Featured Startup: PiSociety Founder Ready to Disrupt the Gift Card Industry
The team at piSociety is transforming the way that people give gifts- and they’ve seen an outpouring of support for the launch of their online gifting portal- reaching 109% of their goal with 11 days remaining in their fundraise.
Meet the founder
Founder Todd Ferrell is a seasoned entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience, previously founding and managing a medical supply company. He wanted to create an online shopping experience that rewarded buyers and allowed gift givers more flexibility in their purchases.
Solving shoppers’ most common problem
Todd’s goal was to eliminate the constant worry that gift givers have over making the wrong choice of present. PiSociety allows users to gift friends and family with piPoints letting them select their own gift card from the retailer of their choosing. From baby boutiques to Bass Pro Shops, there is an extensive list of stores to choose from.
The team also gives "thank you rewards" to members for sharing pi with others. piPoints are similar to the points people already earn through loyalty programs at airlines, hotels or credit card companies – with one big difference. piPoints aren't limited to just the store where you purchased them. They can be used across all piSociety retailers.
piSociety’s Success: tips to tap into as you prepare to launch your fundraise:
Build your network before you launch
Because of Todd’s experience, he knew that a successful crowdfund- much like a successful company- requires impeccable execution and a great network. His extensive experience gave him the resources to create a fantastic support network to reach out to, and he surrounded himself with a solid team dedicated to getting the word out about piSociety.
Create compelling rewards
Pisociety put their best asset to good use- piPoints. By offering discounted piPoints packages, redeemable for gift cards, they created a limited-time opportunity for customers to get a great deal.
Time your launch with a season or big event to increase the buzz
The team at Pisociety knew that the holiday season would be a great time to get the word out about their gift card portal, and the timing of their launch allowed them to turn people’s need for great christmas presents into pledges.
Far on October 19, 2014
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