Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/692580
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAY RYANN SOUZA (ROOFTOP); ABIGAIL GORDEN (HINCKLEY). OPPOSITE PAGE: NATALJA KENT/TWO MOON PHOTOGRAPHY (HOUSE, DANCING); ANASTASIA SIERRA (MIXING DRINK) Just how deeply does entrepre- neur Barry Hinckley believe in his latest venture? He used it to invite guests to his 50th birthday party. "Literally 40 percent of the people I had never met!" Wait, what? "It may have even been 50 percent," says Hinckley. "I have to live the brand." The brand is YotMe, an app that allows anyone anywhere to host or attend a party in a nearby private home. "It's a lot like Airbnb," Hinckley says. "There's a profile and a rating for each host and guest. It responds to a very simple rule: Treat someone how you want to be treated." If you don't? Let's just say you're off the holiday card list. For the rest, however, it's an insta-party. "My grand vision," says Hinckley, "[was] to build an app that the minute you decide you want to entertain you can curate the entire event—the food, bever- ages, cohosts, guests—from your phone." Hinckley is no stranger to DO TALK TO STRANGERS BARRY HINC LEY BRINGS BOSTONIANS TOGETHER WITH HIS INSTA-PARTY APP, YOTME. BY LISA PIERPONT The life of the party: The social engagement app YotMe, from serial entrepreneur Barry Hinckley (BELOW), means an instant summer get-together— whether as a host or guest, with friends or strangers. 44 BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM SCENE LAUNCH