Today we’d like to introduce you to Dami Dare
Hi Dami , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I never thought my struggle to find the perfect night out would lead me to create a tech solution, but life has a way of surprising you. My name is Dami Dare, and this is how I went from being a math whiz kid in Nigeria to the founder of Nightly Traffic, an app revolutionizing the way people experience nightlife.
Growing up in Nigeria, I was always a bit different. While other kids were playing outside, I was solving math problems and entering competitions. I come from a family of entrepreneurs, so the idea of creating value was instilled in me early on. Little did I know how much that would shape my future.
At 14, I entered college to study engineering. I’d passed the West African college entry exam a year early, and suddenly, I was thrust into a world of higher education while my peers were still in high school. It was challenging, but it taught me the value of hard work and perseverance.
Fast forward a few years, and I found myself in the United States, specifically at the University of Texas at Arlington. The move was a culture shock, to say the least. But it was also the beginning of an exciting new chapter. After graduation, I landed jobs at tech giants Microsoft and Robinhood. I was living the tech dream, or so I thought.
Then I moved to Dallas, and everything changed. As a Nigerian living in a new city, I found myself struggling to navigate the nightlife scene. Venues would have different themes on different nights – Afrobeats on Friday, Latin night on Saturday, indie rock on Sunday. It was impossible to keep track, and I often felt like I was missing out on events that would help me connect with my community.
That’s when the idea for Nightly Traffic hit me. I thought, “What if there was an app that could curate all this information and present it in a way that’s easy to understand?” So, I taught myself a new programming language, Dart, and got to work.
The result is Nightly Traffic – an app that uses AI to analyze reviews, videos, and images of venues and events, creating what I like to call a “10-second elevator pitch” for each place. Users can pick a theme, and the app shows them venues with matching events for that day. It’s like having a local guide in your pocket, helping you find your tribe no matter where you are.
Launching Nightly Traffic hasn’t been easy. There have been long nights, countless iterations, and moments of doubt. But seeing the app grow to over 3,500 users in Dallas alone, with about 50 new users joining daily, makes it all worth it.
What drives me is the thought of helping other “diasporians” like myself, and anyone who feels on the fringe, to find their place in the city’s nightlife. I believe in doing hard things and creating value in the world, and if Nightly Traffic can help even one person feel more connected to their community, then I’ve achieved my goal.
As I look to the future, I’m excited about the possibilities. We’re not just building an app; we’re creating a platform that brings people together, celebrates diversity, and makes every night out an adventure.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The journey of building Nightly Traffic has been far from smooth, but each challenge has shaped our path and strengthened our resolve. One of the biggest hurdles we faced was the technical aspect of bringing our vision to life. As someone with a background in engineering but not specifically in mobile app development, I had to teach myself a new programming language, Dart, to build the app. This learning curve was steep and filled with late nights of troubleshooting and problem-solving. There were moments when the technical challenges seemed insurmountable, but persistence and a willingness to learn eventually paid off.
Another significant struggle has been in the realm of data curation and validation. The core value of Nightly Traffic lies in providing accurate, up-to-date information about venues and events. However, gathering this information, especially for a dynamic nightlife scene, proved to be a constant challenge. We’ve had to develop and continually refine our processes for collecting, verifying, and updating data. This has involved building relationships with venue owners and event organizers, as well as leveraging technology to automate some of these processes. It’s an ongoing battle to ensure our users have access to the most current and reliable information.
Perhaps the most personal challenge has been balancing the demands of building a startup with other aspects of life. The commitment required to bring Nightly Traffic from concept to reality has been immense, often requiring long hours and sacrifices in personal time and relationships. There have been moments of doubt and fatigue, wondering if all the effort would pay off. However, seeing the app grow and hearing positive feedback from users has made these sacrifices worthwhile. It’s taught me valuable lessons about perseverance, time management, and the importance of believing in your vision, even when the road gets tough.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Nightly Traffic is a mobile app that revolutionizes how people discover and experience nightlife in their city. We specialize in providing curated, easily digestible information about venues and events, tailored to users’ preferences and the current day of the week.
