With social media increasingly filled with polished influencer content, Playkit introduces a fresh approach to digital marketing. The startup, launched in late 2024 by Julia Pintar and Nick Sanchez, connects business founders with everyday creators to generate social media content that resonates with audiences. Through its subscription model, it prioritizes genuine connections over celebrity endorsements.

From Campus Creator to Startup Founder

Julia’s entry into content creation came unexpectedly during her college years. “Before joining [health startup] Aavia, I had never made content on social media. I was anti-TikTok, anti-Instagram,” she recalls. “But I was an intern, and our socials lead had dropped off. As an intern, I felt the right thing to do was step up to the plate and take it.”

Her methodology differed significantly from that of typical content creators. “I went into it very strategically and differently than I think other people who make content do,” Julia explains. “We pivoted very quickly from having my face on the brand account. I made my account, built my community and friendships, and talked one-on-one with many of our members.”

The strategy proved effective. “Within a few months, we turned off our paid ads and our downloads skyrocketed—all from my organic growth,” Julia shares. This success led to opportunities with other startups, including a significant project with an AI note-taking app.

“I quickly scaled it from 2 to 10k MRR in about 30 days, and then I wanted to bring it to the next level,” she says. “Then, I created this ambassador program where I was training all of these creators on exactly what to do, what kind of videos to make, how to do it. We doubled our monthly recurring revenue in about two weeks.”

Bridging the Distribution Gap

Julia describes how she and Nick identified a crucial market need that led to founding Playkit: “There are all these technologies, especially AI, Claude, and ChatGPT, where many people can teach themselves how to code and make an app. However, the problem is the gap; not everybody can distribute it.”

Nick Sanchez, Playkit’s co-founder

Their approach differs from traditional marketing strategies. “Most people are doing influencer marketing with established influencers, creators, athletes, or celebrities,” Julia explains. “We’re doing this just with the everyday person, which can be very powerful because the whole problem with social media right now is that things are becoming increasingly inauthentic, and people are craving this community, trust, and authenticity online.”

Julia’s understanding of social media behavior informed this strategy: “The average person scrolling through TikTok will probably be alone in their room. Maybe it’s dark, and they just want a connection. We aim to break through that and create trust and connection through the screen while showing them something that might be valuable to them.”

The Playkit Process

Each client engagement begins with comprehensive discovery. “We usually jump on a call with them and understand what they’re trying to get out of this and whether they’re looking for brand awareness, direct conversion, or a strategy that works,” Julia explains. “And then we’ll have them fill out a couple of quick questions on their target audience or anything they’ve tried before on socials so that we get a full picture.”

Strategy development requires intense focus. “Nick and I will spend 48 hours with our heads down, crafting a strategy, figuring out what types of formats will work best for clients, how to break through the noise of other similar apps marketed on TikTok, and how we can come out on top,” Julia shares.

The company maintains close client relationships through streamlined communication. “We recently switched many communications from email to text, so it’s very personal. We’re all in this ‘together’ type of feeling,” Julia notes. “A weekly or even monthly subscription just helps with that feeling. I want you to get exactly what you want out of this.”

Content creation follows a structured approach. “What they do is they all create a new TikTok account, and then they’ll be posting 15 times a week, three times a day, Monday through Friday, all about the products they’re promoting,” Julia explains. “Some seasoned creators might help us with that strategy, too. This is a fun process, and there is much learning there.”

Measuring Impact and Building Creator Communities

Playkit’s work with Dupe.com demonstrates early success. “We just finished our third week with dupe.com; they’re a super cool product that essentially helps customers find furniture, clothes, and accessories for much lower prices,” Julia explains.

She notes that the results speak for themselves. “Last week, we had a video hit 11 million views, which was exciting,” Julia shares. “We have a great creator on that project. She loves it and uses it herself. I’m in the middle of moving, so it’s also been fun to use that product myself.”

Different products require different success metrics, with Julia citing Dupe as a great example of a viral concept. “Everybody’s excited to see you can get a thousand dollars off a nice-looking couch. That’s a video people will share and save organically.”

Julia explains that quality control starts with thorough creator selection. “I instruct them on exactly the video to make, and that helps me understand if they have that organic feel when you’re videotaping yourself,” she says.

The company fosters community through incentives and recognition. “We have bonus structures, which is fun,” Julia says. “Not only do they get a bonus on their paycheck, but we have this great Discord channel where we’re all together weekly. We will share our highs and lows from the weekend and create the community many people yearn for.”

The Value of Genuine Connections

As social media continues to shape consumer behavior, Julia highlights the enduring value of genuine connections: “Something that’s never going to go away is the genuine need and want for human connection,” she asserts. “In this era of loneliness in our society, many people flock to social media to see that. They’re probably sick of seeing influencer-type people on their pages because that’s not real.”

“I think that in my college dorm a year ago, I would have never imagined I’d be doing this now,” Julia concludes. “I feel so lucky and special to be a part of the space, especially as one of the few women. It’s been received with so much respect and kindness, and that’s been very touching for me too.”