If you don’t follow thingtesting on Instagram yet your feed is missing out, it’s one of the top accounts I check daily. In a similar spirit to our great @rrhoover, London based VC @gyllanderjenny reviews the newest products in the land from both a consumer and VC perspective.
@gyllanderjenny seems to always get her hands on things just as they pop onto my radar (and even before). She has her finger on the pulse 💅🏽
As an outside observer, VC can sometimes feel more like an art than a science — with thingtesting I’ve really enjoyed getting a better understanding of what makes a startup an attractive long term investment. Plus the page looks really pretty!
What’s one tech product you’d love to review next @gyllanderjenny? And any plans to introduce video reviews soon? One thing I’d love to see on thingtesting is AR/VR products...
Thank you @abadesi for hunting Thingtesting. I feel like I’m being blessed with one “Hunter” after the other, hehe (ping @hunterwalk).
Here’s why I started Thingtesting as a side project 6 months ago:
✔️I was curious: When I moved to London a year ago I had this magical list of products that I couldn’t wait to try. Birchbox, mattresses, you name it (not many could be purchased where I lived prior to moving to London). My colleagues at Backed endured me raving about new and some not-that-new products for months; Amazon Prime(!), Sofar Sounds, Glossier London pop-ups. One day when I was trying out Psycle, London’s version of Soulcycle, I realised that I can’t bother my friends and colleagues with more “youshouldcheckthisout” and needed a channel to do so. I bought some foam board in an art shop, my flatmate gave me a crash course in photoshop and I started shooting. I’ve been doing that on evenings and weekends ever since.
✔️ It made sense: I chose Instagram as my channel because it feels like home to me. Some of the companies I admire the most use Instagram as a prime channel to drive growth. I see my friends setting up companies and they have instagram accounts before they even have websites. Why are no VCs on Instagram, when so many companies are born there?
✔️New audience: While I test and review new products, I try to do my best to demystify some VC thinking. I also hope that Thingtesting can speak to another audience than most VC blogs, so that a more people would get involved and interested in startups and VC.
As for new products I’d love to review? I’m planning some themed weeks at the moment: Sleep, meat substitutes, productivity, travel and sex. I cannot wait to get my hands on a Mirror, for___days t-shirts, New Wave Foods (fake shrimp), Rothy’s shoes, plus I guess it’s due time to get my hands on some Kylie Cosmetics… That magical list of mine today has more than 150+ companies... I want to start to test experiences too (Museum of Pizza in NYC!). Abadesi, your idea on AR/VR makes a lot of sense for experiences hmm… IGTV, stay tuned 😎
I have one rule on Thingtesting: 100% honesty. So now it’s your turn to be 100% honest! Thoughts, feedback?
And also - what are the best emerging brands that have I missed? Who should be featured on Thingtesting? I promise to review the top 3 products suggested in the comments!
@rrhoover is doing a guest post on Thingtesting today at 8AM PDT - what product do you think he will review? 😎
I've been following thingtesting for a few months now, prior to @hunterwalk featuring it. It's a refreshing and engaging look at startups and I really enjoy the content on a daily basis. Thingtesting is clean, consistent, and to the point. Will definitely continue to follow.
Pros: already on a platform I engage on, no need to download anything
Cons: sometimes I wish it would have a blog post attached when you swipe up on stories with more information
I love that it levels the playing field for entrepreneurs and it's a way to get featured if your product is good. I'm curious if more VCS will utilize methods like this in the future. Thoughts?
@pimdewitte1 I hope so! ThingTesting has been a great way to keep tabs on the consumer market in a much more digestible way than trawling through multiple newsletters every morning.
However, Instagram is clearly suited for consumer products - I wonder where we can see a similar methods for: gaming, B2B etc. Podcasts seem like a good place to start
Report
The beautiful well curated content constantly blows me away. How can you make something this simple so great! I just wish there was now of it, luckily I don't think she'll run out of products to test.
Pros:
Excellent, beautiful and honest reviews from both sides of the table at once.
Cons:
None
Report
Short product reviews and essays, made lots of new discoveries
Pros:
Visual, topical content on new products from tech to wellness
Cons:
Product reviews are most interesting for affluent urban lifestyles
Absolutely love this! Is anyone else in the VC space using instagram as a value-add platform? (Note: a fund's own channel where they post logos of their portfolio is not value-add.) Is anyone doing anything similar on other platforms (other than PH and PH copycats)?
@stadigh@abadesi I've spent hours looking but haven't found much so please - let us know whats out there! Wirecutter does great reviews tho, but not a VC..
Report
Hey Jenny! Been following forever. What’s been the most requested next step (e.g. podcast, newsletter etc)?
@seffa121 Thank you @seffa121, means a lot :) Followers ask for long-form content and video. Founders behind the products ask for advice and support on all things D2C (especially European founders, I think US might be further ahead). VCs ask for insights into my DMs 😅
I think Jenny is really onto something very special with Thingtesting. I met Jenny in LA after connecting with her on IG and shared the Brightland story and vision with her...and a bottle of Brightland as well. She wrote a thoughtful, honest and wonderful post about Brightland and every time I see a post of hers, I am always inspired and excited to read + learn. Thank you for creating Thingtesting, Jenny!
Pros:
Thoughtful, thought-provoking, clean, beautiful imagery and forward-leaning
Hustle Crew Academy
thingtesting
Medal Game Recorder
thingtesting
The beautiful well curated content constantly blows me away. How can you make something this simple so great! I just wish there was now of it, luckily I don't think she'll run out of products to test.
Pros:Excellent, beautiful and honest reviews from both sides of the table at once.
Cons:None
Short product reviews and essays, made lots of new discoveries
Pros:Visual, topical content on new products from tech to wellness
Cons:Product reviews are most interesting for affluent urban lifestyles
Lune
Hustle Crew Academy
thingtesting
thingtesting
Brightland
I think Jenny is really onto something very special with Thingtesting. I met Jenny in LA after connecting with her on IG and shared the Brightland story and vision with her...and a bottle of Brightland as well. She wrote a thoughtful, honest and wonderful post about Brightland and every time I see a post of hers, I am always inspired and excited to read + learn. Thank you for creating Thingtesting, Jenny!
Pros:Thoughtful, thought-provoking, clean, beautiful imagery and forward-leaning
Cons:Jenny does not live in LA!