From Silicon Valley VC to Building TFH – The World’s First Exotic Dance League

I moved to Las Vegas during COVID after exiting my previous startup, Mythic Markets. Coming from the Bay Area, where tech dominates the conversation, Las Vegas was a completely different ecosystem — one built on entertainment and hospitality. It was here that I connected with creators from the OnlyFans and exotic dance community, and I started learning about their lives.

What struck me was the contradiction: despite achieving financial success and global audiences, their work and talents were still heavily stigmatized. That didn’t sit right with me. As someone who’s always built software to solve problems for underserved communities, I began thinking about how technology could shift this narrative.

At the same time, COVID reshaped how people engage with entertainment. I became a huge UFC fan because it was one of the only sports running during lockdowns. It reminded me how far the UFC had come — when Dana White first started, critics dismissed it as “human cockfighting.” Over time, though, the UFC legitimized combat sports, proving that athletes with extraordinary skill deserved recognition and respect.

Meanwhile, platforms like OnlyFans were doing something similar — pushing adult content creation and exotic dance into the mainstream, even if stigma remained. I saw a clear parallel: just as the UFC shifted public perception of combat sports, I believe TFH can shift the Overton window for exotic dance, reframing it as a legitimate competitive sport.

That’s the inspiration behind TFH: to create a global stage where the best dancers in the world can compete, be celebrated as athletes and entertainers, and ultimately be recognized at the same level as professionals in other sports.

Building TFH has meant confronting stigma head-on — from the startup and venture community, to banks, payment providers, even potential employees. Some people think I’m crazy for taking this on, or that I’m risking my career. But that resistance only underscores the reality that dancers and creators face this stigma every single day — whether from institutions, critics, or even their own friends and families.

Personally, I handle it by leaning into conviction and proof. The best way to change minds isn’t through debate, it’s through results: showcasing world-class athletes performing at the highest level, creating a fan experience that’s undeniable, and building a company that demonstrates real traction. That’s how you shift perception.

The biggest challenge is simply that cultural change takes time. The UFC, esports, and even streaming itself all faced years of skepticism before breaking into the mainstream. TFH is at the early stages of that same journey. What keeps me going is knowing that every barrier we face — whether it’s payments, partnerships, or PR — is the exact reason this business needs to exist.

At the end of the day, I wake up motivated to push this forward because the talent is real, the community is real, and the opportunity is real. It’s about building a stage that proves what we already know: these performers are athletes, and they deserve respect.

I think it will take years — maybe even a decade — for exotic dance to be fully recognized as a mainstream sport. The reality is that the U.S. is more puritanical and conservative around sexuality and expression compared to much of the world. In fact, most of our competitors are joining from Europe and South America, while the U.S. represents a smaller share of early participants.

But that’s exactly why TFH exists. Change comes from exposure and normalization. The more audiences see dancers competing at a world-class level — in a format that’s non-nude, non-explicit, and undeniably athletic — the more perceptions will shift. We’ve seen this story before with esports, UFC, and streaming: what begins on the margins eventually becomes the mainstream.

Our first major milestone is this September, when we launch our inaugural global twerk tournament. By the time we crown our first champion, our goal is to have reached 1 million viewers worldwide.

From there, success in year one will be measured in three ways:
1. Audience traction – building a loyal, engaged fan base that tunes in week after week.
2. Revenue growth – scaling our in-app currency, 🍑 Peaches, and proving the strength of our monetization model.
3. Breakout talent – discovering and elevating our version of a “Kelly Clarkson of exotic dance” — a performer who breaks through to become a household name, just like American Idol did for music.

Finally, on the company side, we plan to leverage that early traction to open the door with institutional investors and strategic partners, fueling the next phase of growth.

For me, personal fulfillment comes from building something that truly matters — both as an opportunity and as a way to support an underserved community that’s often overlooked or stigmatized. Of course, like any founder, I want to create a valuable company and a big exit is always part of the plan. But what gets me up in the morning isn’t just financial upside — it’s the chance to make a real difference in people’s lives.

Being a founder is never comfortable. You don’t sleep well, because you’re constantly thinking about the success of the business and the people who have joined you on this crazy journey. But there’s a paradox there: the stress is also what makes it fulfilling. I’ve learned that I can only find real energy when I deeply care about the mission, the product, and the people I’m building for.

So even though the days are hard, the fulfillment comes from knowing that we’re pushing culture forward, giving performers a stage they’ve never had before, and proving to the world that these athletes deserve respect. That’s what makes me feel alive.

I want people to say: “They took a stigmatized art form and elevated it into a respected global sport.” If the story of TFH becomes one of turning overlooked talent into celebrated athletes — and building a new kind of entertainment along the way — then we’ve done our job.

The best way to learn more is to visit TFH.gg — that’s where we’ll be streaming our upcoming global tournament and sharing the latest updates. You can also follow us on Instagram @teamtfhofficial, TikTok @teamtfhofficial, and X @teamtfh to join the community as it grows.

We’re just at the very beginning of this journey. On September 13th, we’ll launch our inaugural live-streamed twerk tournament, with dancers from around the world competing for the championship title. It’s bold, it’s interactive, and it’s unlike anything people have seen before.

So my ask is simple: check out TFH.gg, watch the show, and decide for yourself. If you’ve ever wondered what the future of entertainment looks like, this is it.