Meet Rebecca Reyna of Judgeofthrones

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Reyna.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
The idea was formed two years ago while I was living in Santa Monica. Every weekend I was either at the beach, the retail stores, or the bars. For anyone unfamiliar with the area between the 3rd street and the ocean, a great place to hang out terrible public restrooms.

The only saving grace I found was the highly-trafficked, touristy area is also home to many high-end hotels. Let’s just say once you’ve peed in a stall with an ocean view or a bidet it’s hard turning back. Over time I made way through nearly every hotel bathroom in Santa Monica. Pretty soon I was telling all my friends I had West LA restroom intel and I was considering starting a blog. I’d describe it as “Like Yelp but for Bathrooms.” I didn’t start the blog. It turns out I didn’t know the first thing about web design. I also didn’t think I had the material to write lengthy articles on each bathroom.

Fast forward two years later and I found myself on Instagram, scrolling through the West Elm page, which let’s be real, is basically furniture porn. Drooling over wallpaper, I was reminded of my bathroom review dream. Starting a blog still felt daunting, but luckily a better answer was right in front of me. Instagram. If millennials I knew could have finstagrams with thousands of followers, what was to stop a well-curated bathroom review Instagram from finding an audience.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
As with all great toilet movements… the road has sometimes been smooth and easy, other times tumultuous and strained, but overall has always led to a great sense of accomplishment and relief.

Judgeofthrones started purely as a hobby and creative outlet. Consequently, it is important to me that as I continue to expand and experiment with my content, I never lose sight of the lightheartedness the reviews began with. There’s definitely an absurdity to what I do. As I continue to develop my voice, it has become a priority of mine to strike a balance between playful and discerning. It’s something that will take time, trial and error, but the imperfection keeps things exciting.

When I first started posting I had no clue there were other bathrooms Instagram’s out there. There are. All over the world. I’ll admit I panicked a little. Thankfully, what I perceived as a threat was a blessing. The community of bathroom Instagram’s has been nothing but incredibly supportive. Their continued interest prevented me from being discouraged early on. I’ve learned so many things through the challenges. Don’t be afraid to experiment. If an idea doesn’t work, can the idea, and move on. Even if that means starting from scratch. Also, don’t be afraid of other people’s judgments.

Sometimes people are going to dismiss your ideas because they haven’t seen anything like it yet. Sometimes people are going to stare at you while you are crouched in the corner of a public restroom taking pictures of the toilet. It’s fine. Just whisper to yourself “I’m an innovator” and go on with your day. Create and give those people a new perspective.

Lastly, try and listen to your instincts. Whether your gut leads you to the bathroom or a road less traveled by, your gut knows what’s up.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Judgeofthrones – what should we know?
I am a bathroom critic based out of Los Angeles. You can find me on Instagram @Judgeofthrones. I post pictures of local bathrooms, provide a ranking and write what I hope is entertaining commentary.

It’s odd, somewhere in history, as we became a civilized society, the act of going to the bathroom started to become a shameful act. Everyone I know has embarrassing bathroom stories. But why are they “embarrassing”? The act of needing to use a bathroom is arguably the most timeless/universal human experience. All bathrooms should be a safe environment that provokes feelings of peace. I would be proud if @Judgeofthrones helped normalize bathrooms. A majority of restrooms I have visited are charming if you take a moment to appreciate their design and quirks.

I think something that sets apart my content from other similar Instagrams is that all my reviews are based on a rubric. I decided early on that I wanted to judge each bathroom out of 10, but I wanted there to be consistency and a grading system that was easy to follow and kept me accountable.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I have the best cheerleaders. Countless friends have sent me recommendations and pictures of restrooms from their travels. I can’t even tell you how many people have patiently waited for me outside of a restroom while I spent ten minutes taking pictures and writing notes.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/judgeofthrones/

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