We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Frankie Endo Ondo . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Frankie below.

Frankie , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.

Growing up, my parents instilled in me the values of work ethic and presentation, emphasizing that it’s not just about completing a task but also about how it’s done and the efficiency of the process. They taught me that doing it right the first time saves money and time in the long run. Coming from a big family, I learned to adapt and navigate different ideas and thoughts, which has been incredibly beneficial in my industry. My dad also emphasized the importance of ownership, especially as a black creator and business owner. It’s crucial for me to own every aspect of what I do.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

For those who don’t know me , I am Frankie Endo Ondo, the creator of “Draw the Line: The Game of Dealbreakers & Red Flags” and the host of the podcast “It’s Not Me, It’s You” My work focuses on changing the dating scene through honesty and making tough conversations more fun and acceptable. I believe that men and women struggle to express themselves and be comfortable being themselves, and I aim to change this through my podcast and my card games. This month I released my first candle collection called “The Speakeasy Collection,” which includes scents designed for couples and singles to create spaces for vulnerability and spice things up in the bedroom.

My overall goal is to be the biggest black-owned sexual wellness company. I believe I have a gift in getting answers from both men and women, which sets me apart from my competitors. My brand doesn’t cater too much to one sex, unlike most of my competitors, which I think is a significant advantage. I am dedicated to building a community that is honest and open, making dating lighter and less scary for everyone involved.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I built my audience on social media by sharing my life in New York City with my friends while in college, I was posting about our nights out from Monday to Sunday every single day. “I remember the schedule “Bodega and PHD Mondays with 1990, Up and Down Tuesdays, Marquee Wednesdays with Troy Gordon, Catch Thursdays and Living Room Fridays”. I would do what ended up being the modern day Tiktok “get ready with me” videos showcasing my skincare routine on my stories and on Instagram Live, along with recaps of our adventures. By 19, I was part of an Instagram community that grew authentically. I was going live and reaching over 10,000 people a night. By my Junior year I had a decent following and was working a full-time job as an assistant to a model which also boosted my followers.

Then my senior year, I had my first opportunity to do reality TV, which didn’t pan out, but one of the producers suggested I start a podcast. I took the advice, took the meeting and my first podcast was born, but then the pandemic hit. Luckily for me I was living in Manhattan and was still able to be out and about, sharing stories that resonated with my audience. By the end of the first season, my podcast charted in the top 40 of the United States podcast charts, which was very cool because that’s the goal for most people who go on reality tv and I was able to do it by being myself and without the backing of a television network.

For those starting to build their social media presence, my advice is to say yes. Say yes to collaborations, to guest podcast inquiries, and make those connections. Influencers are gatekeepers now, but back in 2017-2019, we were having fun, supporting each other, and not worrying too much about appearances. Social media is an escape, it’s a fantasy and you are entertainment to people so entertain and give them a show they want to come back to and tune into.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Yes! My creative journey is driven by a strong sense of purpose instilled in me by my late father. He taught me the importance of creating my own opportunities and putting myself at the forefront because handouts and freebies are not readily given to people who look like us. As I mentioned earlier, my goal is to become the biggest black-owned sexual wellness company, as this is a space where representation like mine is lacking.

With “Draw the Line,” my mission is to change the narrative around dating for men and women globally, with a particular focus on African Americans. I believe African American men, in particular, struggle with vulnerability, so through my platform, I aim to create a safe space for them to open up and engage in meaningful conversations about relationships.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shopdrawtheline.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frankieendoondo/?hl=en
• Other: Podcast: It’s Not Me, It’s You https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/its-not-me-its-you/id1706031954