This week we feature the full interview where Clara and Doug chat with Patrick Allman, List Perfectly Director of Innovation. Patrick digs deeper into his tech journey, and into the tech behind List Perfectly.
The Seller Community Podcast from List Perfectly is the ecommerce resource for the seller community across all platforms and hub for information on growing your business. Find out more at thesellercommunitypodcast.com, leave a message or ask a question at anchor.fm/sellercommunitypodcast, or email us at podcast@listperfectly.com.
List Perfectly is the ecommerce resource for selling across multiple e-commerce platforms including eBay, Poshmark, Etsy, Mercari, Kidizen, Grailed, Depop, Tradesy, Facebook Marketplace, Instagram, and Shopify.
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Transcript
Doug:
Hello, and welcome to The Seller Community Podcast from List Perfectly. This is the full interview where Patrick will be talking tech, he’ll be talking about List Perfectly and how it all blends together, but he’ll also talk about his tech journey, how he came up, and how in a lot of ways he’s kind of unique in the tech world because he also grew up in basically a family that sourced, shopped, and sold online, so he’s got an eCommerce background. He was already familiar with eBay, familiar with some of the other sites, and familiar with garage sailing with his dad, Pat. So he talks about that, how that all ties in together. And again, this is part of our series that’s been going on the past few weeks where we’ve highlighted List Perfectly entrepreneurship, their tech integration, and their connection with the seller community. So let’s listen in on the chat that Claire and I had with Patrick Allman and his tech journey.
Doug:
All right. We’re joined today by Patrick Allman who’s been on the show before. We used to call him Willie Wonka because he would come on and deliver what he called golden tickets. And sometimes he would be a little…and, but, you know, word got out quickly who Patrick was and that he worked for List Perfectly. He’s the Director of Innovation at List Perfectly, and he’s a huge part of List Perfectly’s constant innovation and, you know, constantly updating, and responding to the community. But welcome back, Patrick. It’s good to have you back on the show.
Patrick:
Oh, thank you. I’m glad to be back. Oh, it’s always fun.
Clara:
So happy to have you here, Patrick. It’s my first time. I’m sorry, Doug. But it’s my first time doing a podcast with Patrick. You’ve done it before. Not me.
Doug:
That’s true.
Patrick:
Yeah. It’s been a little bit, honestly.
Doug:
Yeah, it has been a bit.
Patrick:
It’s good to be back, thought you guys forgot about me.
Doug:
<Laugh>
Clara:
<Laugh>
Doug:
Well, it’s important to note too, that Patrick was the first List Perfectly employee.
Patrick:
Yep. That’s right.
Clara:
Wow.
Doug:
Theresa Cox was the first customer, but Patrick was the first employee.
Clara:
That’s right. That’s right. So it’s an honor to have you here.
Patrick:
It’s quite an honor really to be able to say that, to be part of, you know, so much success and be able to see I’ve had the luxury of being part of every release, every update changes, everything. So you know, I’ve been very fortunate to, to have been able to be in that position and be, you know, one of the, one of the first hired and everything. So it’s been great.
Doug:
That’s awesome.
Clara:
Oh, thank you. Thank you. So Patrick let’s share with our audience. Okay. today’s not about List Perfectly, it’s about you, you know, and what is, your background? What is your tech background, please?
Patrick:
Yeah, I mean, you know, to be honest, mainly a user of tech. My background and my work history were not just straight from the tech world. I had a few different roles and then if we want to, you know, go and get some crossover skill sets from those roles, I would say in, into the tech was definitely somebody that was constantly improving processes through tech whether it be through, you know, big programs that we were using in our day to day outfit or working with customers. So in a previous life, I worked a lot very closely with customers and utilizing software and actually excelled in my role by utilizing software that many were not finding valuable. Where I, on the other hand, was taking advantage, of exactly what it was. And you know, I worked for a larger bank and I was utilizing software to help people navigate certain processes in their life. And so you know, this software was great and everything. So I worked in that industry for, a while and but my tech background really kind of exploded once I joined List Perfectly.
Clara:
Wow. Wow. Because what is your job title right now with List Perfectly, please?
Patrick:
Yeah. With List Perfectly I’m Director of Innovation.
Clara:
And would you mind sharing with our audience how did you start? What was your title, please?
