What does it look like to build a social app from an Instagram project into a VC-backed global community — and then let it go?

In this episode of Founded On Purpose, Kt McBratney talks with Kel Rakowski, artist, strategist, writer, and founder of Lex, the beloved queer social app acquired by 9Count in 2024. Kel opens up about the origins of Lex in vintage lesbian personal ads, the early explosive growth, and the challenges of scaling a community-centered product inside a venture-backed structure.

Kel also shares the deeply personal side of stepping back as CEO, navigating burnout, building with love, and finding the courage — and clarity — to start a new chapter after the acquisition.

We talk about:

• The moment Kel knew Lex was bigger than a side project
• How the community shaped the app’s evolution
• Burnout, identity, and the stigma around stepping back
• What it really means to hand your company to someone else
• Why love — in all forms — has always been Kel’s purpose
• The return to creativity through writing, Herstory, and storytelling
• Redefining success after an exit

This conversation is honest, tender, and expansive — perfect for founders navigating identity, impact, burnout, and reinvention.

Resources & Links

• Lex – https://www.lex.lgbt/ 
• Herstory (Kel's Instagram project) – https://www.instagram.com/h_e_r_s_t_o_r_y/
• Kel’s Substack: Work Unseen – https://rakowwwski.substack.com/ 
• NTS Radio – https://www.nts.live/