1 00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:09,440 Speaker 1: Afro Tech nineteen, Oakland, California. Arc Cell is founder and 2 00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:13,440 Speaker 1: cvo f Vibe Heavy, a creative collective of entertainment and 3 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:17,599 Speaker 1: technology innovators based in the heart of Seattle. He's partnered 4 00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:21,720 Speaker 1: with world class prayers like Microsoft, Salesforce, Netflix, and more 5 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:25,960 Speaker 1: to deliver engaging experiences in both the digital and physical world. 6 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:29,600 Speaker 1: He's on the nafro tex state. He's talking about securing 7 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:32,600 Speaker 1: the bag with riding waves that are proving themselves out. 8 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:36,559 Speaker 1: Building on traction versus chasing trending tech. One of the 9 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:39,159 Speaker 1: things I want to focus on is transversus traction. You've 10 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 1: come to tech conferences, everybody wants to work on the 11 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:46,920 Speaker 1: sexy stuff, right AI U a r VR chat box, 12 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 1: natural language processing? Right, Like, oh yeah, it's all sexy. 13 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:53,159 Speaker 1: But that stuff doesn't have doesn't have traction, right? And 14 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:55,840 Speaker 1: what I talk about mass market adoption. I talk about 15 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:59,000 Speaker 1: enterprise companies. When an enterprise company wants to buy something 16 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:02,160 Speaker 1: and resell it has mass market adoption. If we're only 17 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:04,920 Speaker 1: talking about ms and not bees, I'm not interested, right, 18 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:07,520 Speaker 1: because when when an Apple system has billions and trillions 19 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 1: of dollars flowing through it, and then there's a lot 20 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:11,000 Speaker 1: of things you can both swim in the wake up. 21 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:13,360 Speaker 1: If you're trying to rush to the top and be 22 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:15,319 Speaker 1: the first cat on a r v R and all 23 00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:18,200 Speaker 1: that other stuff, it might not even happen. And usually 24 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:20,280 Speaker 1: Black people don't have the resources to throw things that 25 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:21,920 Speaker 1: and the hope that it's gonna work out for them. 26 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:26,120 Speaker 1: So I want to focus on traction. I'm well lucas, 27 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:30,040 Speaker 1: Mrs Black Tech, Green Money. I'm gonna insude you to 28 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:32,480 Speaker 1: some of the biggest names, some of the brightest minds 29 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:35,800 Speaker 1: and brilliant ideas. If you're black in building are simply 30 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:38,840 Speaker 1: using tech to secure your bag, this podcast is for you. 31 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 1: Sterley Smith is founder as Sandbox Commerce, which helps store 32 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:50,320 Speaker 1: owners launch e commerce apps without having to learn the 33 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 1: code and in less than ten minutes. So many black 34 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 1: retailers are already left behind with present day tech. So 35 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:00,520 Speaker 1: I asked telling about the future re too and what 36 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 1: it might look like to see if there's a lame 37 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 1: black people can specifically play into position ourselves for success 38 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 1: with the commerce in retail. Yeah, the future of retail 39 00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:12,360 Speaker 1: A couple of things to jump out when you hear 40 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:15,920 Speaker 1: But when when I'm asked about the future retail is 41 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:21,960 Speaker 1: headless commerce. UM. Retailers want freedom. Retailers want flexibility. They 42 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 1: want to they want the ability to say, hey, I'm 43 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:30,200 Speaker 1: with Shopify one day, but Shopify isn't allowing me to 44 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 1: service my customers in this way using this third party 45 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:35,320 Speaker 1: integration partner. So let me get at the big commerce. 46 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 1: And they want minimal to zero lag time downtime UM. 47 00:02:39,639 --> 00:02:41,520 Speaker 1: So they want their site to be able to they 48 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 1: want to be able to continue to transact with their customers. 49 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:47,840 Speaker 1: They want to be able to leverage the data and 50 00:02:47,919 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 1: owned their customer data. And uh, you know, technologies like 51 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:56,920 Speaker 1: sandbox commerce allow for growing brands, and retailers should do 52 00:02:56,960 --> 00:03:01,359 Speaker 1: that in the same way that large brands of retailers 53 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 1: that you might find a Norwich frum um even markets 54 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:06,639 Speaker 1: in the such and the like. So yeah, that's a 55 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:09,040 Speaker 1: future retail as a broad answer, but we can we 56 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:11,639 Speaker 1: can dive. Yeah, and we'll go deeper because I think 57 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 1: so much about like transactions is one thing. So if 58 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:17,320 Speaker 1: you've got the Shopify account, you've got Woo commerce popping, 59 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:20,120 Speaker 1: or you know, you're using any of these platforms, like 60 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 1: getting the transaction is one thing, but so many of 61 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:27,720 Speaker 1: our potentially specifically black entrepreneurs, those startups, Um, they're shipping 62 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:29,880 Speaker 1: from their living room. You know, they're printing you know 63 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:33,639 Speaker 1: uh ups labels and boxing up out of their garage. Um. 64 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:36,760 Speaker 1: So when you think about the transactions being in one bucket, 65 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:40,760 Speaker 1: how do we also manage our deliverables? Because you got 66 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 1: my money, now, I want to know where my stuff 67 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:45,680 Speaker 1: is at. Yes, yeah, I mean tools like ship station 68 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:49,360 Speaker 1: shipping easy. Um. A couple of these budget visas are 69 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 1: fulfillment solutions that really enhance the fulfillment process, allowing you 70 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:58,800 Speaker 1: to really take five you know, um um more control 71 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:03,040 Speaker 1: over the moment process. You know, tools like Sandbox Commerce 72 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:08,280 Speaker 1: again allowing you to inform customers about using push notifications 73 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:11,120 Speaker 1: about the status of the product that you shipped from 74 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 1: your new mobile app that would have cost you a 75 