Patrick:
Oh yeah, no title. I started with, hey, answer this email you know, do this let’s do this. Let’s take a look at this process and things like that. No, absolutely. Started literally, I mean, it’s been quite a journey, you know, so like if we can really unpack what that journey was like with List Perfectly you know, it has been literally from nothing to, to where I am now with List Perfectly and Director of Innovation. So you know, when you talk about starting from there and then getting to where I am now, I think it speaks a lot to what that journey was like, and it was just full of opportunity. So, you know, with that opportunity, you know, take advantage of it you know, listen to the community, listen to customers and continue to innovate.
Patrick:
And you know, the rest is kind of history and that’s where we are today. And the role I’m sitting in right now with List Perfectly. So, I mean, it all started years ago, I just happened to be somewhere at the right time at the right place. I met Amanda. Honestly, I met her at a local library. It was a tech meetup years ago. Now I was at a point where I did not like my job at all and was extremely unhappy. I’m 29 years old. I was about to turn 30 and it was a week before. And I’m like, I don’t think I’m going to be okay, turning 30 and being in this role that I hate, I had just started dating somebody. I’m complaining about the job on dates and everything. So about a week before my birthday, you know, I went in and let ’em know, I wasn’t gonna continue working there and everything
Clara:
Banking. Right. The banking?
Patrick:
Banking. Yeah. Yeah. So I was in the mortgage industry for a while. A few days went by and you know, they were basically, it was just like, hey, this is, you know, it is time to go and everything. And so I left and anybody that knows me, I’m not the quit your job with things not lined up. That’s not me. I’m very much, I have things planned out. Let’s stick to a plan and things like that. So I did it and I did it with only one thought in mind: I am going to, I have, my best friend is a very good software engineer. And the only thought I had in mind as I’m going to learn how to code and I am going to figure it out from there. So I left and that Monday I started to teach myself how to code <laugh>. I mean, I’m talking about ultra-basic stuff. I mean, I remember HTML stuff from back in the day with…
Clara:
I trust you, which one was it? Java? HTML, what?
Patrick:
JavaScript was the first language I started to learn and everything. Yeah. So I kind of went with a little bit of guidance from my buddy and then just started, started learning and everything. So that Monday I started working on it, kept at it, and developed a really good routine. I mean, I was putting a lot of hours in learning and, and trying to code work on little projects, things like that I would say, so that was, that was late September. And then it was pretty much late October. I went to a local meetup for JavaScript developers and just walked in and basically said, hey, I know nothing, but I wanna learn everything. And that was kind of my mindset. And so this was just some random Thursday evening at a local library. And I, I go in and kind of start off with that.
Patrick:
And I mean, everybody was nice enough, but once the conversation started flowing right away, I really realized how little I knew. Amanda walks in the door. List Perfectly had been released. Customers were using the product and everything. And she came in and we were able to connect and talk for a little bit. And, you know, I started that conversation off with, I am not the developer for you right now. <Laugh> I don’t know anything, but I wanted to talk to her and everything. So we talked a little. Side, a bit of information, not really tech-related. I was born and raised in the eCommerce world of resale and really raised working with parents that had successful Etsy shops, and successful eBay stores, going way back to when eBay first started. I mean, I remember being nine, could have been six or seven.
Clara:
We loved that. We loved it. We loved that part, you know? Okay. We loved many parts when we were getting to know you, but that was like, wow, we were pinching Amanda with each other. Literally <laugh>.
Patrick:
Yeah. Sometimes, sometimes things just fit well. So, you know, I never, I never would’ve thought of all the experiences I had had that I would be sitting in a local library having a conversation about eCommerce because I remember garage sailing with my dad and haggling and listing things on eBay and everything. So it was, it was helpful. It was very helpful to have to immediately understand the product and understand who the user was. Met that night, I remember reaching out to Amanda the next day, and shot an email. And luckily enough, you guys were able to let me come in and, and sit down and, and meet from there. The rest is history. So, you know, we met and basically just was given, you know, you guys were, were able to take a chance on me because, you know, you gotta remember that part of the story where I said, I am not your developer and that’s what you’re looking for.
