Josh Hahn’s Post

I’ve been excited to share this update - such an awesome company for consumers and retailers alike. We partnered with the incredible Emily Hosie at Rebelstork to lead their Series A. The company is reshaping returns from necessary evil to accretive revenue and improved environmental footprint for retailers, all while providing an extremely valuable consumer experience. Some WILD stats on returns - $743 billion of merchandise was returned last year - Baby gear accounts for ~ $16 billion of that total - 10.6% is typical return rate across all goods in the US - E-commerce returns account for ~25% return volume, only poised to expand Rebelstork’s online marketplace sells overstock items as well as returned baby gear at 50% discount or more Rebelstork’s technology streamlines the flow of returned merchandise from a brand or retailer into the startup’s own warehouses + built a unique tagging system so brands have visibility into where their products end up. Every item is quality inspected. Brands and consumers can have peace of mind. Rebelstork has already partnered with some awesome brands and retailers - you can find goods from Baby Bjorn, Stokke, Bugaboo, Nuna and more. Excited about this one! If you use Rebelstork, drop me a line on how it went.

Last summer, I got to work with Zane Miller and Brian Button on leading the development of a grown-up Brand Platform for Instacart. https://lnkd.in/gduPbpgi Like many startups, Instacart had spent so much time developing a great product that they neglected to work on their brand strategy. We developed a durable creative strategy around the core promise of what using Instacart means. Instacart doesn't just deliver groceries, home improvement supplies, health and beauty supplies, clothes, sporting goods, and more... Using Instacart simplifies your day, and lets you spend more time and attention on what matters to you - giving you back the freedom and energy to live more of the life you want. Instacart - Add life to cart

Being last can lead to being first! Learn the advantages of entering a crowded market late and how it can help you stand out 👇 Actionable insights from: ➡ Jordan Nathan (Founder & CEO at Caraway Home) and Rebecca Szkutak (Senior Writer at TechCrunch+) ✏ “Why being the last company to launch in a category can pay off” ⭐ 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗮𝗽𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁: 💬 "When Caraway launched, it joined companies like Our Place, Great Jones and Made In Cookware in an increasingly crowded category of online cookware startups. But being a little late to the party allowed Caraway to see what other brands' products and target audiences were. This allowed Caraway to change its approach and try to fill the gaps these brands were leaving open." ⭐ 𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴: 💬 "It helped us change our color palette, it helped us change our price point, what pieces that we put in the set… And while a lot of those other brands did a lot of things right, we were able to craft our space within the kitchen DTC world that others weren't playing in." ⭐ 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: 💬 "Caraway's competitors also helped Caraway decide to start talking to retailers early in the process. They always had planned to launch in stores, but seeing that none of the other DTC brands were looking to enter retail, Caraway started talking with retailers even before it launched online." ⭐ 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆: 💬 "Getting into retailers early helped cement Caraway's stake in the wedding registries as it launched in retailers that had existing registry businesses like Target and Bed Bath & Beyond, before it went bankrupt. This made Caraway a more natural choice for couples building their registries than its startup cookware competitors." ───── 👉 Follow me, Alexander Small, for tactics and strategies for building startups from industry-leading Founders, Operators and Investors

When Orly Peters and her husband moved to St. Louis in 2015, they felt disconnected from home, and authentic food became a source of comfort during their transition. This feeling — shared by so many who yearn for a taste of home — led Orly to launch her company, Habuyta- A Bite of Home. As a 2022 graduate of Square One Bootcamp, Orly refined the ideas for Habuyta and created “the Etsy for home cooks” to address homesickness, fight loneliness, and foster connections through the universal language of food. At its core, Habuyta provides a blueprint for home cooks to launch and promote their businesses. Importantly, it also helps provide meaningful social connections: Habuyta creates a sense of home through food-centric experiences. The marketplace connects importers, suppliers, and home cooks, offering authentic ingredients and facilitating connections. Orly says: “Thanks to the invaluable insights gained from the SQ1 Bootcamp, I've had a significant realization that has profoundly impacted my business strategy. Understanding the importance of prioritizing branding and marketing before launching the Habuyta app has been a game-changer. “Consequently, I've successfully developed a compelling name and logo for my business. Moreover, I've commenced the branding and marketing process, resulting in substantial interest and traction. “I am immensely grateful for the transformative experience provided by the SQ1 Bootcamp. It has empowered me to make strategic adjustments and take crucial steps toward the success of my venture.” . . . #fuelinginnovation #SquareOneBootcamp #SquareOneIGNITE #SQ1 #smallbusiness #STLpreneur #CortexSquareOne