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 1: hundred thousand dollars to build last year, but you're paying 76 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 1: a hundred dollars a month to build a mobile app 77 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:21,680 Speaker 1: using our technology. And you know, solutions like that really 78 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:25,720 Speaker 1: democratized access to technology like ours for people who are 79 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:29,719 Speaker 1: frankly shipping products in their living room. I kind of 80 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 1: imagine what your answer might be to this, But I'm 81 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:35,719 Speaker 1: interested in, like the inception of the idea here because um, 82 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:39,719 Speaker 1: so many black businesses get left behind technologically just because 83 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:41,680 Speaker 1: we can't keep up, you know. We you know, we 84 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 1: talked about the funding that goes to black owned businesses, 85 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:49,680 Speaker 1: huge disparity there. Um, And then you think about that. 86 00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:51,880 Speaker 1: There was an SBA study that came out I think 87 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 1: there's the last time they did. It was like and 88 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:57,600 Speaker 1: they said of black owned businesses, and well, my ethnic 89 00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 1: minority owned businesses are in the by the industries for revenue, 90 00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:06,800 Speaker 1: so we over index on like dry cleaners and long 91 00:05:06,880 --> 00:05:11,360 Speaker 1: care services, in car washes, in et cetera. The p 92 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:14,840 Speaker 1: of our businesses are in these bottom of categories for 93 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:18,719 Speaker 1: sales revenue. Talk about like the mission, Like what was 94 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:21,919 Speaker 1: the idea? Because I imagine what the mission was is 95 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:24,440 Speaker 1: to help us do better business. But like what, I'm 96 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 1: not happy that you said, you know, this is a 97 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:28,720 Speaker 1: problem I want to help solve, to help, you know, 98 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:34,440 Speaker 1: give some balance to black owned businesses. Right, And that's 99 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:37,840 Speaker 1: a great question. And I'll tell you I went from 100 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:40,839 Speaker 1: being a software engineer at Walmart was my first job 101 00:05:40,839 --> 00:05:44,760 Speaker 1: out of school, um lockeed martin living in Doha, Qatar 102 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 1: was my second job at of school, and then Booze, Allen, 103 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:51,160 Speaker 1: Hamilton's and d C And for each of those customer companies, 104 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:54,800 Speaker 1: that were a lot of things that a lot of 105 00:05:56,800 --> 00:06:00,120 Speaker 1: a lot of shared attributes that I picked up on 106 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:04,040 Speaker 1: the way that helped inform my decision to start Sandbox Commerce. 107 00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:10,160 Speaker 1: Before you know, the bridge between corporate working as an 108 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 1: engineering individual contributor at those companies to starting Sandbox Commerce 109 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:18,080 Speaker 1: included a step in between where I started my first company, 110 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:22,440 Speaker 1: an agency called Launch Partner, and Launch Partner the motto 111 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:25,000 Speaker 1: there still is if it takes longer than eight weeks 112 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 1: to build, it's probably not an m v P. And 113 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 1: so today we I think built eight five m v 114 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 1: p s and they're still cooking. I'm no longer involved 115 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:37,240 Speaker 1: in the day to day, but I'm the whole owner 116 00:06:37,279 --> 00:06:41,560 Speaker 1: of the company. Super super excited about that whole Another conversation. 117 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:46,599 Speaker 1: But UM, in my experience building and growing Launch Partner, 118 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:49,640 Speaker 1: one of the first things that I noticed that UM 119 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:52,520 Speaker 1: we that I needed was a team. And I think 120 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:55,440 Speaker 1: one of the answers to that question is that a 121 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:59,400 Speaker 1: lot of UM black owned businesses, in many cases not 122 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:01,840 Speaker 1: speaking I don't want to speak too broadly, but they 123 00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 1: lack a team. You've got to build coalitions. You've got 124 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:07,920 Speaker 1: to be able to convince people that you know you 125 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:11,640 Speaker 1: you're you want to solve a bigger problem than yourself. UM, 126 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 1: and I think that's number one. UM. But where I 127 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 1: learned that we may be onto something bigger, there may 128 00:07:18,800 --> 00:07:22,520 Speaker 1: be a big opportunity and helping early stage and growing 129 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 1: brands and retailers build mobile apps using technology was when 130 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:31,560 Speaker 1: we were approached by not not just one, but multiple, um, 131 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:37,120 Speaker 1: you know, diverse lead retailers expressing interested interest in building 132 00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:40,360 Speaker 1: a mobile app for their brand and at launch partner 133 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:43,360 Speaker 1: wearing my consultant hat and really kind of it would 134 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:46,760 Speaker 1: cost them fifty and usually on average around a hundred 135 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:50,000 Speaker 1: and twenty dollars to launch a mobile app. And in 136 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:55,920 Speaker 1: that sounds foolish because there should be technology that allows 137 00:07:56,560 --> 00:08:01,560 Speaker 1: you know, a growing, aspirational you brandon retailer to operate 138 00:08:01,640 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 1: and take advantage of data, taking advantage of push notifications, 139 00:08:05,080 --> 00:08:10,280 Speaker 1: taking advantage of curbside pickup technology that the larger brands 140 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:13,440 Speaker 1: are crushing it with. UM, they should be able to 141 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:16,640 Speaker 1: do that as well. And so enter sandbox commerce that 142 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:21,360 Speaker 1: started this really ugly, really clunky, embarrassing, really UM no 143 00:08:21,520 --> 00:08:24,200 Speaker 1: code mobile app builder before no code was a hashtag 144 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 1: before have those conversations hashtag. We started, we built out 145 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 1: an m VP. I think it was ten weeks if 146 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:33,880 Speaker 1: I'm being honest. We built out something that demonstrated the capability, 147 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:36,480 Speaker 1: and ever since then have just been iterating on that. 148 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:41,559 Speaker 1: And so the inception was, you know, we started sand 149 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:44,720 Speaker 1: Box to help those to help democratize access. You've heard 150 