What sets us apart is our unique approach to presenting nightlife information. Unlike traditional listing platforms that simply provide basic details, we use AI and language models to create what we call a “10-second elevator pitch” for each venue or event. This includes a concise two-sentence description and a short video that captures the essence of the place. We understand that venues often change their themes throughout the week – for instance, a club might have an Afrobeats night on Friday and a hip-hop night on Saturday. Our platform reflects this dynamic nature of nightlife, organizing venues and events by both theme and day of the week.
Another key differentiator is our focus on discovery rather than just ticketing. While many platforms prioritize ticket sales, we believe that helping users find the perfect spot for their night out is equally important. We aggregate information from various sources, including social media and user-generated content, to provide a more comprehensive and up-to-date picture of the local nightlife scene.
We’re particularly proud of how Nightly Traffic is helping to connect communities. As someone who experienced the challenges of navigating a new city’s nightlife as a member of the diaspora, I created this platform with the goal of helping people find their tribe. Whether you’re new to a city, part of a minority community, or simply looking to explore new experiences, our app helps you discover venues and events that align with your interests and cultural background.
What I want readers to know about Nightly Traffic is that we’re more than just an app – we’re a bridge between people and experiences. We’re constantly evolving and improving based on user feedback, with the goal of making every night out an adventure. Whether you’re a longtime resident or a visitor, whether you’re into mainstream pop or niche underground scenes, Nightly Traffic is your personal guide to the city’s vibrant nightlife.
What are your plans for the future?
Looking ahead, we have ambitious plans for Nightly Traffic that we’re incredibly excited about. Our primary focus is on expanding our reach and enhancing our user experience. Here are some key elements of our future roadmap:
Geographical Expansion: Currently, we’re primarily serving the Dallas area, but we’re gearing up to launch in other major cities. Our next target is Houston, which we plan to roll out in November or December. Following that, we’re eyeing expansion into vibrant, diverse cities where our solution can have the most impact. New York, the DC-Maryland-Virginia (DMV) area, and various California cities are on our radar. We believe these metropolitan areas, with their rich and varied nightlife scenes, will benefit greatly from our platform.
Feature Enhancements: We’re continuously working on improving our app’s functionality based on user feedback and industry trends. One significant addition we’re planning is the integration of social validation features. This will allow users to see real-time popularity metrics, user-generated content, and community recommendations for venues and events.
Community Building: We recently launched a new feature called ‘Spaces’, which allows users to have virtual chat-like conversations about shared interests. We’re looking forward to developing this feature further, fostering stronger communities within our app. This could include adding more interactive elements or even facilitating meetups among users with similar interests.
AI and Personalization: We’re investing heavily in improving our AI capabilities to provide even more personalized recommendations. Our goal is to understand user preferences so well that we can suggest the perfect venue or event for any given night.
Partnerships and Collaborations: We’re exploring partnerships with venues, event promoters, and other key players in the nightlife industry. These collaborations could lead to exclusive offers for our users and help us provide even more comprehensive coverage of local scenes.
Data Analytics: As we grow, we’re planning to leverage our data to provide valuable insights to venues and event organizers. This could help them better understand their audience and optimize their offerings.
Mobile Web Experience: While we’re primarily focused on our mobile app, we’re also planning to enhance our mobile web experience. This will make our platform more accessible to a wider range of users.
These plans represent significant steps forward for Nightly Traffic. We’re looking forward to not just growing our user base, but truly revolutionizing how people interact with and experience nightlife in their cities. It’s an exciting time for us, and we can’t wait to bring these changes to our users.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nightlytraffic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nightlytraffic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nightlytraffic/
- Twitter: https://x.com/nightlytraffic
- Other: https://downloadnightly.com/
