For those of us that have dreamt of moments when we could talk with our favorite celebrities or athletes, even for 15 minutes, our dreams are becoming a reality.
A Dallas startup company called Starliink launched last week on the Apple Store. The app is designed to connect users to celebrities, athletes and more via a one-on-one video call much like FaceTime. However, there is a catch that might have you think before reaching for the iTunes download button.
The call fee can range anywhere from $50 to $10,000, and the celebrities on the other end have control over the start and end times of your session.
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Starliink does have a pretty impressive lineup. The influencers on the platform at launch are Seattle Seahawks players Richard Sherman, Bobby Wagner and Cliff Avril as well as Indianapolis Colts corner back Vontae Davis, Los Angles Rams punter Johnny Hekker, Hall of Fame defensive lineman, Charles Haley and NBA trainer Justin Zormelo.
At one point, Haley’s price point was at least $250 for a session, which makes the call an investment of your time and especially your money.
Excited 2 announce that I’ll be offering digital mentorship & life coaching..Head over to @Starliink to check my cal pic.twitter.com/kMKbUYK9ek
— Charles Haley (@CharlesHaleyHoF) September 8, 2016
Those are just a few of the names that have joined up with Starliink for no expense. Yes, that is right, the influencers are getting paid zero for their participation.
Their means of payment lies with Starliink. When the company takes a small service fee from each call, influencers can either decide to take the money or donate it.
According to an interview on GeekWire, Starliink co-founder and CEO Reed Duchscher started the company with a vision in mind.
“It always broke my heart seeing the disappointing looks on an individual’s face that had waited hours in long lines for a small chance to see their favorite influencers up close with no luck,” Duchscher said. “When we created Starliink we wanted to provide the access that I am fortunate to have on a daily basis.”
So how does this all work?
After the initial download, a user searches for his or her favorite stars and checks their availability. After finding an available time slot, the request begins pending which ends in either an acceptance or a decline from the star. If your call is accepted, prepare to meet your inspiration at the scheduled time.
Whatever path Starliink is headed down is completely dependent on its roster and the interest of its users. If the app catches on, we will probably see more and more notable celebrities jumping on board.