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:47,760 Speaker 1: that a lot, but it's true access to the technology 151 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:54,240 Speaker 1: that helps retailers um Specifically for this conversation, diverse lead founders, 152 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:57,719 Speaker 1: black founders reached our audience and actually provide a lot 153 00:08:57,720 --> 00:09:02,559 Speaker 1: of the services that large your brands and retailer's leverage. Yeah, 154 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:04,160 Speaker 1: you touched on a few things that I want to 155 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:06,080 Speaker 1: come back to, but I want to continue setting the 156 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:09,280 Speaker 1: stage here because the story is so interesting, and you know, 157 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:14,040 Speaker 1: you talked about democratizing you know, the competitive landscape for 158 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:18,000 Speaker 1: retail right for for ethnic lead, my black lead you 159 00:09:18,040 --> 00:09:21,520 Speaker 1: know companies and retailers. But there's also you know in 160 00:09:21,559 --> 00:09:25,079 Speaker 1: your in your startup story, like what plays out in 161 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:28,280 Speaker 1: so many black lead companies, like a funding you know, 162 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:31,400 Speaker 1: issue with just trying to get going yourself. So you've 163 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 1: got this great product, but how do you get it 164 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:37,000 Speaker 1: capitalized to get to market? And so let's talk about 165 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:39,240 Speaker 1: just because I want to jump on this before we 166 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:44,160 Speaker 1: get too far into um the sandbox, let's talk about 167 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:48,240 Speaker 1: black freelancers. Because you took your skills and said, you 168 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 1: know what, I'm building this startup. Let me go hustle 169 00:09:51,080 --> 00:09:53,640 Speaker 1: my skills elsewhere to continue paying for this startup. Let's 170 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 1: talk about, Yeah, if I told you that I had 171 00:09:57,600 --> 00:09:59,240 Speaker 1: five jobs, do you think I was telling the truth 172 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 1: or life? I've five dub and it's not even. It's 173 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:05,600 Speaker 1: not it's not even, it's not even fake. It's real. 174 00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:09,720 Speaker 1: So effectively, there was a point along this journey and 175 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:11,720 Speaker 1: shout out to my day one We have some awesome 176 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:14,080 Speaker 1: Day one investors. UM. I don't want to call him 177 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:15,560 Speaker 1: out because they may get blown up, but do we 178 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:17,400 Speaker 1: have there are people who get it and who saw 179 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:22,240 Speaker 1: the vision early on, a very diverse collection of former 180 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:25,360 Speaker 1: founders and industry experts who are like, oh, this guy 181 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:29,040 Speaker 1: building this company. We went in and shout out to 182 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:32,960 Speaker 1: all those people that came in early um and um. Yeah, 183 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:36,600 Speaker 1: and so we raised an angel round, uh, just over 184 00:10:36,679 --> 00:10:39,520 Speaker 1: seven hundred thousand, not including what I put in myself. 185 00:10:40,559 --> 00:10:43,080 Speaker 1: And it didn't happen. The problem is is for many 186 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:46,120 Speaker 1: diverse founders, that seven hundred thousand doesn't come in right away. 187 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:49,120 Speaker 1: That seven hundred thousand came over a period of three 188 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:52,960 Speaker 1: to four years. And when you think about raising funding 189 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:56,040 Speaker 1: and you think about piecing together you know, seven hundred 190 00:10:56,080 --> 00:10:59,240 Speaker 1: thousand dollars and you're getting sixty five thousand dollars or 191 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:01,920 Speaker 1: eight thousand dollars in a year, it's more. It feels 192 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:07,240 Speaker 1: more like a um salary of any more than an 193 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:11,679 Speaker 1: investment in the company. But again not discounting those investments. 194 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:13,400 Speaker 1: But in order to really swing for the fences, you 195 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:16,160 Speaker 1: have to be like our competitor who in half that 196 00:11:16,240 --> 00:11:20,080 Speaker 1: time raised twenty million dollars with with showing a lot less. 197 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:23,000 Speaker 1: And so you said it. You know, most many black 198 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:25,760 Speaker 1: founders don't get the funding that our counterparts were a 199 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:28,959 Speaker 1: white kid, right and so um, there was a period 200 00:11:29,040 --> 00:11:32,160 Speaker 1: where I realized, after just you know, bumping running into 201 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:36,040 Speaker 1: the same wall over and over again, that um, in 202 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:38,760 Speaker 1: order for me to be successful, in large in part 203 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:41,200 Speaker 1: for a lot of black founders to be successful, we 204 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:43,200 Speaker 1: can't follow the route that they teach you in the 205 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:46,680 Speaker 1: NBA school or in you know tech Stars or some 206 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:49,440 Speaker 1: of the some of the other accelerators that say, if 207 00:11:49,440 --> 00:11:52,760 Speaker 1: you just call a hundred people, you know, a certain 208 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:56,480 Speaker 1: percent of those people will write checks and if you 209 00:11:56,480 --> 00:11:58,640 Speaker 1: you know, write your pitch date, your pitch deck in 210 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:01,920 Speaker 1: this specific manner, it's going to happen. Most of my 211 00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:05,040 Speaker 1: most of my peers who I break bread with multiple 212 00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:07,480 Speaker 1: times a week, we talked about this. They all agree 213 00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:10,920 Speaker 1: that we have to take a nonconventional approach to fundraising, 214 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:15,240 Speaker 1: whether that's making more phone calls or writing memos, memorandums. 