For us, by us. It’s a phrase that comes to mind when Oakland based queer latinx entreprenuer Dayana Lorza (she/her, they/them) thinks about their business, Queeery.
Founded in 2017, Queeery is an online event discovery and ticketing platform specifically focused on LGBTQ+ events. Its origin story is a lot like the experience that many folks have when attempting to build community in the SF Bay Area for the first time.
“When I first came to The Bay, I didn’t have community,” said Dayana. “I had to scour all the online info to find where to go and where the queer parties were. I built Queeery to be the service that I thought was needed.”
With Queery, users can search keywords to find in-person and online events to fit their desires. Event creators can also post their events to the website. But a key function that really sets Queery apart is that as of March 2021, event creators can also sell tickets to their events directly through the platform, similar to the functionality ticketing giants like Eventbrite offer.
And that’s a game changer.
“We want to take market share from those big, huge companies,” said Dayana. “Our plan is to be even better than the existing services out there. We want to be cutting edge and use the latest technology on our platform – but we just happen to be queer.”
Technology has been an important part of Dayana’s identity long before Queeery came into existence.
“The intersection of creativity and technology is kind of my thing,” said Dayana. “I was really into computers way back in the day. DJing, producing, mixing music – but none of that was putting food on the table. So I had to go back and be like, let’s create a service and then try to monetize it.”
There were other entrepreneurial lessons learned along the way, including the importance of surrounding yourself with supportive energy.
“Being an entrepreneur, you already have so much self doubt,” said Dayana. “So if you’re having to deal with external influences that question you even more, you need to try and find a supportive ecosystem to be on your side and lift you up.”
Now that Queery is out of its Beta version, Dayana has big goals for what’s next – and it’s more collaborative than you might think.
“We have plans to expand and create partnerships with other queer platforms where we can integrate our services,” says Dayana. “There’s no reason why services that are parallel and serve the same audience can’t co-exist peacefully together. We all can build a stronger network.”
Dayana’s advice for budding entrepreneurs in the queer community? Just do it.
“Stop thinking about it and just do it, said Dayana. “Once you do the research and get enough information, start looking for the people who will be your cofounders. Start looking for talent to build out your team. Start thinking about what your company’s first principles will be. Put it all on the table.”
Learn more about Queeery here.
View our Oakland Queer Business Directory here.
Get added to the directory here.