Patrick:
And, and that’s where we were at. You know that was a big, big thing you guys to take a chance on me. Yeah. And, and at the same time, I remember, you know, at that point in time, you also gotta remember ‘hey, I’m unemployed. You know, I have nice savings set aside. I had everything planned out as I could for quitting my job, but right away, I wanted to see, you know, okay, what’s, what’s gonna, what’s gonna happen here where’s this gonna go? What kind of opportunity? And you know, where, where is this product gonna go? Because it’s rare to gain such a good understanding of the product and who the user is immediate. So that was a luxury I had to gain that insight. So from there, I started working with List Perfectly, and pretty much right away I mean, it was full-time.
Patrick:
I mean, I feel like it was, you know, I, I hopped on board and kind of dove headfirst and, you know, it was really just a good fit. I know there’s a saying, you know, dive in when you can afford to drown. And that’s kind of how I felt at that time, with List Perfectly. Like, hey, this seems like it’s one of those things that honestly, seemed too good to be true. And still to this day, I say that, but it’s true. So, you know, hey, it keeps on and it, and it stays on track and it stays that way. So it really has been just an ideal situation. It really couldn’t have worked any better, you know, fast forward years now, Director of Innovation and, and able to work with everybody on a team, the community stay in touch and be part of, you know, the journey of creating a product that thousands and thousands of people are using every day for their business.
Clara:
No that’s. And I wanna share with the audience, okay. Literally the week before meeting you, we are establishing the mission and vision right of your company. Right. Because we’re gonna hire people. You gotta, as I was, at that time, Chief Marketing Officer, remember that Amanda was the CEO and we’re establishing values, mission, vision, da, da, right. Vision. Right. And one of them was like, okay, we’re gonna do, we’re gonna start looking okay for women coders, we’re gonna start looking okay for, you know, we’re gonna do a company. It’s gonna be the majority woman. Okay. <Laugh> there we go. We met you then the rest was history. I’m like, I’ll never forget. We met you. And Amanda tells me, Clara, you’re gonna like him. And I remember talking with you. Okay. And, and just chit-chatting, you know, and then the background that you have and your, the way you, you process things, your logic, your common sense.
Clara:
Right. And I remember being so impressed and being okay, that was it. I knew we were hiring you. And I knew that you would grow in the company. And the rest, as you said, the rest was history. Was Amanda finding you? And I’ll never forget the answer that Amanda gave you because I was like, are we gonna babysit him? And I was like, mm-hmm and Amanda told me, no, I told him, if you are here, expecting me to teach you how to code, that’s not gonna happen. You have to teach yourself. And then together, we’re gonna figure this out and I’ll never forget, and you came with that mentality. And the fact that you took on that meant so much to us, and you took it seriously.
Patrick:
Yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely. No. I don’t think there’s been one day where Amanda and I have sat down and just sat there and coded together, but hey, that is quite all right. You know, we have lots of other projects we get to work together on and everything. So, I mean, it’s been, I, I mean, I can honestly say it’s not when I left that job. Yeah. And what I said, I was gonna set out to do, was it exactly what I had planned? Absolutely not. But thank God it wasn’t. So, I mean, because, you know, I’m, it couldn’t have been any better. I mean, you know, so it just, it really worked out and you know, it just, you really never know how it’s going to go or where life is gonna take you, but I’m sure, glad it took me to that library that night. It’s been, you know, years now working together, you could tell right away that it was going to be a, a work together atmosphere. Uh not a work, you know, work for me kind of environment. So that was huge. You know, what more could you have really known about me and what more could I have known about you guys except for, you know, it’s just like, yeah, we’ve met, we’ve talked and everything, and then from there it just kind of kept on gelling together and everything. So it’s been quite a ride and, and a fun one to say the least.
Doug:
So connection’s important. And you had that rare mix of having a knowledge of eCommerce and selling…
Patrick:
Yeah, no. I mean, that is definitely a pretty unique little notch on my belt. You know, I always work really close with customers and things like that. There have been multiple conversations I’ve had where I feel like I’m the, I’m the closest full-time reseller that was never a full-time reseller. You know, I’ve never spent one day saying that my career is full-time reselling, but I have been born and raised in it. It’s just ingrained in me that kind of, that hustle and mentality, working with the marketplaces and things like that. So it is a pretty unique little notch to have in your belt and, and to be able to apply that skill set into my career now, you know, it’s just really kind of amazing. It’s a full-circle kind of thing.
Clara:
How does it feel for you to work every day in tech?