215 00:12:15,240 --> 00:12:16,600 Speaker 1: I know that a lot of my peers have done. 216 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:19,200 Speaker 1: That was just a very kind of bleeding edge approach 217 00:12:19,240 --> 00:12:23,000 Speaker 1: to fundraising today. For me, I found that after uh, 218 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:25,320 Speaker 1: you know, speaking to the next level of investors, these 219 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:31,120 Speaker 1: institutional investors that said uh no to me with more traction, 220 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:34,440 Speaker 1: more revenue, more experience, and then so said yes with 221 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:37,040 Speaker 1: twenty million dollars in funding to my competitor, I said, Okay, 222 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:38,640 Speaker 1: we gotta do some difference. So what did I do? 223 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:43,599 Speaker 1: I started, I created a upwork account, and I started freelancing, 224 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:47,000 Speaker 1: and within twelve months, I'm not going to put it 225 00:12:47,040 --> 00:12:50,000 Speaker 1: on the record what kind of monthly income I was 226 00:12:50,040 --> 00:12:53,800 Speaker 1: pulling in towards the end of twenty just end of 227 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:57,240 Speaker 1: this last year, because I started in I started Sterling 228 00:12:57,280 --> 00:13:00,120 Speaker 1: Smith dot dev is my website where I based the 229 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:03,839 Speaker 1: highlighted what I'm good at as an engineer, and had 230 00:13:03,880 --> 00:13:05,560 Speaker 1: a call to action if you want to if you 231 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:08,600 Speaker 1: want to work with me, visit Sterling Smith dot dev 232 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:11,719 Speaker 1: and you can work with me. And over time I 233 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:14,640 Speaker 1: created an upwork account that I I initially had to 234 00:13:14,720 --> 00:13:20,200 Speaker 1: use a white person's photograph to start winning bids, okay, 235 00:13:20,280 --> 00:13:23,040 Speaker 1: and then after and then they may be eventually validate 236 00:13:23,080 --> 00:13:26,160 Speaker 1: my idea using a picture, etcetera. But by that point 237 00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:30,640 Speaker 1: I had five stars and was doing five figures a 238 00:13:30,720 --> 00:13:34,360 Speaker 1: month in and side projects and some of them were 239 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:37,840 Speaker 1: fractional cto roles, other were others were engineering roles. But 240 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:41,440 Speaker 1: towards the end of last year closed out dinner. Last 241 00:13:41,480 --> 00:13:45,440 Speaker 1: year was about working actively on about six projects, all 242 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:49,520 Speaker 1: in the tech space. UM and ended up going on 243 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:54,680 Speaker 1: full time with with a company that said, Sterling, we 244 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 1: just want you to keep doing what you're doing. You 245 00:13:56,960 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 1: can keep your job for the time being. You can. 246 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:03,840 Speaker 1: Here's here's one person you know, here's an equity in 247 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:08,760 Speaker 1: the company. UM and here's unlimited vacation while you continue 248 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:13,400 Speaker 1: to work, you know, uh deliver um, you know with 249 00:14:13,480 --> 00:14:16,200 Speaker 1: this company. But between that and the other businesses that 250 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:20,520 Speaker 1: I own. Literally, at one point in time, I was 251 00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:24,200 Speaker 1: working on fire projects at once um and so that's 252 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:26,400 Speaker 1: what it's taken to really fund the company. So, inner 253 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:30,640 Speaker 1: Black freelancer, to to your point, Inner black freelancer, I said, hey, 254 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:34,280 Speaker 1: why aren't more diverse founders doing this, Because there is 255 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:37,480 Speaker 1: a way to self fund your business um when you 256 00:14:37,640 --> 00:14:40,440 Speaker 1: are faced with the reality like I was, and many 257 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:43,280 Speaker 1: of my peers are that the funding is either gonna come, 258 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:45,480 Speaker 1: it's gonna take a lot longer to get it, or 259 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:48,840 Speaker 1: it's not gonna come at all in some cases. So 260 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:50,920 Speaker 1: do for self and let's go out there and get 261 00:14:50,920 --> 00:14:52,800 Speaker 1: it ourselves, and let's let's break bread with each other. 262 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:56,800 Speaker 1: And so that's where black freelancer Um started. And it's 263 00:14:56,840 --> 00:15:00,280 Speaker 1: just it's it's it's a project that really encourages, uh, 264 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:03,280 Speaker 1: you know, it's up work for black freelancers. Many people 265 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:05,520 Speaker 1: that I've worked with over the last year and along 266 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:08,080 Speaker 1: the way said where can I find more black freelancers? 267 00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:11,640 Speaker 1: We want diverse teams, but they don't really want diverse teams. Well, 268 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:14,520 Speaker 1: if you're really looking looking for diverse teams, remember black 269 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:16,720 Speaker 1: freelancer dot com. You can go and find you can 270 00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:20,080 Speaker 1: choose from a list of over twelve hundred black freelancers 271 00:15:20,120 --> 00:15:22,920 Speaker 1: across the spectrum. And that's only been the past three 272 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:25,600 Speaker 1: months that it's been the beata's been live. So that's 273 00:15:25,600 --> 00:15:29,040 Speaker 1: where black Freelancer came about. Yeah, so I hear you saying, 274 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:32,480 Speaker 1: you know, you had better technology than your counterpart who 275 00:15:32,560 --> 00:15:37,320 Speaker 1: raised you know, twenty times, you know, essentially what you 276 00:15:37,360 --> 00:15:39,440 Speaker 1: were able to raise twenty times plus. I mean it's 277 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:42,400 Speaker 1: more than that. Um. But but tech supposed to be 278 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:47,640 Speaker 1: a meritocracy. Silica valleys supposed to be a meritocracy. No, right, right, 279 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:51,440 Speaker 1: what is it that's happening here? No, No, I'm with 280 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:55,360 Speaker 1: you know, so I'm gonna I'm gonna bit um. You know. 281 00:15:56,520 --> 00:16:00,880 Speaker 1: The reality is is that you know, I m in 282 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:04,120 Speaker 1: the in the earliest stages, my competitor race two or 283 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:09,920 Speaker 1: three million dollars without a product show. So so it's 284 00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:12,320 Speaker 1: it's and we had a product to show. Again, we 285 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:15,000 Speaker 1: were running about six months earlier than them. Uh, they 286 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:18,240 Speaker 1: came about, they rolled out and by the way, the 287 00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:21,720 Speaker 1: CEO of that company signed up for my product to 288 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:25,080 Speaker 1: snoop around before he even wrote anything, and we knew 289 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:27,000 Speaker 1: it we had and I called him up and because 290 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:29,200 Speaker 1: I was like, this is kind of fishy, and those 291 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:31,080 Speaker 1: are the days where I was calling every new customer 292 00:16:31,560 --> 00:16:34,120 Speaker 1: and uh, I called him up and he told me 293 00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:36,840 Speaker 1: his name and and I found out who he was, 294 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:41,720 Speaker 1: and I was like, okay, well, you know, let's let's 295 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:43,120 Speaker 1: just continue to do or do. And of course we 296 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:45,120 Speaker 1: locked it down and restricted things more after that. But 297 00:16:45,280 --> 00:16:48,920 Speaker 1: the long story short is that it's this game is 298 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 1: not fair. It's not gonna be fair. That's that can't 299 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:54,360 Speaker 1: be a reason why we don't succeed. Um. So that's 300 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:59,720 Speaker 1: that's this, you know. Uh so Silicon Valley UM is 301 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:03,880 Speaker 1: uh definitely not a meritocracy. I think it's it's safe 302 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:08,040 Speaker 1: to say that. So I want to talk about low 303 00:17:08,080 --> 00:17:11,040 Speaker 1: code and no code. Let's start with no code first. UM. 304 