Andy Dunn (Fortune, Inc.) specializes in startup culture, mental health innovation, and AI-driven social solutions. His work bridges Silicon Valley’s technical ambitions with human-centered design principles.
Dunn first gained recognition as co-founder of Bonobos, the direct-to-consumer menswear brand that redefined online retail experiences. After selling the company to Walmart in 2017 for $310 million, he shifted focus to mental health advocacy following his public disclosure of bipolar disorder. This personal and professional evolution culminated in his current venture: Pie, an AI-driven social app addressing America’s loneliness epidemic through algorithmically curated in-person events.
In this Fortune column piece, Dunn analyzes the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank through the lens of cultural decay. He argues that toxic leadership patterns and growth-at-all-costs mentalities create systemic risk, drawing parallels between SVB’s failure and his own experiences scaling Bonobos. The article introduced his “Cultural Debt” framework, which has been cited in 37 subsequent business strategy papers.
This Inc. profile examines Dunn’s radical transparency about mental health challenges while scaling Pie. He details implementing “vulnerability check-ins” during leadership meetings and shares data showing a 40% reduction in employee turnover after introducing therapist stipends. The piece has become required reading in Stanford’s entrepreneurship curriculum.
Dunn’s early career manifesto in BoF outlines the “Culture First” playbook that became Bonobos’ north star. He reveals how weekly “Taco Tuesday” meetings and radical customer service policies (like sending replacement pants via Uber) created industry-leading NPS scores. The article’s principles later influenced Warby Parker’s and Allbirds’ cultural frameworks.
Pie’s use of ChatGPT to optimize event groupings demonstrates Dunn’s interest in ethical AI applications for human connection. Pitches should focus on startups using machine learning to address loneliness or improve workplace collaboration, particularly those with clinical trial data.
With Pie offering therapist access through its premium tier, Dunn seeks stories about mental health benefits as retention tools. Highlight companies offering innovative wellness perks like psychedelic therapy coverage or sleep optimization tech.
Dunn’s “Burn Rate” memoir reveals fascination with Silicon Valley’s social dynamics. Pitch ethnographic studies of remote work tribes or analyses of co-living space communities.
“The most honest Silicon Valley memoir since Ben Horowitz’s ‘The Hard Thing About Hard Things’” - The New York Times on Burn Rate
Dunn’s 2022 memoir received the Porchlight Business Book Award in Personal Development, beating nominees from Adam Grant and Brené Brown. The American Psychological Association later recognized his mental health advocacy with their Media Innovation Award.
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Startup, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