Patrick:
I really do love it. People rely on tech so much for everything and List Perfectly. You know, when you get to know the customers and the users, and who’s using List Perfectly, it’s integrated so much with their business and, and their, and you know, their likelihood that it’s not just purely a piece of tech. I mean, this is stuff that is affecting people’s day-to-day life. And, you know, when you work closely with users, you’ll quickly find out that there are times where people think List Perfectly may be affecting something and, and we’re not, but that’s how reliant people become to List Perfectly and to using the the service and to utilizing the community and things like that. So that’s one thing I love about it. Another thing I love about it is just the never, it, it just never stops changing. If I could sit here and look back through a little flip book, of List Perfectly through the, you know, years, you’d be amazed at what has changed.
Patrick:
You know, when you’re in it every single day, you forget, it quickly becomes a thing of the past. Those updates, those changes, features that are released, that nobody can live without. Now, there was a day that it didn’t exist having that really unique insight to see it evolve so much has been just so much fun. I mean, this isn’t work. I mean, I’ve, I’ve, I’ve worked, I’ve had jobs, it’s just a livelihood. Now doesn’t feel like a job. It doesn’t feel like I’m, you know, working every day or, or the days that I’m, that I’m logging and things like that. So it really just becomes part of your life. That’s another thing that I love is that and this, this speaks more to List Perfectly as a company and the culture, but I’m talking that also in tech that, you know when you’re, when you’re doing it and you love it, it doesn’t feel like a job
Doug:
List Perfectly is a startup and you referenced a fast pace. So tell us what it’s like working for a startup in tech.
Patrick:
It’s a ride, it’s a ride. So, so like, you know, a little bit of my history. So I’ve, I’ve actually had the benefit of working in all different environments. I’ve worked for small companies. I’ve worked for large companies, not just large companies, I’m talking about highly regulated, large companies. So, you know, it’s, it’s tough for things to change there, that doesn’t happen overnight. I mean, there are about 500 people that need to make a decision for something to change. So that’s not how, how it works and things like that. Working in tech and in a startup environment is fast-paced to say the least, you know, it is constantly evolving, which is what’s good for the user and for the community. Most people would be pretty hard-pressed now to think of software that you bought, you downloaded it. And then that was just it.
Patrick:
Most people don’t interact with that anymore. It used to be that way. There used to be the software you would buy out of the box, that’s what you would get. And that’s if it broke or something like that, you were just kind of done for. So, you know, when thinking about that and thinking about like what tech is, what List Perfectly is and what also, what List Perfectly, how it works with all of the marketplaces, nothing is ever standing still, what makes it so fun and exciting is, you know, every day there’s, there’s something new and I’ve worked for great companies in the past. I moved from St. Louis. I never thought I would work for a better company than that company. And then I joined List Perfectly. What I mean by that is when the customer is at the center of every decision, then all of a sudden, you know, it’s a great environment to work in.
Patrick:
Yeah. And so whenever List Perfectly is innovating or evolving new features working on things, because I saw it from not the beginning of List Perfectly, but for years now, I’ve got to see that all the decisions that are made are with the customer’s best interest.
Clara:
That’s right.
Patrick:
And so in an industry where customers are always needing different things because we work with all different marketplaces, all different types of sellers, and people selling different products. So with all of those moving parts, nothing is standing still, you know, to answer your question, what, you know, what it’s like to be in a startup and List Perfectly. I mean, it’s fast-paced. It’s fun. It’s a ride, but a good one keeps on going up, up, up, you know, that’s the kind of environment because there really is no time, to stay stagnant. And as soon as you do something, I mean, you’re gonna lose track of, or you’ll lose a pulse on what the community needs.
Patrick:
That’s just kind of how I would describe it. And you know, more on the list, perfectly side, just list perfectly as a company and, and everything. I would say that the level of internal support is what makes working in this kind of environment. So productive easy, because, you know, you talk about, oh, it’s so fast-paced. There are so many changes and everything like that that could easily become overwhelming to the point of, well, how do I, I mean, how do we stay ahead? Or how do we, how do I keep up? Or how do I prioritize my day if everything’s always getting thrown out from the beginning, the team environment, and the support. And I mentioned the work with our kind of attitude. That is the biggest difference and why it never has become a situation where you’re going, wow, I’m feeling just absolutely buried or, or anything like that. Just to kind of explain that, you know, yes, the startup and the tech is very quick and intense and fast-paced, but in the right environment, you know, we’re feeling that it’s, you don’t feel that pressure or anything like that, that it’s, you know, overwhelming.
