Ian Chen is the CEO and Co-Founder of Discotech, the nightlife and music festival discovery app used by over 1.8 million people, boasting a 4.9/5 rating on the iOS App Store. A UC Berkeley grad, Ian began his career at Bain & Company before moving into private equity at The Gores Group. In 2013, he launched Discotech to eliminate the friction of booking tables through human promoters. Today, the platform offers tickets, VIP access, and free guest list options at 1,400+ venues worldwide. Guided by the motto “Save Money, Party Smarter,” Ian’s mission is to make nightlife more accessible, efficient, and enjoyable for everyone.

In this episode, Leonard and Ian discuss:

• How Ian went from private equity to creating the ultimate nightlife app, Discotech
• Building a two-sided marketplace in the club and festival scene
• The power of freemium models and user referrals for growth
• Surviving the pandemic as a nightlife-focused business
• The future of Discotech: AI, personalization, and expanding beyond clubs

Key Takeaways:

• Some of the best startup ideas are born from frustration — for Ian Chen, it was a ruined night in Vegas due to an unreliable promoter that sparked the vision for Discotech.
• Launching a mobile-first app in 2013 came with high costs and technical challenges, but being among the first in the nightlife tech space gave Discotech a valuable head start.
• Growth skyrocketed after the team expanded beyond bottle service to include free guest lists and discounted tickets, making the platform accessible to a much broader audience.
• The COVID-19 pandemic devastated the nightlife industry and nearly wiped out the company, but it also forced Ian and his team to operate leaner and more efficiently — ultimately strengthening their foundation.
• Discotech built loyalty by doing two things exceptionally well: helping users find events with ease and offering ways to party without breaking the bank — a combo that’s tough to beat.

“Save money. Party smarter.”

- Ian Chen

Connect with Ian Chen:

Website: https://discotech.me/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreyianchen/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffianchen/ 

Connect with Leonard Raskin:

Website: https://www.raskinglobal.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonardraskin/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RaskinGlobal 

Email: [email protected]  

Leonard’s BOOK: FiduciWho?: What a Real Fiduciary Will Tell You about How to Protect, Grow, Enjoy, and Transfer Your Wealth

Show notes by Podcastologist: Angelo Paul Tagama

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.