COMPANY
Freshfruit is a media, lifestyle and technology company that brings queer people and queer culture from the fringes to the forefront, centering their narratives, influence and economic potential.
Freshfruit’s fundamental core value is to showcase LGBTQ+ individuals as being fully whole, vibrant, productive, and the true pioneers that they have been in shaping and moving the culture at large.
MISSION
To bring power and hope to the LGBTQ+ community with greater opportunities and with better representation and journalism.
WHO WE ARE
- We are not a subculture; we are the culture.
- The closet is for skinny jeans or a beat lace front.
- We come in all identities, genders and persuasions.
- You don’t get to define us. That’s our job.
- We champion the arts, beauty, entertainment, fashion, media and travel industries, but not solely nor exclusively.
- We don’t play second fiddle. Never.
- We don’t embrace equal, but separate.
- HIV & AIDS are not intrinsic to our identity.
- Struggle and queer are not synonymous.
- We live joyously.
- We love openly.
- We will not be deterred.
TEAM
CEO & Founder
A former journalist turned marketer, Wesley has worked with Comscore 200 publishers, Fortune 500 brands, and the leading advertising technology platforms.
Leveraging this experience, Wesley created Freshfruit to transfigure queer media and marketing. As a gay man, himself, Wesley intends to use Freshfruit as the instrument to achieve the most profound impact on the lives of the LGBTQ+. Wesley holds a master’s degree from Columbia University and his bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College.
TEAM
Advisor
Andrew Budkofsky is a media sales and marketing strategy advisor and consultant based in New York City. He was previously the Publisher and CRO of Rolling Stone, charged with leading its transformation and expansion into a digital media brand. He was also the CRO of Digital trends, the popular personal technology website for news, reviews and information. Andrew has honed his sales expertise through a variety of roles at established organizations and startups in both linear and digital services, such as Microsoft, truTV (then Court TV), Break Media, and Podshow.
A native of Rockland County, New York, Andrew is a graduate of Boston University. He and his wife and two children reside in Northern New Jersey, where—in his free time—he has mastered the art of the three putt.
TEAM
Advisor
Michael Connolly is the CEO and cofounder of Sonobi—the leading technology provider of people-based marketing solutions, which enables media transactions that are relevant, predictable, and measurable. Michael has spent many years learning to lead gracefully under pressure as an Army officer and military aviator. His leadership philosophy is rooted in integrity, accountability, and adaptability.
A 2018 winner for Ernst and Young’s prestigious entrepreneur of the year, Michael has also been recognized as one of Florida’s most successful young executives under 40 by the Orlando Business Journal. While in service, he was awarded the Air Medal for Meritorious Service in Combat. He holds an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
TEAM
Advisor
Philip has been coding professionally for nearly two decades. But he’s been doing it for fun since he was 12 years old. Philip is a graduate of the University of Malta and has spent the last 18+ years improving technology in the finance world. He’s built systems and software for cellular and telecom companies, websites, online stores and international investments banks. Prior to founding FoundersList.com, Philip was cofounder and CTO at SmartAsset (a YCombinator company that has raised over $150M to date and reaches over 70M visitors/month).
BRANDS
Freshfruit is the seminal editorial brand for Freshfruit, Inc. Freshfruit is a destination primarily for LGBTQ Gen Z, millennials and allies, who are coming of age in a more inclusive period of time for queer people, and who may not feel constrained by binary labels and expectations of gender expression or identity.
Freshfruit is the epicenter for everything that is queer, daring, curious, juicy and being consumed in media and culture. Our editorial elevates the things that millennials care about, including technology, internet culture, entertainment and activism.
NEWSLETTER
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CONTACT US
Are you a potential contributor, client or business partner?
Send us a message. We’d love to hear from you!
COMPANY
Freshfruit is a media, lifestyle and technology company that brings queer people and queer culture from the fringes to the forefront, centering their narratives, influence and economic potential.
Freshfruit’s fundamental core value is to showcase LGBTQ+ individuals as being fully whole, vibrant, productive, and the true pioneers that they have been in shaping and moving the culture at large.
Freshfruit Origin Story
What Kind of Fruit Are You?
MISSION
To bring power and hope to the LGBTQ+ community with greater opportunities, and with better representation and journalism.
WHO WE ARE
- We are not a subculture; we are the culture.
- The closet is for skinny jeans or a beat lace front.
- We come in all identities, genders and persuasions.
- You don’t get to define us. That’s our job.
- We champion the arts, beauty, entertainment, fashion, media and travel industries, but not solely nor exclusively.
- We don’t play second fiddle. Never.
- We don’t embrace equal, but separate.
- HIV & AIDS are not intrinsic to our identity.
- Struggle and queer are not synonymous.
- We live joyously.
- We love openly.
- We will not be deterred.
TEAM
CEO & Founder
A former journalist turned marketer, Wesley has worked with ComScore 200 publishers, Fortune 500 brands, and the leading advertising technology platforms.
Leveraging this experience, Wesley created Freshfruit to transfigure queer media and marketing. As a gay man, himself, Wesley intends to use Freshfruit as the instrument to achieve the most profound impact on the lives of the LGBTQ+. Wesley holds a master’s degree from Columbia University and his bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College.
TEAM
Advisor
Andrew Budkofsky is a media sales and marketing strategy advisor and consultant based in New York City. He was previously the Publisher and CRO of Rolling Stone, charged with leading its transformation and expansion into a digital media brand. He was also the CRO of Digital trends, the popular personal technology website for news, reviews and information. Andrew has honed his sales expertise through a variety of roles at established organizations and startups in both linear and digital services, such as Microsoft, truTV (then Court TV), Break Media, and Podshow.
A native of Rockland County, New York, Andrew is a graduate of Boston University. He and his wife and two children reside in Northern New Jersey, where—in his free time—he has mastered the art of the three putt.
TEAM
Advisor
Michael Connolly is the CEO and cofounder of Sonobi—the leading technology provider of people-based marketing solutions, which enables media transactions that are relevant, predictable, and measurable. Michael has spent many years learning to lead gracefully under pressure as an Army officer and military aviator. His leadership philosophy is rooted in integrity, accountability, and adaptability.
A 2018 winner for Ernst and Young’s prestigious entrepreneur of the year, Michael has also been recognized as one of Florida’s most successful young executives under 40 by the Orlando Business Journal. While in service, he was awarded the Air Medal for Meritorious Service in Combat. He holds an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
TEAM
Advisor
Philip has been coding professionally for nearly two decades. But he’s been doing it for fun since he was 12 years old. Philip is a graduate of the University of Malta and has spent the last 18+ years improving technology in the finance world. He’s built systems and software for cellular and telecom companies, websites, online stores and international investments banks. Prior to founding FoundersList.com, Philip was cofounder and CTO at SmartAsset (a YCombinator company that has raised over $150M to date and reaches over 70M visitors/month).
Freshfruit is the seminal editorial brand for Freshfruit, Inc. Freshfruit is a destination primarily for LGBTQ millennials and allies, who are coming of age in a more inclusive period of time for queer people, and who may not feel constrained by binary labels and expectations of gender expression or identity.
Freshfruit is the epicenter for everything that is queer, daring, curious, juicy and being consumed in media and culture. Our editorial elevates the things that millennials care about, including technology, internet culture, entertainment and activism.
CONTACT US
Are you a potential contributor, client or business partner?
Send us a message. We’d love to hear from you!