00:17:11,119 --> 00:17:15,040 Speaker 1: You know, you hear this phrase, this hashtag you know 305 00:17:15,400 --> 00:17:18,879 Speaker 1: no code, and which is effectively saying to folks, you know, 306 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:21,119 Speaker 1: you can build an app getting the App store, getting 307 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:25,320 Speaker 1: iTunes app Store, get in Google Play wherever, and not 308 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:28,159 Speaker 1: have to write code. Is is it really no do 309 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:30,160 Speaker 1: I still have to know CSS. Do I still don't 310 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:34,159 Speaker 1: have to know HTML? Or is it really dragging you 311 00:17:34,359 --> 00:17:39,440 Speaker 1: dragging around buttons and dropping them into where you want them? Great? No, 312 00:17:39,600 --> 00:17:42,919 Speaker 1: that's a great question. And the short answer is with 313 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:48,000 Speaker 1: Sandbox Commerce, it is a no code solution, no code 314 00:17:48,040 --> 00:17:51,000 Speaker 1: which means that you can sign up and drag and 315 00:17:51,080 --> 00:17:54,200 Speaker 1: drop your way to building an app that's launched to 316 00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:56,960 Speaker 1: both app stores um and you can you can build 317 00:17:56,960 --> 00:18:01,680 Speaker 1: out that app using r interface within thirty minutes UM. 318 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:04,560 Speaker 1: Usually it takes about a week or two for the 319 00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:07,760 Speaker 1: app stores to approve it. But you're not doing that. 320 00:18:08,119 --> 00:18:11,680 Speaker 1: Our client success team at Sandbox Commerce is doing that 321 00:18:12,320 --> 00:18:17,879 Speaker 1: now um at um tools using tools like web flow 322 00:18:18,359 --> 00:18:21,879 Speaker 1: and Bubble, and there are a handful of others that 323 00:18:21,920 --> 00:18:23,960 Speaker 1: are crushing it right now. I think web blows on 324 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:25,920 Speaker 1: on track to be a billion dollar company if it's 325 00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:30,200 Speaker 1: not already UM now. They're, in my opinion, considered low 326 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:34,119 Speaker 1: code solutions. UM. So there's a degree of dragging and dropping. 327 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:37,880 Speaker 1: But to really fine tune UM the solution, you you'll 328 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:39,560 Speaker 1: need to know a little bit of CSS and Java 329 00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:44,440 Speaker 1: script and or Java script um. Uh. And but one 330 00:18:44,440 --> 00:18:47,440 Speaker 1: thing that I can talk that I admire about web 331 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:51,639 Speaker 1: Flow is that what also makes them successful for less 332 00:18:51,680 --> 00:18:54,560 Speaker 1: technical um users of the platform is they have a 333 00:18:54,840 --> 00:18:59,640 Speaker 1: ridiculously rich resource library of videos and they I think 334 00:18:59,640 --> 00:19:01,600 Speaker 1: they have some called web Flow universities to where if 335 00:19:01,760 --> 00:19:04,560 Speaker 1: if you're non technical even and you're trying, you you 336 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:08,280 Speaker 1: have the time and energy to spin up on you know, 337 00:19:09,320 --> 00:19:12,000 Speaker 1: without having a computer SCE degree, you can modify the 338 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:15,919 Speaker 1: user experience by using the resources they have And frankly 339 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:17,560 Speaker 1: that's where we want to be and that's where we 340 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:21,520 Speaker 1: plan on being with with sandbox Commerce, but low code 341 00:19:21,520 --> 00:19:23,840 Speaker 1: and no code. The differences is that with no code, 342 00:19:24,119 --> 00:19:27,680 Speaker 1: the promises you can build complex technology without running a 343 00:19:27,720 --> 00:19:30,480 Speaker 1: line of code. Check out Sandbox Commerce. If you're a 344 00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:34,600 Speaker 1: retailer uses sandbo uh shopifier big commerce, you can you 345 00:19:34,640 --> 00:19:38,359 Speaker 1: can prove me wrong if if you like. But web 346 00:19:38,359 --> 00:19:41,000 Speaker 1: Flow is a tool, is a low code solution that 347 00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:44,040 Speaker 1: allows you to to do that as well. So you've got 348 00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:49,320 Speaker 1: you know, retailers with physical locations who have had to 349 00:19:49,359 --> 00:19:52,879 Speaker 1: iterate two years ago, they say a decade ago to 350 00:19:52,920 --> 00:19:56,200 Speaker 1: build websites, or maybe two decades ago now to build websites, 351 00:19:56,560 --> 00:19:59,400 Speaker 1: and then they had to have an app. And now 352 00:19:59,440 --> 00:20:02,400 Speaker 1: you've got so, and now you've got people selling directly 353 00:20:02,520 --> 00:20:05,000 Speaker 1: via Instagram, like and Lesten, I just want to run 354 00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:06,800 Speaker 1: my business. I just want to sell my t shirts. 355 00:20:06,840 --> 00:20:09,359 Speaker 1: I just want to sell you know, my eyelashes whatever like, 356 00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:11,520 Speaker 1: whatever you like. I just want to sell my stuff. Like, 357 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:15,199 Speaker 1: where should I be focusing my attention if I'm not, 358 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:16,959 Speaker 1: If I don't want to, this is the next thing. 359 00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:19,119 Speaker 1: I gotta go do that because you just told me 360 00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:21,720 Speaker 1: a year ago I had to have an app. Now 361 00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:26,280 Speaker 1: now you're telling me I gotta have my Instagram store popping. Yes, 362 00:20:26,960 --> 00:20:30,400 Speaker 1: So I mean I think that you start with the fundamentals. 363 00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:33,560 Speaker 1: You start, you know where you are, and you look 364 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:36,080 Speaker 1: at the resources to include time that you have at 365 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:38,879 Speaker 1: your disposal, and you do the best that you can 366 00:20:38,960 --> 00:20:42,560 Speaker 1: at that, and then you try. You measure everything. You 367 00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:47,920 Speaker 1: measure engagement, you measure responses, you measure shales. Um. You know, 368 00:20:48,160 --> 00:20:50,760 Speaker 1: UM Sandbox Commerce were having a tool in data right 369 00:20:50,760 --> 00:20:55,840 Speaker 1: now called Sandbox Social to help bring your shoppable Instagram 370 00:20:55,880 --> 00:20:59,320 Speaker 1: outside of Instagram and and incorporate tag damages and blog 371 00:20:59,359 --> 00:21:02,200 Speaker 1: posts and things like that. That is for the more 372 00:21:02,240 --> 00:21:06,240 Speaker 1: advanced and kind of the more mature business or influencer, 373 00:21:06,680 --> 00:21:08,879 Speaker 1: you know, if you're looking to sell t shirt your hats, 374 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:11,800 Speaker 1: you should. I would I would advocate first that you 375 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:14,280 Speaker 1: use a tool like Shopify or big commerce to build 376 00:21:14,280 --> 00:21:16,720 Speaker 1: out a website, because you you really need to have 377 00:21:17,119 --> 00:21:22,000 Speaker 1: a website so that you're not getting UM taken advantage 378 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:25,920 Speaker 1: of by the fees that tools like Amazon my charge UM. Right, 379 00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:28,720 Speaker 1: So I would start with a website, and I would 380 00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:32,040 Speaker 1: make that the best representation of what you're selling. And 381 00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:36,240 Speaker 1: then once you are firmly established UM and you're you've 382 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:39,480 Speaker 1: proven out the potential of the website, then you begin 383 00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:40,959 Speaker 1: to keep your head on the swivel and look at 384 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:44,440 Speaker 1: other opportunities to you know, double down. But don't don't. 385 00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:47,080 Speaker 