A struggling Brooklyn bakery was months from closing. Then a Meta engineer made it go viral.
A Meta software engineer turned to Instagram to combat social isolation, eventually becoming a viral influencer who reviews local restaurants. His videos have successfully helped struggling small businesses in Brooklyn and Queens gain new customers.
Why it matters
It illustrates the intersection of social media influence, corporate work-life balance, and the tangible impact of digital content on local economies.
Zbigniew Stankowski (left) stands with Shuayb Qureshi, a Meta employee, at Star Deli. Lloyd Mitchell for BI A Meta engineer started making Instagram videos to rebuild his social life. His videos went viral and helped struggling NYC restaurants attract customers. Shuayb Qureshi says that helping businesses was a byproduct of his goal of connecting with people. Shuayb Qureshi didn't know many people in New York, and his work at Meta made it hard for him to find new friends. So, on a whim, the now-31-year-old software engineer started posting videos on Instagram. "I'm like, maybe I can record myself doing some sort of stuff like that, talking to strangers," Qureshi recalled on a recent Saturday in Brooklyn. "I just wanted to express myself socially." Qureshi's videos have racked up millions of views and transformed the once-shy, nerdy coder into an influencer who is now occasionally recognized on the street.
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