Quincy Moore

28 Oct

The New Yorker

Season 001 / Episode 005 · June 16, 2026 · 1 hr 4 min

For this episode, I sat down with one of my closest friends: Quincy Moore, the brilliant mind behind New York or Nowhere. We met over twelve years ago in a conference room, and what followed was a friendship built on shared ambition, a lot of downtown New York benches, and an unspoken understanding that we were both trying to build something real.

In this conversation, Quincy takes me through the full journey, from growing up in Santa Fe, New Mexico as an only child, to moving to New York in a blizzard in January 2010 with exactly one connection. We also get into the deeply personal side of it all: how sports became his love language with his dad, how meeting his wife Sam transformed him personally and professionally, and what fatherhood has taught him about slowing down. This conversation felt like exactly what this show is about: two friends who’ve been on this journey together, finally sitting across from each other and taking stock of it all.

Tune in for a conversation about the art of protecting something you love, why the best brands can’t be built overnight, and what it means to design the life you want for yourself.

Fig. 01 — From the episode archive

Guest Questionnaire

The Questionnaire

Favorite work of art?: Apocalypse Now by Christopher Wool; That Was Then, This Is Now by Ed Ruscha
Favorite quote or mantra?: “It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.” — John Wooden
Favorite book of yours?: The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Favorite time of day?: 9:00 — could be am or pm depending on the day
Favorite movie?: Silence of the Lambs; Catch Me If You Can
Album or musical artist you have on repeat?: I’ve been listening to the new Mumford & Sons album quite a bit lately. Otherwise, 2009–2016 Drake.
Favorite type of tree, plant, or flower?: Snapdragons, peonies, cacti

Illustrated portrait of Quincy Moore — Fig. 02 — Quincy Moore, *The New Yorker*

Three Questions on Time

Take Your Time Back

If everything on your calendar tomorrow was canceled, what would you do?
Keep Milo out of school, take him to the Natural History Museum, walk down to the Central Park Zoo, get all the treats — ice cream, hot dogs, pretzels — maybe make it to the Lego store or FAO Schwarz, and if he falls asleep in his stroller, wander back through the city past the store on Lafayette and find my way home.
Time is the only thing you can’t fake. What’s something you could have only learned over time?
That it’s going to take longer than you think. Building something real takes a decade, at minimum — and that’s not a flaw in the plan, that’s the plan.
When does time stand still for you?
In the mornings, when the kids are just waking up. It’s the one part of the day where all of us are present before the world pulls us in different directions. I find myself putting both hands up and asking it to slow down — because I already miss it and we’re still in it.

From the Episode

Show Notes

Also on Spotify · YouTube

In This Episode

0:00Introduction: Quincy Moore, Founder of New York or Nowhere
1:53How Dianna & Quincy Met: A Decade-Long Friendship Origin Story
7:04Growing Up as an Only Child & Seeking Family Connection
11:20Moving to New York City in 2010
13:55Pre-Social Media New York
20:41Building Authenticity Through Knicks & Yankees Collaborations
28:23The LeBron James Moment: Game 6 of the 2016 World Series
32:54Love, Partnership & the IP Secret Weapon
42:46Announcing the New York or Nowhere x Sesame Street Collaboration
46:21How “New York or Nowhere” Was Written — and Why It Stuck
58:33Rapid Fire: Take Your Time Back Segment
1:00:00What Fatherhood Teaches You About Slowing Down
1:03:13Forever New York or Nowhere? The Final Question

In His Words

“This could not have been created in a VC incubation or in a lab. It could only have worked organically, because people chose these words as something that really means something to them.”
“Early in my career, everything was yes. My greatest accomplishment now is being able to say no to everything.”
“Saying no is a form of kindness to yourself. It leaves space for the things that actually matter.”
“The days go slow and the years go fast. I find myself putting both hands up and asking it to slow down, because I miss it already and we’re still in it.”
“You can’t make a great brand overnight. It’s impossible. It requires time.”