Using Tech to Revolutionize Jewelry Stores with Andy Martin of Wishfluence
01/09/23 • 66 min
Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Andy Martin, Owner and CEO of Moonlight Games, a video game company dedicated to developing mobile apps. Moonlight Games’ extensive list of applications includes Wishfluence, the first branded wishlist app to provide luxury jewelry stores with the means to connect every customer with their dream product. Andy founded Wishfluence with his wife to streamline how jewelry stores manage their customer’s favorite pieces. Throughout the episode, James and Andy discuss Andy’s entrepreneurial journey, the pros of being located in Bentonville and what it’s like to build a company with your spouse.
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes:
(0:52) Introduction to Andy
(26:07) Gauging Competition
(30:33) Andy’s Experience with Innovate Arkansas
(39:04) Benefits of Establishing in Bentonville
(49:21) How Families Thrive in Bentonville
(58:00) Advice to Couples Starting a Business
(1:01:12) Future Plans for Wishfluence
Links
Bentonville Economic Development
Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit
Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC)
Sarah Goforth
University of Arkansas Office of Entrepreneurship & Innovation
University of Arkansas Tesseract Center for Immersive Environments and Game Design
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
USC Cycling: Bentonville Becomes Home for U.S. National Mountain Bike Team
Slaughter Pen - Oz Trails Northwest Arkansas
28th Street Park - Cricket Pitch
Helen R. Walton Children’s Enrichment Center
Book: Sam Walton, Made In America
Quotes
“I said, ‘I’m going to do this wishlist thing, and I’m going to do it right.’ Because I’m passionate about startups and I really like how this is solving a problem.” - Andy Martin, (21:30)
“I realized I was in the same position I’d been in building the technology based on what I think the people need without a real avenue to get it to them. And the thought that it will just be good enough and they’ll sign up is not how it works.” - Andy Martin, (30:42)
“..another thing about LA is how cutthroat it is. Why would someone tell me about an opportunity that could hel...
Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Andy Martin, Owner and CEO of Moonlight Games, a video game company dedicated to developing mobile apps. Moonlight Games’ extensive list of applications includes Wishfluence, the first branded wishlist app to provide luxury jewelry stores with the means to connect every customer with their dream product. Andy founded Wishfluence with his wife to streamline how jewelry stores manage their customer’s favorite pieces. Throughout the episode, James and Andy discuss Andy’s entrepreneurial journey, the pros of being located in Bentonville and what it’s like to build a company with your spouse.
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes:
(0:52) Introduction to Andy
(26:07) Gauging Competition
(30:33) Andy’s Experience with Innovate Arkansas
(39:04) Benefits of Establishing in Bentonville
(49:21) How Families Thrive in Bentonville
(58:00) Advice to Couples Starting a Business
(1:01:12) Future Plans for Wishfluence
Links
Bentonville Economic Development
Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit
Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC)
Sarah Goforth
University of Arkansas Office of Entrepreneurship & Innovation
University of Arkansas Tesseract Center for Immersive Environments and Game Design
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
USC Cycling: Bentonville Becomes Home for U.S. National Mountain Bike Team
Slaughter Pen - Oz Trails Northwest Arkansas
28th Street Park - Cricket Pitch
Helen R. Walton Children’s Enrichment Center
Book: Sam Walton, Made In America
Quotes
“I said, ‘I’m going to do this wishlist thing, and I’m going to do it right.’ Because I’m passionate about startups and I really like how this is solving a problem.” - Andy Martin, (21:30)
“I realized I was in the same position I’d been in building the technology based on what I think the people need without a real avenue to get it to them. And the thought that it will just be good enough and they’ll sign up is not how it works.” - Andy Martin, (30:42)
“..another thing about LA is how cutthroat it is. Why would someone tell me about an opportunity that could hel...