The last month has been busy with weddings in fairytale castles, but also with firsts for Fairy Godmover! - 🏆 We had a record day for new users, with nearly 500 checklists made in a single day when someone recommended Fairy Godmover on a viral reddit post! - 🎥 We took the plunge and started filming instagram reels - if you fancy supporting us you can follow us at https://lnkd.in/d423CF2r - 🔎 We broke into the top 10 results on Google with some of our articles for the first time (including Nick's new article on house buying legal fees https://lnkd.in/dtkw5N3a) - 🚀 We (finally) made a pitch deck & applied to an accelerator (watch this space!) - ⭐ We also got our first user reviews on Google. If you've used Fairy Godmover, we'd be very grateful if you'd add a review! https://lnkd.in/dNcXxJCB This month, we're planning to focus back on improving our product. First up, we're enabling users to add their own notes - a suggestion from many months ago from Charlotte's old team at Ocado Technology! #fairytale #ukproperty #proptech #startup #housing #propertymarket

The grind doesn't stop, but remembering to recharge is so important. Give yourself some well-deserved rest! Reflect on your wins, recenter, and have fun. You've earned it. P.S. What are your plans to unwind this weekend? 🙋♀️ Let us know in the comments #ivendigital #StartupinUSA #ecommerce #fridaymood #startupinUSA

Thrilled to announce that I've just wrapped up a session on "Personal Branding for Startups" presented by Scaler School of Technology(YIIP) and hosted by Yash Dandavate. I had the pleasure of attending an enlightening session on "Personal Branding for Startups" led by Scaler School of Technology(YIIP) alongside Yash Dandavate. Here are the key insights I took away: The significance of authenticity and consistency in establishing a robust personal brand. How to utilize social media to showcase expertise and connect with the appropriate audience. The art of crafting a captivating narrative to set yourself apart in a competitive market. Looking forward to putting these strategies into action on my own startup journey!

The journey of any startup is learning how to respond to market needs - right?

Exciting Investment Opportunity: Angel Investors Wanted for Lollyloo Shopper! As the founder of Lollyloo Shopper, I’m excited to extend a unique invitation to angel investors who are passionate about transforming local commerce. Lollyloo Shopper is not just a platform; it's a game-changer in how local businesses connect with their communities, integrating the best of directories, marketplaces, and community engagement into a single, powerful tool. Why Invest in Lollyloo Shopper? Innovative Model: We’re pioneering the super app for local commerce—think Yellow Pages meets Etsy, with the community spirit of Nextdoor. Scalable Potential: Positioned to scale quickly with a model that supports rapid expansion into new markets. Strong Market Need: Designed to fulfill the increasing demand for hyperlocal business solutions that truly work. We are looking for visionary angel investors to join us in this journey to reshape the local business landscape. Your expertise and resources could be the key to unlocking massive growth as we aim to become the go-to platform for local commerce. Interested? Let’s discuss how you can be part of this groundbreaking venture. https://lnkd.in/grn3KXu9 hashtag #AngelInvestors #StartupInvesting #LocalCommerce #Innovation #BusinessGrowth

Exciting Investment Opportunity: Angel Investors Wanted for Lollyloo Shopper! As the founder of Lollyloo Shopper, I’m excited to extend a unique invitation to angel investors who are passionate about transforming local commerce. Lollyloo Shopper is not just a platform; it's a game-changer in how local businesses connect with their communities, integrating the best of directories, marketplaces, and community engagement into a single, powerful tool. Why Invest in Lollyloo Shopper? Innovative Model: We’re pioneering the super app for local commerce—think Yellow Pages meets Etsy, with the community spirit of Nextdoor. Scalable Potential: Positioned to scale quickly with a model that supports rapid expansion into new markets. Strong Market Need: Designed to fulfill the increasing demand for hyperlocal business solutions that truly work. We are looking for visionary angel investors to join us in this journey to reshape the local business landscape. Your expertise and resources could be the key to unlocking massive growth as we aim to become the go-to platform for local commerce. Interested? Let’s discuss how you can be part of this groundbreaking venture. https://lnkd.in/grn3KXu9 #AngelInvestors #StartupInvesting #LocalCommerce #Innovation #BusinessGrowth