The Download: Nicola Gunby, Co-Founder & CMO of CLIQ, Is Turning Social Media Into A Social Life

If friendship had an algorithm, Nicola Gunby might have cracked it. As Co-Founder and CMO of CLIQ, the social networking app redefining how we meet like-minded people, she’s turning tech into a tool for genuine connection.

“The idea for CLIQ came from personal experience,” she explains. “When I moved to London, I realised how difficult it was to meet people who shared my interests. Most of the ‘friend-finding’ apps felt transactional and weren’t authentic.” Determined to fix that, Nicola built a platform where hobbies and communities take centre stage – “something that helps combat loneliness but makes hobbies and niche interests cool again.”

A second-time founder, Nicola sold her first company, a beauty booking platform, to Revolution Beauty in 2023. Now she’s focused on using tech to connect people offline, not just online. “I’m on a mission to redefine how people use social media, shifting the focus from scrolling to real, meaningful connections.”

Her daily essentials? A MacBook, LED Shark Mask, and Oura Ring-proof that productivity and biohacking can peacefully coexist. And when it comes to focus, her top tip is simple: “Use Work Mode on your iPhone and put your phone out of reach!”

From AI innovations to Dyson hair tools, Nicola’s interests span the future of both tech and lifestyle-and her app might just make friendship the next big startup frontier… 

The Download With Nicola Gunby:

The three gadgets I can’t live without are… 

First, my MacBook obviously… I’m pretty much attached to it 90% of the week and it seems to be what my life revolves around!

Second, my LED Shark Mask – it’s part of my nightly ritual that I look forward to and gives me eight minutes of self-care every day.

Third, my Oura Ring which is my latest obsession! I’ve recently gone down the biohacking rabbit hole and I love tracking everything. 

My daily platforms are…

Canva, Slack and Notion, they keep the CLIQ team organised and creative. Personally I’m a bit old-school when it comes to to-do lists though, I still love writing things down. There’s nothing more satisfying than physically ticking things off! 

My top tech tip is… 

A simple but powerful one – using Work Mode on your iPhone. I’ve customised mine so that only important, work-related notifications come through – no TikTok or social media distractions. Eliminating that outside noise has been a total game-changer for my focus and productivity. Another one is just put your phone out of reach! 

I stay updated with the latest tech trends…

Ironically, mostly through social media. Instagram and LinkedIn are where I first hear about a lot of what’s happening in tech or social media. I do also stay up to date by attending events and panels, where you get to hear directly from founders and people in the space. 

The emerging emerging technology I’m excited about is…

Definitely anything AI-focused. I honestly can’t remember how I got things done before ChatGPT existed! I’m so excited to see how the next generation of AI tools and what they’ll enable us to create, especially for entrepreneurs and startups.

My go-to books and podcasts are… 

My all-time favourite book… is Atomic Habits, it massively changed how I approach both business and life when I read it and the whole thing has stuck with me since. 

Podcast-wise… I love Emma Grede, Grace Beverley and Roxie Nafousi. They are all such inspiring women themselves and I love the guests that they feature. 

The fashion tech I’m loving at the moment is…

A few founders I know are building optimised search technology for fashion sites. I think it’s such a smart innovation, anything that improves the online shopping experience gets my attention.

The beauty tech I’m loving at the moment…

Aside from my LED Mask which I have already mentioned, the Dyson Airwrap is an absolute game-changer for hair styling. 

The Modems’ Byte-Sized Questions:

💻 iOS or Android?

iOS

🎧 Earbuds or over-ear headphones?

Earbuds

📱 Text or voice notes?

Texts 

📸 Phone Selfie or Proper Digi camera?

Phone Selfie

💡 Dark mode or light mode?

Dark Mode

💄 Filters or no filter?

No Filter

💳 Apple Pay or designer wallet?

Apple Pay

📺 Netflix marathon or TikTok scroll?

Netflix marathon

📖 E-book or Audiobook?

E-book

🎶 Spotify playlists or YouTube deep dives?

Spotify playlists 

🖥️ Desktop setup or laptop on-the-go?

Laptop on-the-go