Clara:
That’s right. That’s right now as a Director of Innovations. And I wanna share this with the audience. Okay. And being on a startup, how do you manage every day? Because it’s literally, your job is to err or literally test things okay that 99% don’t work. And then the 1% that you succeed is what we celebrate. How do you manage that, to keep that enthusiasm, when you have to be in a fast-paced environment, you gotta fix things fast? And then at the same time, you’re making so many, we’re failing so much. Okay. Until we succeed, how do you, how do you process that, Patrick?
Patrick:
For me, the biggest thing is staying connected with the users and the community. So, okay. And what I mean by that is I work very closely with, and part of my stepping stone to getting where I am today right now is through working with support and support forward List Perfectly. And working with customers that are using this day-to-day. So, you know, you’re right. We’ve, we’ve failed a lot. That’s okay. Because what we’re trying to do is innovate. So when we’re trying to innovate and actually create and improve, we’re going to fail. So I fully expect that. So I think that’s, I think that’s one part. And then the other part is to celebrate the wins. Like you’ve said, when you release something, or when you work with users that, you know, you’re talking about improving day-to-day life, this is software that people are using every day in their industry.
Patrick:
So whenever you get to a point where yes, it’s what the community needs, it’s what our users need to improve processes, to sell more, to make more money, to do whatever they’re gonna do with it. You know, that’s whenever you get to, you know, celebrate and, you know, take it really, take a step back and realize, okay, all those failures, the hard work, you know, while we’re trying to innovate was worth it. I would say the last thing for me personally, is just always keeping that customer at the center of everything and really actually wanting to, to do things, to help them. If you, if you don’t pay attention, you don’t listen. You don’t, you know, you don’t do what is truly needed. You can easily start to go down a rabbit hole where you’re, you know, spending time developing or working on projects that aren’t what’s needed.
Patrick:
And then, you know, then you’re, you’re in trouble kind of thing. So, and that’s not to say that, you know, you’re in trouble internally, I’m saying just in general, your time, your energy, and then, you know, those kinds of things spill over too, you know, your, when I talk about energy, I mean, I’m talking about you as a person working and everything, keeping that energy up. Yeah. It’s just really just for me, it’s constantly just wanting to, to improve things for the customer and know because if you know that that is, is at what is at the center of all the decisions or all the development or all the innovating then failing is okay. Because that’s the end goal and we’ll get there and we’ll solve it. But if you lose track of it and you’ve wasted all kinds of time and energy, it could be the greatest thing ever. And I’m guilty of it sometimes too. I’m like, I really think this button should be here. I really think that we should do this. And then I, you know, it’s a rude awakening and, you know, people will let you know, that was the worst idea ever that a button should not, <laugh> actually ruin someone’s day. I mean, you know, we’re being extreme and exaggerating, but…
Clara:
That’s true sometimes. Remember when you proposed solutions that we’re, we think that nobody will like, and then they’re like a game changer! It goes the opposite way too.
Patrick:
Yeah, that is true. You’re like, yeah, I don’t know. Maybe it’ll be worth it. Maybe it won’t let you know, like let’s put something together, let’s get some feedback, let’s have a controlled environment. And it’s like immediately, oh yes, this is, you know, List Perfectly is very flexible. And what I mean by that is List Perfectly as a software. And as the service that we provide is flexible to work in lots of people’s flow and into their business. So having software that’s like that, you’re listening to lots of different users. You’re getting lots of different use cases. This is not rigid out of the box. Here you go. Unpack it. And that’s what you get. It is a solution to solve lots of people’s problems. The other dynamic of it is that you know, you can be working on solutions for one group that you think is gonna solve a lot of people’s issues or improve their processes.
Patrick:
And you right away, you have another group that’s using it just slightly, a little different, and we get to take advantage of that and build on it. So it’s not a, just a one size fits all kind of package. So I like that. I think that’s unique in the sense that we get to take advantage of all different kinds of use cases and build tools that the one user didn’t know they needed. So I make a joke kind of like, oh, sometimes we’ll release features. And in my opinion, sometimes features will have a much bigger impact. And so sometimes though there are features that it’s gonna be the greatest features. You didn’t know, you need sometimes some of those exist, and those are the ones that are a lot of fun. You get a lot of feedback, you get to know that it’s really, it’s been pretty impactful.