1: It doesn't need to be that complicated UM as far 386 00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:52,360 Speaker 1: as UM, you know, doing everything at once. Now, when 387 00:21:52,359 --> 00:21:54,199 Speaker 1: it's time to build an app, you should certainly look 388 00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:57,200 Speaker 1: at sandbox commerce because you're gonna save a lot of time, 389 00:21:57,640 --> 00:21:59,520 Speaker 1: a lot of money, and you're also going to keep 390 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:02,160 Speaker 1: the money to community and so all for all these reasons, 391 00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:05,080 Speaker 1: it's a no brainer to your sandbox commers UM. And 392 00:22:05,119 --> 00:22:07,359 Speaker 1: there are other tools that can provide you the list 393 00:22:07,359 --> 00:22:10,080 Speaker 1: offline well of tools that you that you may want 394 00:22:10,080 --> 00:22:12,639 Speaker 1: to also keep in mind to share with you some 395 00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:15,080 Speaker 1: of your guests later on future episode. Well, let's do 396 00:22:15,119 --> 00:22:17,120 Speaker 1: that now, because I wanted to talk about, like, what 397 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:20,080 Speaker 1: are some let's say, I just I don't want to 398 00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:22,520 Speaker 1: be the biggest you know, I don't want to be 399 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:24,600 Speaker 1: an engineer, but I want to learn how to run 400 00:22:24,640 --> 00:22:29,359 Speaker 1: my retail store better. Right, and so other than sand box, 401 00:22:29,400 --> 00:22:32,159 Speaker 1: which we are getting educated on here, what are some 402 00:22:32,280 --> 00:22:36,400 Speaker 1: other tools software and the other things that you know about, 403 00:22:36,440 --> 00:22:39,160 Speaker 1: particularly black owned. You know, if you've got upset which 404 00:22:39,160 --> 00:22:44,919 Speaker 1: I'll throw, will go ahead through in there shout out yes, yes, um, 405 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:48,680 Speaker 1: so you've got that. Just talk about other tools that 406 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:52,679 Speaker 1: helped me as a black owned entrepreneur running a lifestyle company. 407 00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:56,199 Speaker 1: Maybe I'm running barbershop or you know, I've got my 408 00:22:56,240 --> 00:23:00,280 Speaker 1: T shirt, you know, business popping. What are some other 409 00:23:00,359 --> 00:23:02,879 Speaker 1: tools I need to be aware of to help me 410 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:07,760 Speaker 1: scale my operation and run it more efficiently? Likewise, yes, yes, 411 00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:10,000 Speaker 1: and I'm trying to this. I'm just pulling up a 412 00:23:10,040 --> 00:23:15,480 Speaker 1: few but um yeah, so there is there is uh Claibio. 413 00:23:16,200 --> 00:23:19,000 Speaker 1: Now Claibio is not black owned, but in my opinion, 414 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:22,920 Speaker 1: it's one of the best tools to help you prioritize 415 00:23:22,960 --> 00:23:27,040 Speaker 1: engagement with with your brand, and so I would certainly 416 00:23:27,080 --> 00:23:29,359 Speaker 1: say that Claibio is a tool when it comes to 417 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:34,280 Speaker 1: you know, email marketing and sitting, sitting and engaging with 418 00:23:34,359 --> 00:23:38,520 Speaker 1: the shoppers that that are engaging with your brand. I 419 00:23:38,520 --> 00:23:40,760 Speaker 1: would certainly say that you should you look at you 420 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:46,119 Speaker 1: look at cladio. UM the now List, which was recently 421 00:23:46,160 --> 00:23:53,439 Speaker 1: acquired by um Revolt Media, one of pits um Uh companies. 422 00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:56,800 Speaker 1: Uh there they were. I don't know the name of 423 00:23:56,800 --> 00:23:59,520 Speaker 1: the new company that bought them, but um Kadija over 424 00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:04,080 Speaker 1: there is um pure Gold and she's innovative and apparently 425 00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:07,360 Speaker 1: got the attention of Revolting and pub Dady, So she's 426 00:24:07,359 --> 00:24:11,280 Speaker 1: got you know, she's she's she's smarter than me as 427 00:24:11,320 --> 00:24:14,080 Speaker 1: far as that's concerned. But but I would definitely say 428 00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:15,800 Speaker 1: that the NIH list is if you want to list 429 00:24:15,840 --> 00:24:20,479 Speaker 1: your product and and be included in a list of 430 00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:23,360 Speaker 1: products that is being exposed to other people who are 431 00:24:23,359 --> 00:24:25,440 Speaker 1: conscious and want to keep the money in the community, 432 00:24:25,680 --> 00:24:29,600 Speaker 1: I would certainly suggest that you um list your product 433 00:24:29,640 --> 00:24:33,480 Speaker 1: and the knowledge because it's an instant it's instant eyeballs 434 00:24:33,480 --> 00:24:36,680 Speaker 1: and instant attention to what you're up to. People understand 435 00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:39,800 Speaker 1: because just just for clarity, is the Nile List in 436 00:24:40,080 --> 00:24:42,520 Speaker 1: I L E. Because it sounds like we're saying now, 437 00:24:42,560 --> 00:24:44,840 Speaker 1: so that's want to make people know it's the Nile 438 00:24:45,119 --> 00:24:49,200 Speaker 1: correct and L yes, it is the Nile List. And 439 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:54,200 Speaker 1: the name of the the acquiring company UM is called 440 00:24:54,400 --> 00:25:01,280 Speaker 1: shop Circulate UM. And so check Instagram. That's as there 441 00:25:01,320 --> 00:25:04,320 Speaker 1: you are, there you are, and so you know, any 442 00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:06,920 Speaker 1: connects there would be would be welcome. But I definitely 443 00:25:06,920 --> 00:25:09,440 Speaker 1: think that's another company that that you should be looking 444 00:25:09,440 --> 00:25:13,119 Speaker 1: at listening your products in other tools. A competitor to 445 00:25:14,040 --> 00:25:17,080 Speaker 1: Claibio is gonna be mail champ UM. I would consider 446 00:25:17,560 --> 00:25:21,640 Speaker 1: Claibio mail Champ. Now we talked about shoppable Instagram. It's 447 00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:23,480 Speaker 1: is if you want to be if you want to 448 00:25:23,480 --> 00:25:26,520 Speaker 1: sell products, if you're a retail you want to sell products, 449 00:25:26,560 --> 00:25:31,480 Speaker 1: obviously the first the first choice in them. The ideal 450 00:25:31,680 --> 00:25:34,680 Speaker 1: location that customers purchase your product from is your web 451 00:25:34,720 --> 00:25:37,440 Speaker 1: page or your mobile app because you retain as much 452 00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:43,320 Speaker 1: of the uh much as much of the profit from 453 00:25:43,320 --> 00:25:45,639 Speaker 1: the sale if you own if it's they're shopping on 454 00:25:45,720 --> 00:25:49,360 Speaker 1: your property. But you should also you know, highlight products 455 00:25:49,359 --> 00:25:52,199 Speaker 1: on shopple Instagram. You can all tag images so that 456 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:56,240 Speaker 1: people can purchase a product while they're shopping their grid. UM, 457 00:25:56,280 --> 00:25:59,880 Speaker 1: I think that's important. And U and you know there's 458 00:26:00,280 --> 00:26:02,400 Speaker 1: you know, Google analytics, and I can talk all day 459 00:26:02,400 --> 00:26:06,320 Speaker 1: about different types of integration partners that you know, growing 460 00:26:06,359 --> 00:26:08,480 Speaker 1: reteller should use, but those are the first that come 461 00:26:08,520 --> 00:26:12,720 Speaker 1: to mind. And so obviously COVID has had a really 462 00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:16,200 Speaker 1: big impact on e commerce and retail as a whole, 463 00:26:16,680 --> 00:26:20,080 Speaker 1: UM e commerce being a section of e commerce sector 464 00:26:20,119 --> 00:26:23,440 Speaker 1: of IT. I should say, UM, what trends have you 465 00:26:23,560 --> 00:26:29,800 Speaker 1: noticed UM are changed forever because of COVID and ones 466 00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:34,560 Speaker 1: that particularly black entrepreneurs who are working to sell online 467 00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:37,879 Speaker 1: can get positioned for if they not, if they haven't 468 00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:39,720 Speaker 1: already missed a boat, like, what can we do to 469 00:26:39,760 --> 00:26:43,399 Speaker 1: take advantage of this moment? So prior that's a good question. 