Check Out Kai Eldridge’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kai Eldridge.

Hi Kai, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve always been pretty thrifty, but when I moved to LA I was unemployed and wanted to explore the area, and find fun, exciting ways to spend my time without spending a lot of money. Granted I had time, but I was spending at least an hour every week scouring the internet for free events, pop-ups, and things to do. I found a lot of really cool stuff, but It was a labor-intensive process. There wasn’t one resource that had everything I was looking for.
A few accounts shared free events, but often after they had already happened, or listed pop-ups that offered “free with purchase.” I wanted to know what was happening ahead of time and where, so I could actually plan my week. I also sought truly free events. I decide to create the resource I wanted for LA myself. I was already spending all this time researching, so I would put everything I found in one place for other people to use. I started LA Freebies in 2023. The philosophy behind LA Freebies is: Make LA as accessible and fun as possible.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There have certainly been some bumps! One of the hardest parts was spending nearly two years posting every week without seeing much growth. Even though I didn’t start the account with the intention of having a certain number of followers, it was discouraging. But I was proud of the content and was hopeful it would find its way to those who needed it. I was encouraged by kind messages from people telling me how helpful the account was. Knowing that I could make someone’s life a little easier or happier, even if it was only one or two people, made it feel worthwhile. I’m so grateful for the people who have been following me since the beginning.. I do feel burnt out sometimes, but I don’t want to let anyone down by missing a week. If I make a mistake (typo, late posts, etc) my followers let me know!

I’ve always tried to listen to my audience and let their feedback shape the account. For example, I started including the neighborhood for every event in addition to the address because people told me it was helpful. I also started including age restrictions, like 18+ or 21+, because that was something people wanted to know before making plans. I try to highlight local artists through the music I use. I’ve gotten messages from artists who are looking for more opportunities to have their work heard, and using their music is a small and meaningful way to give them that exposure.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Outside of LA Freebies, I am passionate about my work with Sofar Sounds LA. We put on concerts in unexpected venues across the city, and I love that the work supports both local businesses and local artists while bringing people together at a low cost. That sense of community is something I really value in all of the work I do.

I think what I’m most proud of with LA Freebies is that I’ve been able to build something that genuinely feels useful to people. I’m not just sharing events. I’m constantly thinking about how I would want to find and experience that information myself, and then trying to make the process easier for someone else. I think that personal, community-first approach is what sets me apart.

Outside of work, I’m very much a creative. I love art in pretty much every form: I bedazzle things, paint, journal, write and read poetry, and I’m a huge fan of snail mail. I think all of those interests probably show up in my work too. I’m drawn to things that feel personal, thoughtful, tactile, and a little unexpected!!

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
I see the Power of Community.
I get messages from brands or community organizers telling me they saw an uptick in attendees after I shared their event. That’s a favorite part of doing this. Knowing that something I created can help a local business or artist, introduce people to something they might not have found otherwise, or simply bring people together.

Pricing:

• free
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Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/la_freebies/ is my main account which I post to every week, but I also have https://www.instagram.com/lb_freebies/ https://www.instagram.com/oc_freebies/ https://www.instagram.com/sd_freebies/ and ahttps://www.instagram.com/az_freebies/ – those accounts don’t get feed posts every week but I do update the ig STORIES each week! At this time, I don’t have time to do all of them, but hopefully one day.