Previous Episode
Transforming Retail Execution and Workforce Management with Stan Zylowski of Movista
Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Stan Zylowski, CEO and Co-founder of Movista, a software development company that provides an all-in-one platform for retail execution and workforce management. Movista integrates a multitude of disparate systems into a single user-friendly interface where everyone can manage, review, and approve work. With more than fifteen years of experience in sales, marketing, and general business, Stan has had great success in brand and account management, sports marketing, and operations. Throughout the episode, James and Stan discuss how Movista’s core values are the foundation for its success and best practices for developing a future workforce.
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes:
(0:54) Introduction to Stan
(7:09) About Movista
(12:59) Local Entrepreneurial Restaurants
(19:45) Movista’s History
(26:37) Movista’s Success
(33:42) Movista’s Core Values
(36:51) Cultivating a Future Workforce
(42:36) Bentonville’s Development
(47:06) #Bentonville Story
(49:53) Bentonville Favorites
(53:10) Closing Questions
Links
Bentonville Economic Development
Stan Zylowski, [email protected]
University of Arkansas Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Brewer Family Entrepreneurship Hub
Ignite Professional Studies | Bentonville Schools
Quotes
“Our secret sauce at Movista is that we were the first to market on mobile and we give a single user interface to field teams.” - Stan Zylowski, (8:52)
“I sometimes say we took the dirt road so others can take the superhighway, and that’s great. That’s totally fine. We learned a lot of lessons along the way, but hopefully, we left a lot of breadcrumbs to help people follow the path.” - Stan Zylowski, (12:21)
“It’s about giving back, and the last anchor, the bedrock of the whole thing, is let’s have fun. We have to be here. We have to work. Let’s make it fun. So yeah we’ve lost some deals, but we’ve never lost a party.” - Stan Zylowski, (35:25)
“What I love about Northwest Arkansas is that any company you can think of would be able to be started here. Everyone that has products signed to Walmart, when they send people here, they don’t send the drags, they send the best and brightest...It’s this crazy combination of wealth gained in a conservative way.” - Stan Zylowski, (39:30)
Next Episode
Enabling eCommerce for Makers, Bakers and Shakers with Edwin Ortiz of Rejoicy
Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Edwin Ortiz, Co-Founder and CEO of Rejoicy, a platform designed to help local shoppers support small businesses through digital storefronts. Rejoicy makes local goods available everywhere and to everyone by facilitating sellers and shoppers through an easy-to-use online marketplace. With over fourteen years of experience, Edwin is also the founder of Luncher, a company dedicated to delivering food from your favorite restaurants to your workplace. Throughout the episode, James and Edwin discuss Bentonville's entrepreneurial resources for founders and how Rejoicy helps businesses go from brick and mortar to click and order.
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes:
(0:53) Introduction to Edwin
(1:33) About Edwin
(4:00) About Luncher
(10:38) Pivots in the Startup World
(12:19) About Rejoicy
(16:39) Rejoicy’s Recent Work
(20:00) Edwin’s Experience with Techstars
(23:01) Advantages of Being Located in Bentonville
(26:53) Local Resources for Entrepreneurs
(31:44) Why Founders Should Have a Presence in Bentonville
(37:06) Bentonville Favorites
(42:07) Bentonville’s Contributions
(44:53) Closing Questions
Links
Bentonville Economic Development
Quotes
“When you look at what we’re doing with Rejoicy, it’s ‘What would people do if we make it easy to pursue their passion?’ The reality is that’s its core. The goal is to help people do what they love.” - Edwin Ortiz, (8:53)
“We make it super easy for them to get started. They can start their store in one minute, and they can be selling in less than ten minutes. That is the core of what we want to do.” - Edwin Ortiz, (13:34)
“There’s this feeling, this energy happening in Northwest Arkansas. It almost feels like the Renaissance. You have big companies, but you also have this growing number of startups.” - Edwin Ortiz, (23:51)
“I think for people who are interested in ecommerce, retail, products, the future of work, medtech (and more). Northwest Arkansas is the right place. Northwest Arkansas is the place that will attract all those things because it has the right ingredients to help those businesses succeed.” - Edwin Ortiz, (32:01)
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