to sit in if you like moving fast.
SWE @July
July is the deal software powering creator agencies and managers. They’re backed by 776 ventures (Alexis Ohanian, Reddit founder). More importantly, their CEO, Wells Douraghy, is generational. Beyond leadership and shipping speed, he’s a serial community builder. For the last 3 years in NYC he’s become a nucleus for founders to meet, interns in the city to talk startup careers, devs to come hang etc. Most people who work at July seem to spin off and build something successful with time
Wells also put up a 10k referral fee if you know someone
Creative Producer @Pufferfish
Anthony Potero has proven himself to be one of the greatest marketing minds/ executors of our generation. After building his own platform on Youtube (1M+), he went on to learn on Mr. Beast’s team (the Harvard of content and production). Now known for facilitating the Timothee Chalamet lookalike contest, he’s launched a campaign agency. The hiring thesis is to find A players, but specifically creative and funny people. “Make em laugh make em listen”. This company will be behind the biggest marketing stunts of 2026, and you’ll be an early hire.
people to watch
Kelsey Rose Healey, 25
Where there’s a room of cool people in Manhattan, Kelsey is DJing. In a talent-dense city like NY, whether people like seeing you around and want to work with you is your ticket to success as a DJ. Kelsey has hers.
Kiki Couchman, 26
Distribution wins, and Kiki’s proving it. Founder of Sourmilk, a new player in yogurt, she understands content, branding like few others in her space. She quit her job in PE to spend a year hosting popups and making content. Now they just sold out of their first in store drop.
people you should hire
Zoe Nochlin, 29
looking for someone with high fashion taste who understands influencer and social strategy? Zoe spent the last 2 years running social media at Grailed (tripled their Tiktok following) Also a community builder who teaches candle making workshops. ex Rag & Bone and L’Oreal too. On the market.
events happening in NYC (where we expect you to meet other great people)
Disposable Relly Exhibition Party
Sunday, Nov 16 @7
Pick ½ by our resident artist, Nicholas Cordeiro. Be ready to get your picture taken, dance, and meet great people. He says it’ll be “high altitude”.
155 Suffolk St
Axel Arigato Creative Exchange
Thursday, Nov 13 @6
Nic’s second pick, a live conversation with Alvin Armstrong. An eccentric and expressive painter and Brooklyn native. Will be a lot of people in art world friends with Alvin and people from fashion world coming for Axel.
Black Girl Fight Club
Wednesday, Nov 19 @6
Gabrielle Narcisse (also deserving of her own highlight) is a gifted community builder. She brings a high taste high talent crowd of black artists and creatives to all her events.
Basic.Space NY
Nov 14-16, @11-8
Hosted by the new owners of Design Miami, Basic.Space is run by global leaders in design. They’re based out of LA and have a reputation for putting on great shows. If you like design and people who also like design, go stop by
closing note
You probably found us through Instagram. It’s all ominous and loosely explained over there, we know. To add some color, we’re a dinner series to connect exceptional (but low ego) young people. Pretty simple, nothing new. We talk to every guest on the phone via a *referral system. We do our best to help as many people as we can by supercharging their networks.
*We follow all our past guests. if you know someone who’s been, ask them about us.
Cheers again,
Jake