Ep. 99: An Online Community Built to Make Healthy Living Accessible with Lorne Rapkin

[Our community runs] definitely set us apart from other e-commerce platforms out there that are just sending your goods to your door. With us, whenever you place your next order, we want that conversation to continue and we want to engage you throughout that period of time, before your next order.

—Lorne Rapkin

Shownotes: 

[02:50] When your community’s collaboration helps your business growth.

[04:55] Online and retail stores: it started with online but physical stores can be marketing tools to use for product discovery.

[08:10] Using storefronts to educate customers.

[10:38] Plantx started just three years ago: e-commerce bloomed during pandemic and new pivot came with variety.

[14:11] When to expand vs. when to dilute: Plantx acquisitions and synergy with other companies during pandemic. 

[18:19] How Plantx engages their customers after purchases and shaped a community around them.

[20:28] Customer support and events are glue between purchases.

[22:16] Combination of art, music, food and all kind of inclusive community events.

[24:18] Allowing customers to request new products.

[27:19] Short recipe for business owners: explore your passion, ask for help, ask questions and treat everyone as best as possible.