Cale Jones

EMPATHY MEETS INNOVATION. Cale Jones has always been driven by a mission to break boundaries and foster deeper connections. As a queer founder, Cale’s identity has been integral to his approach to business and life. His latest venture, MON, is a community messaging app designed to empower individuals to explore their sexual journeys in a safe and inclusive space. “We’re bringing together all these disparate communities around the world to talk about the most important topics of our lives in a safe place,” Cale explains.

Raised in High Island, Texas, Cale’s childhood was surrounded by nature and a constantly changing array of visitors from around the world. “I grew up in a really creative atmosphere, with people from all around the world constantly coming in,” Cale recalls. This vibrant environment, coupled with a loving family, and the challenges he witnessed his intellectually disabled sister face, instilled in him a deep sense of empathy and a passion for understanding the human experience.

However, Cale’s path was far from linear. The turbulence of his parents’ divorce led him to drop out of college and buy a surf shop in Florida, where his father lived. This early entrepreneurial endeavor was the first of many pivots in Cale’s life. “It’s the central journey of an entrepreneur, learning to pivot,” he reflects. After selling the surf shop and working for his father, Cale returned to college, eventually landing a job at MISMO, a luxury fashion brand in Copenhagen. This experience was a turning point in his career, giving him exposure to the startup world and the full process of entrepreneurship.

Despite his success in Copenhagen, Cale felt the pull back to the United States, where he worked in various creative roles, including as Director of Audience Development at The Wrap and CMO at the sexual health startup Giddy. It was during a career break in Costa Rica that the idea for MON began to take shape. Originally envisioning an event series for the LGBTQIA+ community, Cale quickly pivoted when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, transforming his idea into a digital platform.

MISSION-DRIVEN SUCCESS. Soft launched during the pandemic, MON quickly gained traction. The app allows users to engage in meaningful discussions about sex and relationships, providing a much-needed space for conversations that are often overlooked. “Every expert I spoke to said we need to have a place to talk about sex,” Cale says. MON’s success lies in its ability to create a safe space for these conversations, whether the users are in the Middle East or Middle America. “People are now sometimes discussing things for the first time ever,” Cale notes.

Cale believes that being part of a marginalized community has been crucial in building MON. Navigating his path as a gay man has equipped him with the empathy and understanding needed to create a product that truly serves its users. “I think not only has it provided authenticity to the conversation, but also built trust within our community,” he explains. This authenticity has been a cornerstone of MON’s growth, allowing it to serve both the queer and straight communities effectively.

Cale is focused on continuing to grow and improve MON, with plans to offer their highly engaged users more community-driven features. His ultimate goal is to keep moving the conversation forward globally, providing a platform where people can explore their identities and relationships in a supportive environment.

To LGBTQIA+ founders on the precipice of starting their founder journey, Cale advises them to “lean into who you are, and make sure there’s a mission behind what you’re doing because a mission and passion really go hand in hand. If you don’t have passion for your mission, it’s not going to work.”