470 00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:47,359 Speaker 1: Prior to prior to COVID, there was like a slow 471 00:26:47,440 --> 00:26:52,639 Speaker 1: trend toward UM shopping and engagement on mobile phones and 472 00:26:53,080 --> 00:26:57,560 Speaker 1: frankly UM toward them and towards the in sectionally the 473 00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:02,399 Speaker 1: beginning the early days of Sandbox, UH, the need for 474 00:27:03,160 --> 00:27:07,960 Speaker 1: mobile a mobile app for retailers UM was not as pronounced. 475 00:27:09,119 --> 00:27:11,320 Speaker 1: I remember talking to early investments They're like, why do 476 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:14,280 Speaker 1: retailers need mobile apps? And that was a cool thing 477 00:27:14,320 --> 00:27:16,520 Speaker 1: to say in a meeting Like that was like all 478 00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:19,320 Speaker 1: they would laugh at me in meetings, say retailers don't 479 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:21,959 Speaker 1: need mobile apps. And and I would point to trends 480 00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:26,159 Speaker 1: that showed that. UM. I point to trends that showed 481 00:27:26,200 --> 00:27:32,959 Speaker 1: that the percentage of Google Analytics traffic what M for 482 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:36,320 Speaker 1: for retailers was increasing month over month and year over 483 00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:40,520 Speaker 1: year UM in the browser and UH and in some 484 00:27:40,640 --> 00:27:45,320 Speaker 1: time and the not too distant future, you know, retailers 485 00:27:45,359 --> 00:27:48,280 Speaker 1: would see and notice that they need to provide better 486 00:27:48,520 --> 00:27:53,679 Speaker 1: services and more optimized mobile solutions for consumers to shop 487 00:27:54,280 --> 00:27:57,639 Speaker 1: on devices. And then came COVID, and I'll say, and 488 00:27:57,680 --> 00:27:59,480 Speaker 1: I think that all of my peers in the space 489 00:27:59,480 --> 00:28:04,320 Speaker 1: you have built to are growing technology platforms that are 490 00:28:04,440 --> 00:28:07,320 Speaker 1: used by retailers can attest to this as well, that 491 00:28:08,040 --> 00:28:12,199 Speaker 1: retailers will acknowledge today that they need mobile applications in 492 00:28:12,280 --> 00:28:15,679 Speaker 1: order to be successful. UM. And the percentage of retailers 493 00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:19,879 Speaker 1: that say they need mobile applications has accelerated over the 494 00:28:20,480 --> 00:28:24,640 Speaker 1: more than ten years, over the last one year, that's 495 00:28:24,640 --> 00:28:28,960 Speaker 1: so so UM. Every retailer at the beginning of COVID. 496 00:28:29,359 --> 00:28:32,040 Speaker 1: Almost in every retailer express the need to having a 497 00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:34,560 Speaker 1: mobile application to either help with curves that pick up, 498 00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:37,879 Speaker 1: which we revolutionized as I mentioned earlier, or to help 499 00:28:37,920 --> 00:28:43,040 Speaker 1: with providing you know, delivery um and you know, engaging 500 00:28:43,080 --> 00:28:45,200 Speaker 1: with customers of the safe distance and in the future. 501 00:28:45,280 --> 00:28:49,240 Speaker 1: What we learned is that consumers have also gotten used 502 00:28:49,240 --> 00:28:52,400 Speaker 1: to using technologies to transact even more so, like I'll 503 00:28:52,440 --> 00:28:56,640 Speaker 1: tell you, I use my Apple Watch, um almost exclusively 504 00:28:56,720 --> 00:28:59,120 Speaker 1: to make a purchase when I got a coffee shop 505 00:28:59,240 --> 00:29:03,040 Speaker 1: or even um, you know, a Lilly Limit or that 506 00:29:03,080 --> 00:29:06,080 Speaker 1: type of store, I use my Apple Watch. I don't 507 00:29:06,080 --> 00:29:08,320 Speaker 1: hand up my credit card anymore. These are trends that 508 00:29:08,360 --> 00:29:12,600 Speaker 1: will never change. Um uh. And I think that things 509 00:29:12,640 --> 00:29:15,960 Speaker 1: like that will You'll see that the more information will 510 00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:19,520 Speaker 1: be will will be released I think toward the end 511 00:29:19,520 --> 00:29:22,040 Speaker 1: of the year kind of capturing some of the data 512 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:24,320 Speaker 1: that we've learned about the trends that are occurring in 513 00:29:24,320 --> 00:29:27,680 Speaker 1: the industry. But I think that a preference to using 514 00:29:27,720 --> 00:29:30,960 Speaker 1: technology to transact will be one of the things that 515 00:29:31,080 --> 00:29:35,160 Speaker 1: the bears out. So um, I love that you brought 516 00:29:35,280 --> 00:29:37,440 Speaker 1: up that you know, all these retailers are saying, you 517 00:29:37,440 --> 00:29:42,240 Speaker 1: know or experts quote unquote, we're saying retailers don't need apps, 518 00:29:42,320 --> 00:29:44,920 Speaker 1: which you've obviously found to not be the case. They 519 00:29:44,960 --> 00:29:48,560 Speaker 1: do need apps, right, So now you've got us with apps. 520 00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:51,320 Speaker 1: Will you got will Lucas is app you know for 521 00:29:51,440 --> 00:29:55,120 Speaker 1: will Lucas t shirts right right? How give people to 522 00:29:55,160 --> 00:29:57,840 Speaker 1: download this app? Now? Because now, because there's so many 523 00:29:57,880 --> 00:30:02,240 Speaker 1: people who have apps, particularly the retailers who've spent a 524 00:30:02,240 --> 00:30:06,200 Speaker 1: bunch of money probably not using your stuff now using 525 00:30:06,240 --> 00:30:08,960 Speaker 1: Sandbox which they should have used, but spend a bunch 526 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:11,440 Speaker 1: of money getting these apps done. But now they've got 527 00:30:11,440 --> 00:30:13,680 Speaker 1: to get the word out about go download my app? 528 00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:17,840 Speaker 1: So how does that happen? Yeah? Now? And I would, um, 529 00:30:18,520 --> 00:30:20,600 Speaker 1: you should look at some of our customers Shift Style House, 530 00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:24,920 Speaker 1: black owned female brand, her Treasure Boutique out of Atlanta, 531 00:30:25,200 --> 00:30:30,760 Speaker 1: black female, um uh awesome brand that it's leveraging Sandbox 532 00:30:30,800 --> 00:30:35,480 Speaker 1: commerce to promote their app. They're gonna have, um, I 533 00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:40,520 Speaker 1: think more more um accurate, real time and and uh 534 00:30:40,720 --> 00:30:43,280 Speaker 1: first person type of feedback to support you that to 535 00:30:43,800 --> 00:30:47,320 Speaker 1: share with you. But based on you know, from the 536 00:30:47,360 --> 00:30:53,160 Speaker 1: app uh platform provider's perspective. Here's what I'll say to that, 537 00:30:54,240 --> 00:30:58,600 Speaker 1: a UM if you're just selling T shirts, then at 538 00:30:58,600 --> 00:31:00,800 Speaker 1: that stage I would not necess sssarily have an app 539 00:31:00,840 --> 00:31:08,280 Speaker 1: to sell T shirts. Yeah. So so I hate to 540 00:31:08,280 --> 00:31:10,800 Speaker 1: bush bubble there, but I think there will be a 541 00:31:10,840 --> 00:31:12,960 Speaker 1: point in which you know, once you have an apparel 542 00:31:13,040 --> 00:31:16,920 Speaker 1: line mobile application, right, So, I think that right sizing 543 00:31:16,960 --> 00:31:21,040 Speaker 1: and right sizing the problem with the with the particular 544 00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:22,920 Speaker 1: audience is going to be important. I don't think that 545 00:31:22,960 --> 00:31:25,400 Speaker 1: everyone needs a mobile app, but I think that perhaps 546 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:29,440 Speaker 1: will will Lucas Black Tech create money. We can work 547 00:31:29,480 --> 00:31:32,760 Speaker 1: together to expand expand of expanded product line, and we 548 00:31:32,800 --> 00:31:35,520 Speaker 1: can get him a mobile app for you. But but 549 00:31:35,560 --> 00:31:38,720 Speaker 1: what I'll say is that even once you have the 550 00:31:38,800 --> 00:31:41,520 Speaker 1: mobile app, the mobile app is not meant for everyone, Like, 551 00:31:41,560 --> 00:31:44,880 Speaker 1: we're not building mobile apps for every one of your 552 00:31:44,920 --> 00:31:47,200 Speaker 1: customers to use. Well, what I'll say to that is 553 00:31:47,200 --> 00:31:50,520 Speaker 1: that we're building mobile apps for the of your customers 554 00:31:50,520 --> 00:31:54,240 Speaker 1: that generate the eight percent of your revenue, those customer loyalists. 