S3E12 Corey Scholibo | The AI App That Pays You to Use Less Social Media: Dayo

The podcast kicks off with an introduction to Corey Sholabo, CEO of Dayo, an innovative app designed to help users limit their social media usage by rewarding them for staying offline. The core purpose of Dayo is to rewire the dopamine response driven by social media platforms, which often leads to addiction and negative mental health impacts. Ultimately, users can earn rewards for reducing their screen time, creating a marketplace of goods and services where they can redeem their earnings.

Corey shares his experiences as a social entrepreneur, revealing his journey through different businesses aimed at addressing societal issues. From launching Repurpose, a composable tableware company, to creating Wild, which focuses on women's health during menopause, Corey continues to focus on impactful missions. He emphasizes the importance of businesses in driving cultural change and talks about how his past experiences shaped the creation of Dayo. He highlights that social media addiction is a primary factor affecting mental health and the broader society.

The discussion centers on Dayo's unique business model, where users earn Dayo dollars, effectively discounts, for reducing their social media use to 30 minutes a day. These earnings can be redeemed through various partnerships with brands for more significant discounts on their products. Corey explains how this model addresses both consumer behavior and brand marketing, showing businesses are starting to recognize the mental health issues surrounding excessive social media use.

Corey discusses the positive response from users who have tested the app, indicating a strong desire for a solution to the overwhelming nature of social media. With a focus on collaboration with local Portland businesses, Dayo seeks to foster an engaged community while providing incentives for users to limit their social media consumption. Corey shares future plans for more significant launches and further developments of the app, aiming to make it an essential tool in promoting healthier social media habits.

The podcast concludes by reflecting on the current state of social media, particularly among younger generations. Corey expresses concern over the detrimental effects of social media on mental health and urges brands to take consumer feedback seriously. He believes there's a need for structural changes in how social media is approached, suggesting the potential for a more consumer-focused design in future applications.