isabella epstein

co-founder @kndrdapp, the IRL social network | rebuilding community and redefining connection ✨

[isabella epstein @Isabella_Kndrd]

Burning the Boats was the best decision i ever made — thank you @mhiggins for inspiring me and countless others to follow our dreams

[Matt Higgins @mhiggins]

Valentine's Day marks one year since my book Burn the Boats was published (the gift of self love).

It’s a modern manifesto for those who struggle with risk, who self-select out of ambition because of the mistaken belief that the die is already cast. 

Among the hundreds of amazing messages from readers, one stands out.

Isabella was a 25 year old analyst at a large investment bank, with a safety net of reputation and security.

Despite her dream job as a first generation American, Isabella was faced with an inflection point in her career - and her life. 

After reading Burn the Boats, Isabella messaged me - to say she had just quit her job!

Gulp 😳

She cradled a dream of launching a business to help people form meaningful connections in a lonely city.

But she was met with skepticism, lending credence to the self doubt she had already internalized.

At a low point, Isabella's mom gave her a copy of my book, and from the moment she put it down, Isabella said she was done heeding the naysayers.

And never looked back. 

@Isabella_Kndrd and her cofounder are about to reveal Kndrd to the world. And she won't be on this journey alone.

I am an advisor, and soon, an investor.   

Thank you to all the Boat Burners who have shared their story over the past year. I’m so humbled to play a small role in the realization of your dreams.
Nothing has been more gratifying in my professional career than watching all of you use this book as a spark to light the fire of your life’s passion. 

If you have read Burn the Boats, please leave a review on Amazon. If you haven't, get your copy on Amazon. Link in bio.

🔥⛵️

[isabella epstein @Isabella_Kndrd]

Arcis

[isabella epstein @Isabella_Kndrd]

Vasques

[isabella epstein @Isabella_Kndrd]

Portol

[isabella epstein @Isabella_Kndrd]

burn the boats will always be known as the book that changed my life 💛✨

[Matt Higgins @mhiggins]

When I wrote Burn the Boats, I wanted to live the message of the book, so I needed something to burn the boats for.

My motivation was that I didn’t want to quit on my own book.

I know that words have the power to change the trajectory of someone’s life if they are received at the right moment. But most books die because the author is too embarrassed to rep their own art in the face of apathy. No one else cares so you stop caring.

To keep me grinding, I set an arbitrary yet unrealistic goal of hitting 1,000 ratings before the two year anniversary, something less than 1/10 of one percent of all books achieve.

Problem is I don’t have a podcast. I’m not an influencer. I don’t sell curriculums online. I don’t have an email list.

I just have a dream to hold up a mirror to human potential. I come from dirt and the stigma and shame of poverty and fear of ridicule made me self censor my own ambition at so many crossroads.

And then I got my first tattoo (burn the boats in Chinese 破釜沉舟) so I’d have to face myself in the mirror every morning if I quit.

I didn’t really have a strategy on how to make it feasible without a community to tap into.

I just gave myself no option.

And I did the only thing that made sense to me, which is to DM every single person that ever publicly mentioned the book and thank them, day and night for two years, and listen to their beautiful stories of transformation. Many tears flowed over these two years.

A global community of boat burners started forming around the central premise.

Businesses were born. Promotions were secured. Jobs quit. Toxic relationships ended. Hesitation abandoned.

Eventually, the book was translated into Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, so many languages. All over the world.

On NYE, two months ahead of my goal, Burn the Boats hit 1,000 ratings with hundreds of testimonials of a better life.

It was an arbitrary goal to prove a point:

When you commit to something beyond your reach, you don’t need to know HOW you will achieve the goal.

You just need to know WHY.

And give yourself no other option.

You burn the boats.

Happy New Year everyone!

Thank you for your amazing support on this journey🔥⛵️

[isabella epstein @Isabella_Kndrd]

@juliapintar @Nick_5anchez u guys are the absolute best!!! 💛✨

[isabella epstein @Isabella_Kndrd]

@faionur lfg 💛✨🚀

[isabella epstein @Isabella_Kndrd]

@juliapintar go girl!!!!! 🧠✨💪🏻 id love to check it out

[isabella epstein @Isabella_Kndrd]

@mhiggins https://t.co/tCnBnF0BKh

If you’re looking for a good time, look no further!

[isabella epstein @Isabella_Kndrd]

@briansolis @mhiggins Thanks for sharing, Brian! The future is IRL 🚀

[isabella epstein @Isabella_Kndrd]

@BenSharf @loomischaffee can’t wait to hear ur commencement address someday ✨

[isabella epstein @Isabella_Kndrd]

@justingordon212 Eighth Wonder (i.e. founders are the eighth wonder of the world)

Colosseum (perhaps in keeping with ur thoughts re: Pillar — longstanding, well preserved structure that built foundation for society)

The Crazy Ones (ode to Steve Jobs speech)

No Quo (ibid)

[isabella epstein @Isabella_Kndrd]

@brettperl & @bullet_pitch are on top of the world 🚀✨🌕

[isabella epstein @Isabella_Kndrd]

Messages from @KndrdApp community members like this one are our why
🥲✨ 🫶🏻⚡️🥹

[isabella epstein @Isabella_Kndrd]

@burbeyar breakfast on me :)

[isabella epstein @Isabella_Kndrd]

@katelin_cruse couldn’t agree more, such a beautiful articulation! connection — real connection — is fundamental to the human condition. in person, face to face, community✨ we cannot, must not forget it. already we’re suffering the consequences of when do.. IRL > URL!

[isabella epstein @Isabella_Kndrd]

one of our @KndrdApp community members sent us flowers in the mail to thank us for what we’re building 🥹

no better feeling than being told that what we’re doing matters & nothing more rewarding than having found our “100 people who love you” (in the words of @bchesky @paulg)

[isabella epstein @Isabella_Kndrd]

@justingordon212 love this! IRL > URL every day ⚡️

[isabella epstein @Isabella_Kndrd]

@Clara_Gold would love to join ⚡️

[isabella epstein @Isabella_Kndrd]

this is the magic of @KndrdApp — woke up feeling so blessed to be building something so beautiful ✨

[isabella epstein @Isabella_Kndrd]

IYKYK: consumer was never dead… we’re preparing for the revolution.

such a special evening with special people — thnx @tcburning @bonatsos & the @generalcatalyst crew for the opportunity to reflect on our learnings & merge forces building the future 🚀the best is yet to come

[Terri Burns @tcburning]

had an amazing night with the best consumer founders in nyc. thank you to @EleniThinks, @Isabella_Kndrd, @RPavuluri, and @brookemrtn for their lightning talks. and @generalcatalyst for co-hosting with me!

cheers to the consumer builders, and the folks that get it🎉