555 00:31:54,560 --> 00:31:56,920 Speaker 1: In other words, are mobile apps are not for the 556 00:31:56,920 --> 00:31:59,880 Speaker 1: window shopper, not for the person's walking to them all 557 00:32:00,600 --> 00:32:03,239 Speaker 1: isn't really into the brand or doesn't know who doesn't know? 558 00:32:03,320 --> 00:32:07,760 Speaker 1: Who will Lucas dot Com Shop will Lucas dot com 559 00:32:07,880 --> 00:32:10,040 Speaker 1: is it's for the people that that cut for you. 560 00:32:10,080 --> 00:32:12,680 Speaker 1: They know exactly who you are. They know when you're new, 561 00:32:12,720 --> 00:32:16,120 Speaker 1: when you're new, um, you know, products are launching and 562 00:32:16,160 --> 00:32:17,880 Speaker 1: they want to be the first to get it right 563 00:32:18,160 --> 00:32:21,280 Speaker 1: and so and typically that's your most loyal customer, that's 564 00:32:21,280 --> 00:32:23,480 Speaker 1: spending the most money with you. That's you the mobile 565 00:32:23,520 --> 00:32:27,160 Speaker 1: apption for And so it's really knowing who your audience 566 00:32:27,240 --> 00:32:29,840 Speaker 1: is and then catering to your audience and providing them 567 00:32:29,840 --> 00:32:33,880 Speaker 1: with the easiest way to transact with you legit. I 568 00:32:33,880 --> 00:32:37,640 Speaker 1: love that. I love that answer is for who generate 569 00:32:39,240 --> 00:32:41,160 Speaker 1: of the revenue. It is not for the one I love. 570 00:32:41,200 --> 00:32:43,520 Speaker 1: I love that answer, and it's Will Lucas's Will Lucas 571 00:32:43,520 --> 00:32:45,480 Speaker 1: dot co. By the way, for anybody trying to find 572 00:32:45,480 --> 00:32:50,880 Speaker 1: me on Lucas. Okay, well we get we can set 573 00:32:50,960 --> 00:32:53,000 Speaker 1: up the shop, we can set that shops subjoins shop 574 00:32:53,040 --> 00:32:55,440 Speaker 1: dot Will Lucas dot co, e t H dot E 575 00:32:55,560 --> 00:32:57,600 Speaker 1: t H. So you can start accepting that a theory. 576 00:32:58,040 --> 00:32:59,880 Speaker 1: You're gonna have me. I'm gonna have you another episode. 577 00:32:59,880 --> 00:33:02,520 Speaker 1: We gotta talk about this. We have to talk about 578 00:33:03,000 --> 00:33:07,280 Speaker 1: transacting and with crypto. So we just gave me an idea. Okay, 579 00:33:07,320 --> 00:33:08,840 Speaker 1: all right, we'll have you back. We'll have you back. 580 00:33:09,040 --> 00:33:10,680 Speaker 1: You did touch on this, and I think this is 581 00:33:10,720 --> 00:33:13,240 Speaker 1: so important for the time that we live in and 582 00:33:13,320 --> 00:33:18,400 Speaker 1: this data, all right, and we too often don't particularly 583 00:33:18,440 --> 00:33:21,320 Speaker 1: black business, not all of us really large, but too 584 00:33:21,360 --> 00:33:25,400 Speaker 1: many of us who are in business don't know enough 585 00:33:26,040 --> 00:33:30,520 Speaker 1: about the metrics of our business, our customer profiles, the 586 00:33:30,920 --> 00:33:33,760 Speaker 1: you know, those those metrics, those key performances indicate that 587 00:33:33,800 --> 00:33:36,200 Speaker 1: we don't know enough. We don't know how to pull 588 00:33:36,240 --> 00:33:40,200 Speaker 1: that data out of our transactions and our business operations, 589 00:33:40,280 --> 00:33:43,160 Speaker 1: and we don't know enough about our customers. So those 590 00:33:43,160 --> 00:33:45,640 Speaker 1: people who do pull the trigger on the shop, on 591 00:33:45,720 --> 00:33:48,560 Speaker 1: the on the buy button, we don't know enough too 592 00:33:48,560 --> 00:33:51,920 Speaker 1: many of us. Um, what are some simple things we 593 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:55,440 Speaker 1: can do? So, if you were to give homework today, 594 00:33:55,440 --> 00:33:58,680 Speaker 1: what would you say everybody with an e commerce a 595 00:33:58,720 --> 00:34:02,440 Speaker 1: web store, Um, what are some easy things they can 596 00:34:02,480 --> 00:34:06,600 Speaker 1: do to start to understand, start to gather that data 597 00:34:07,040 --> 00:34:11,680 Speaker 1: and help translate that data. Yes, okay, let's go. So 598 00:34:12,120 --> 00:34:16,440 Speaker 1: I would start with ensuring you have Google Analytics installed, 599 00:34:16,520 --> 00:34:18,919 Speaker 1: which is on your e commerce store. It's free, free, 600 00:34:19,719 --> 00:34:22,240 Speaker 1: and um, it's low code. You just need to copy 601 00:34:22,280 --> 00:34:26,040 Speaker 1: and pastes snippet into your Shopify or big commerce back 602 00:34:26,080 --> 00:34:28,319 Speaker 1: in if you go to Google, when you set up 603 00:34:28,320 --> 00:34:30,920 Speaker 1: Google Analytics, they will provide you with a snippet to 604 00:34:31,040 --> 00:34:33,240 Speaker 1: copy and paste. And what that does is it tracks 605 00:34:33,719 --> 00:34:38,640 Speaker 1: anonymously tracks each of the users that is traversing your 606 00:34:38,680 --> 00:34:44,520 Speaker 1: website UM. From there, I would install another set, a 607 00:34:44,520 --> 00:34:48,000 Speaker 1: tool called hot jar, And what hot jar does is 608 00:34:48,040 --> 00:34:52,200 Speaker 1: it allows you to UM it it didn't effectively records 609 00:34:52,200 --> 00:34:56,360 Speaker 1: a video of how customers engage with your website, allowing 610 00:34:56,400 --> 00:34:59,040 Speaker 1: you to see specifically what they look at, how much 611 00:34:59,040 --> 00:35:01,840 Speaker 1: time they spent on every page of your website, what 612 00:35:01,920 --> 00:35:04,360 Speaker 1: they're passing by, what they're focusing on, and it shows 613 00:35:04,360 --> 00:35:08,760 Speaker 1: like a tracing image or line of the customer's journey 614 00:35:08,880 --> 00:35:12,800 Speaker 1: and provide some more anonymous data about the customer UM. 615 00:35:12,840 --> 00:35:15,600 Speaker 1: And then I would look at potentially using a tool 616 00:35:15,680 --> 00:35:21,400 Speaker 1: like intercom UM to track user information UM. Intercom is 617 00:35:21,400 --> 00:35:23,840 Speaker 1: a tool that lets you actually install a chat bubble 618 00:35:24,080 --> 00:35:28,400 Speaker 1: that captures lead data, UM and user data so that 619 00:35:28,440 --> 00:35:31,200 Speaker 1: you can not only know who your customers are, but 620 00:35:31,280 --> 00:35:34,319 Speaker 1: engage with them in real time on your website UM. 621 00:35:34,400 --> 00:35:36,640 Speaker 1: Once you scale up and you feel like you've got 622 00:35:36,920 --> 00:35:40,239 Speaker 1: um your legs underneath you. From a again, again, from 623 00:35:40,239 --> 00:35:46,080 Speaker 1: a web standpoint, I would ultimately install sandbox commerce. I'll 624 00:35:46,080 --> 00:35:49,400 Speaker 1: tell you why. I'm going full circle with this because 625 00:35:50,680 --> 00:35:54,400 Speaker 1: the larger brands and retailers learned this a long time ago. Um. 626 00:35:54,440 --> 00:35:57,120 Speaker 1: But what what What sandbox commerce is really doing for 627 00:35:57,120 --> 00:36:00,160 Speaker 1: growing brands and retailers is helping them better understand who 628 00:36:00,200 --> 00:36:03,920 Speaker 1: their customers are and allowing them to more strategically engage 629 00:36:03,920 --> 00:36:08,040 Speaker 1: with their shoppers. So it's a It's a little known 630 00:36:08,120 --> 00:36:12,759 Speaker 1: fact that a customer who engages with a brand on 631 00:36:12,760 --> 00:36:16,680 Speaker 1: a mobile phone using a mobile app shares more data 632 00:36:17,160 --> 00:36:20,840 Speaker 1: with the retailer than if the customer actually went to 633 00:36:20,880 --> 00:36:24,120 Speaker 1: the to the physical store to shop. There are so 634 00:36:24,239 --> 00:36:30,680 Speaker 1: many attributes that are shared, everything from your location, your demographic, 635 00:36:30,719 --> 00:36:32,640 Speaker 1: your name, what you looked at, what you have in 636 00:36:32,640 --> 00:36:35,880 Speaker 1: your shopping card. And being able to tie all that 637 00:36:35,960 --> 00:36:39,399 Speaker 1: data together so that the brand and retailer you, as 638 00:36:39,400 --> 00:36:44,000 Speaker 1: a shop owner, can correlate that information and engage with 639 00:36:44,200 --> 00:36:46,799 Speaker 1: the shopper in a in a manner that you are 640 00:36:46,840 --> 00:36:50,319 Speaker 1: actually adding value to the shopping experience is invaluable and 641 00:36:50,440 --> 00:37:06,600 Speaker 1: ultimately will lead to increased revenue. Black Tech Green Money 642 00:37:06,680 --> 00:37:08,840 Speaker 1: to production of Black of the Afro Tech in the 643 00:37:08,880 --> 00:37:12,000 Speaker 1: Black Effect Podcast Network and i Heeart Media and it's 644 00:37:12,040 --> 00:37:15,880 Speaker 1: produced by Morgan Dabon and me Will Lucas, with additional 645 00:37:15,920 --> 00:37:19,680 Speaker 1: production support by Love Beach You, Raven near Bard. Special 646 00:37:19,719 --> 00:37:21,919 Speaker 1: thank you to Michael Davis since the carsa von Jan 647 00:37:22,120 --> 00:37:24,520 Speaker 1: you know like the Wine. Yes, that's his real name. 648 00:37:25,640 --> 00:37:27,719 Speaker 1: Learn more about my guests and other tech disruptors that 649 00:37:27,800 --> 00:37:31,720 Speaker 1: innovators at afro tech dot com. We're also on YouTube 650 00:37:31,719 --> 00:37:35,399 Speaker 1: if you're interested in the video interviews. Enjoying Black Tech 651 00:37:35,440 --> 00:37:38,400 Speaker 1: Green Money, leave us a five star rating on iTunes. 652 00:37:39,880 --> 00:37:42,719 Speaker 1: Go get your money, Peace and love