Doug:
Yeah. That’s cool. And, you know, you touched on a couple of interesting things along the way you talked about we’re so customer-centric, and you talk about you’re working on tech that works with people day to day with what they’re doing, but you’re also changing lives. I think that’s a big part of it too. And what I really like too is, as you said, cuz it’s so true. So much tech we use is something that you get, you download, you use. And then like you said if you have a problem you’re screwed, but that’s not like this is, it’s a constant thing that people are using every day.
Patrick:
My path through List Perfectly has been unique. And I am not anybody that joins the team. I’m, that’s always one of the first things I let them know and working with them and talking about it, you know, I openly admit it’s been a huge luxury, honestly, how I’ve gotten to be, you know, in my role now, the path that I took has allowed me to gain some skills and everything. So working through support, working with customers, working still to this day, extremely close to support and things like that has allowed me to really feel that impact because I’m not gonna lie when people have issues, they’re at a complete and total standstill. Not just like, oh, I can’t do something. This one thing I’m talking about, you have interrupted their lives, basically. Yeah. These people that are using List Perfectly in their reselling business and using it to the fullest the way it was designed to be used and everything, that’s the kind of impact that you’re making, which speaks to another, you know, huge philosophy of List Perfectly is to keep List Perfectly running in a, in really good standing for these people and to quickly fix any kinds of issues because it’s tech, there’s gonna be issues not only is, List Perfectly tech, but we’re, our tech is working with 11 different companies, tech, it’s never going to stop evolving and changing.
Patrick:
And then you add in, so you have that layer of working with different companies at all times, then you add in the layer of innovation and change just internally and everybody’s trying to do it. So List Perfectly innovating. So are the marketplaces, they’re innovating. I mean, you look at all of them. They, I mean, we’re in the innovation season right now for these marketplaces where we’re gonna start seeing updates routinely from them. You see eBay rolling out new listing tools, new experiences, new image manager tools, and things like that. So, you know, that kind of stuff. So when you couple all those things, all of that innovation together, there’s gonna be issues. We fully admit that our response to those and what we do when those issues arise is what separates List Perfectly from other tech companies, that there is no time to sit on a, you know, a bug or something like that, or an issue or things like that.
Patrick:
Cause we have a firm understanding of what that impact and what that interruption actually looks like. You’re talking about interrupting, not just them using List Perfectly you’re talking about their day being interrupted. They’re not sitting down with their family because now they’re working later on. They’re not having dinner or they didn’t go to their kids’ practice or game or something like that because now they’re trying to circle back and they’re trying to make up for that time. So when we keep that in our minds, then you know, we’re definitely staying customer-centric and making updates and fixes much at a much quicker pace. And that mindset comes from the top and trickles down you know, all the way at the, you know, CEO level, Clara, Amanda, and that goes through support and that trickles down and everything. So everybody has that mindset. So when everybody’s rowing in that same direction, then we can make those updates faster. It’s tech, there’s going to be problems.
Clara:
There’s a big misconception. I would say that eCommerce, okay. Sometimes it is something, maybe an industry that I don’t wanna get in because it’s all about, you know, just it’s cold, it’s sales. You know, and I wanna have a meaning you know, on what I build, I wanna change someone’s lives. So you just elaborate it, you know, with us on a very deep level, how you get yourself motivated because you’re helping others with their businesses to have more time with their families. Would you say that Patrick now, okay? That understands these, our customers that are List Perfectly customers, right. Would you say when you started with List Perfectly okay, and you knew where it comes. Right. And all you wanted is just to start developing. Were you like, hey, is this gonna have meaning, I wanna make sure I’m working for a company that has values for meaning, or what was it about that, you know, that made it for you besides, you know, because evidently, it was not the pay, okay?
Patrick:
<Laugh> yeah, yeah, yeah. Good point. Good point. Yeah. Would agree with that. Yeah, no it, yeah. So whenever I first started because of my background in e-commerce and things like that, when I first met, you guys started working with List Perfectly. And everything. Yeah. I didn’t know how big, I honestly, I didn’t know how big of an impact it was, but I did know one thing the job I was leaving, I needed more than that. I needed way more meaning in my career. So when I joined, I knew what List Perfectly was and who it may be. One of the types of users was because it was my parents. And, you know, obviously, I knew them pretty well. So I, you know, I knew who they were, who they were, and who that potential user was, what was more amazing is to learn how quickly I learned, how big of an impact it is.
