We recently connected with Dillon Shipper and have shared our conversation below.
Dillon, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
I found my purpose by following curiosity and leaning into the things that made me feel energized – creating, connecting, and building community. It really started when I launched Dude Fridges as a fun side project in 2022. I was fascinated by how something as simple as a fridge could say so much about someone. I started collecting photos, making memes, adding commentary, and quickly realized people weren’t just entertained – they felt seen. That small idea snowballed into a community of over 98,000 followers, brand partnerships, and eventually in-person events like Fridge Fest.
But it wasn’t all easy. I had to teach myself how to build an audience from scratch, how to negotiate deals, and how to stay consistent when nothing was guaranteed. I wore every hat – creator, strategist, project manager, marketer, and more. Through that, I developed a deeper sense of discipline, resilience, and clarity. I realized that my purpose is using storytelling and humor to bring people together – whether it’s through memes, events, or community platforms. Now, everything I do ties back to that idea: making people feel connected through culture.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I’m Dillon Shipper – Brand Manager at Doing Things Media, Founder of Dude Fridges, and Co-Founder of SCHMOOZE.
At my core, I’m focused on creating things that bring people together. Whether it’s a meme that sparks a laugh or an event that sparks a conversation, I’m drawn to experiences that resonate and build community.
Dude Fridges began as a quirky Instagram page featuring the wild, hilarious, and sometimes questionable contents of people’s fridges. It’s grown into a community of over 98,000 followers and has partnered with brands like Minute Maid, AriZona, Duke’s Mayo, Jägermeister, and more. We’ve even taken it offline with Fridge Fest, a live event celebrating food, music, culture, and internet humor.
In my role as Brand Manager at Doing Things Media, one of the biggest forces in internet culture, I help run several of the company’s flagship accounts, including @drunkpeopledoingthings, @moistbuddha, @ordinarypeoplememes, and @awesomepeopledoingthings. Together, these pages reach over 14 million followers. I work directly on content creation, content strategy, audience growth, and brand collaborations, helping shape what’s funny, shareable, and trending online.
I’m also the Co-Founder of SCHMOOZE, a modern Jewish social club for people in their 20s and 30s in Austin. We’ve hosted sold-out happy hours and curated networking events, and we’re now expanding into a series of intimate Shabbat dinners and cultural experiences designed to foster meaningful connection and celebrate identity in a fresh, inclusive way.
I’m passionate about every facet of the work I do, from meme strategy to community-building, and I’m excited to keep creating things that make people feel connected, entertained, and seen.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Looking back, the three most impactful things in my journey have been: curiosity, consistency, and understanding internet culture.
Curiosity was the spark that started everything. Dude Fridges came from a simple question – why do people love showing what’s in their fridge? That curiosity led me to test, learn, and experiment constantly. For anyone just starting out, don’t wait for the perfect idea. Follow the weird, random things you can’t stop thinking about. That’s usually where the gold is.
Consistency turned my side projects into actual communities. I didn’t go viral overnight. I posted every day, learned what worked, and stayed in the game when it felt slow. If you’re building something, commit to it. Showing up consistently, even when no one’s watching, is where momentum starts.
Understanding internet culture has been a superpower in everything I do. From memes to social strategy to events, knowing how people communicate, joke, and connect online has shaped the way I build brands. The best way to develop this skill is to immerse yourself – pay attention to what people are sharing, join communities, and stay tapped into what’s happening online.
My advice: Stay curious, stay consistent, and study the culture. Those three things will take you a long way.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
When I feel overwhelmed, I’ve learned the best thing I can do is step away from the screen and get back into my body. My go-to reset involves a mix of sauna sessions, cold plunging, and long walks on the Lady Bird Lake trail here in Austin. That combination helps me physically shift out of stress mode and gives me the mental clarity to come back with a fresh perspective.
It’s easy to feel like you have to push through burnout, but I’ve found the opposite to be true – stepping back actually helps me move forward with more focus and creativity. My advice: find a ritual or routine that grounds you. It doesn’t have to be intense. Just something that helps you reconnect, breathe, and remember that it’s all figure-outable.
Contact Info:
- Website: dudefridges.com & schmoozeclub.com
- Instagram: @dillonshipper & @dudefridges & @schmooze_club
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=dudefridges
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dillonshipper/
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