Patrick:
And, you know, I talk about you interrupting their days and then they can’t sit down and they can’t have dinner, but it’s, that’s not to blow anything out of proportion. That’s just literally true. List Perfectly as a company is making decisions with that mindset. So, and those thoughts and everything, but it is true. You know, anybody that would question like, oh, e-commerce is, is cold. Or you know, I’m just gonna be alone or that’s, I’m not gonna make any impact or anything like that. I would definitely love to have a conversation because it couldn’t be further from the truth. So one of them, a really eye-opening experience for me was how big the community is. That is one thing I did not know at all.
Clara:
Oh, really?
Patrick:
I did think that, hey, like you’re just kind of at it alone and you know, you do it and things like that, but that is very wrong. The community is huge and the community is what makes List Perfectly. And I mean, you could look at the Facebook group and things like that, just that one group, and know how big and how important the community is. So, and once you know that, and then once you really start to look at how these people are using List Perfectly or using reselling. So, you know, that’s the other dynamic, the reselling world it’s so big, you have two different ends of the spectrum. It’s like Six Flags. Okay. You have the wealthiest of wealthy people go to Six Flags to have fun. And so do people that don’t have money, cuz they like to have a good time with their families. They all go to Six Flags. They like to have a good time. In the reselling world, you have people that are massive companies in the reselling world and you have somebody that is looking to resell stuff outta their closet to clean, clean the house.
Patrick:
Okay. That those are your spectrums. So when you’re working with that vast of a, you know, a spectrum and two different ends of the world, you’re working with so many different walks of life basic and doing that and knowing that and if you, and if you tunnel vision and you funnel in on these certain groups and different things, you’ll quickly know that your impact, what you, a feature that you may develop. Like if we took a developer, for example, a project that he may work on or she may work on, and what gets released is something that can be literally saving people clicks. And we talk about that and for people that maybe they don’t list all day, or maybe they’re not in the industry, when you talk about saving clicks of inventory, that you have thousands and thousands of products, you’re talking about saving time, you’re talking about saving energy.
Patrick:
You’re talking about saving your hand from clicking. I mean, you’re talking about all these things, their impacts on people’s actual lives. It’s not you know, oh, I’m just gonna, you know, update this or, or make this feature. And then it’s just gonna get overlooked or anything like, no, that could not be further from the truth. This is software and something that is impacting every user’s life. I mean, it’s pretty amazing. Really, when you think about it and you quickly learn when you, when you have the opportunity to work with customers and everything, you quickly learn, like what it really means to them. To be able to take advantage of List Perfectly as a tool to help them. And for whatever reason, okay. Let’s take, let’s take one case. Let’s say it’s somebody that takes care of their mother. They no longer can work a normal nine to five job because they now take, they have somebody they have to look after.
Patrick:
Yeah. They don’t get that flexibility anymore. Well, eCommerce, the reselling world offers flexibility. We, I mean that is true. We know that it offers flexibility. So when you’re talking about List Perfectly with that user, you’re talking about they’re, they’re getting more sales, they’re accelerating their business. And in that scenario, what does that mean? If they’re accelerating, they’re saving time, they’re spending more time with the person that maybe they’re having to look after, or maybe it’s just buying them more time to be able to do something else that they want to do, whatever it might be. You know, we have, I work with plenty of customers and users that, hey, they just love reselling. So it just means that they get to resell more or they get to shop more or whatever it might be. So, I mean, that’s just one little case, and then you go on the other end and you’ve got somebody that’s having, they have 10 employees and they’re looking to expand their business.
Patrick:
They want to, they want to grow and they want to do more. And so it allows them to expand and to have processes in place that allows them to add more employees, more team members, more product, you know, people that have all the sourcing opportunities in the world, but their issue is they don’t have enough people and they don’t have the processes in place. So now all of a sudden, they’re buying truckloads and they’re bringing that inventory. And now this company that had four people doing some things for ’em now they have 15 people and now they’re employing 15 people and now they’re affecting all those people’s lives. So the trickle-down effect from using List Perfectly is really, really pretty amazing in what it does. There are lots of opportunities in e-commerce to make an impact. And I mean, it’s definitely what and, and every little, little update and feature and things like that with that in mind is, it makes for a good environment and good features too, to be released.
Doug:
So we’ve hinted at this, but let’s dig a little deeper. Let’s talk about innovation. How is List Perfectly an innovator in tech?
Patrick:
List Perfectly is innovating in the sense that we’re taking, we’re pushing things to the limit and innovating and coming up with features to apply, to List Perfectly and, and for our users. So how we’re doing that is, I mean, you know, I’ve talked about it before, but it’s true. And it’s such as the atmosphere and the philosophy is just by working and listening with customers. So you gotta remember too, Amanda and Clara, both resellers, they’ve been there, kind of done that kind of thing. So that’s one unique thing that in this environment, you have somebody that you have a company and a culture from the top that understands the user. So when you have those opportunities and that kind of unique environment, it allows you to innovate differently. You may, you may think, you know, or you may think, or you may see, and you may, in tech, you may wanna release features and things like that that are gaining traction.
Patrick:
When you know that that’s gonna do nothing for the user, is it worth it? You know, tech is trending. Okay. So there are trending things that come out and trending features that sure. You could apply it to your different tech world and to, your use case. And, it may seem out of the box. It may seem like, oh, this is gonna be cool. This is gonna be great. But when you, when you really understand it, and from the top that the idea is that is the customer going to use, this is the customer gonna benefit from it. And then if you really have to question it, then it may not be it, but what innovation comes in is what could we do that could be useful for our customer? So then that’s where we are able to innovate and we’re able to, to pivot and to go in different directions and kind of push it to the limit and really, you know, figure out what is what’s best for our, for our customers and everything, ideas of, you know, how List Perfectly innovates and kind of the thought process there of what makes us be able to kind of change things and apply things into our, our industry and our, for our users basically.
Clara:
Oh, wow. Well, that’s, I, I couldn’t, thank you, Patrick. That <laugh>, I as a part of a team member with you, you know, I love your answer. I couldn’t agree more, you know, do they want it, do they need it? You know, very simple. That’s my philosophy when it comes to innovation, now it’s gonna be in a couple of months, and we’re coming to your three-year anniversary in List Perfectly. If we look back Patrick, okay. And let’s look at your overall almost three years working with List Perfectly. What, would you say you’re most proud of in your work at LP?
Patrick:
There there are two things that come to mind for me. It is the level of customer support and what goes into that. So I believe in, I think in tech and this goes across the board, it can be, you can get caught up in features or options and things like that that seem really nice and, and cute, and things like that. And you would, you wanna, you wanna spend time on, you wanna release it, you know, it’s gonna be that, that option. And you wanna develop that, but how much energy and effort that we put in as a team and me to customer support is a tremendous amount. I think it is something that separates List Perfectly in the tech industry. And I always, I always keep it in mind whenever I, myself, in my personal life, interact with different companies, support or options and things like that.
Patrick:
And I think that, you know, we put so much effort into helping and giving options to users and things like that. So that’s, that’s number one, that would be one thing that I would say I’m extremely proud of is the level of support that, and the energy that we put into the support. I can promise you, we put a lot of energy into it. Another part is, is just how much List Perfectly has evolved and the kind of features that are released now that was three years ago. Yeah. You, you do, you wouldn’t have even, you know, necessarily imagined that we would be offering something like that or solving, solving a, an, an issue with a solution in the way that we do it now. Yeah. So just being part of that journey and getting the opportunity really to be a part of it, you know, I’ve been one of them, the first employee I’ve been, I’ve liked to keep my hands in, in everything. I like to be a part of these kinds of projects and things like that. So, and, you know, everybody’s been great in letting me do that. You know, probably sometimes I get this guy out of here, but hey, that’s just who I am. I, I mean, I want to be a part of these kinds of developments. So there’s a long list of features that have really been kind of game-changing. And so I’m, I’m proud to be a part of that and really making an impact.
Doug:
So you just thought back over your tenure, so let’s look forward. So what’s the future of List Perfectly?
Patrick:
Bright. I’ll tell you that. <Laugh> You know, I’ve been on the podcast before. I never really, you know, you talk about me being mysterious and things like that. So, you know, when we, when we look at features and things like that, when we look at what’s up and coming, it’s exciting. I can tell you that it’s, it’s good, all good things and things to, to help the user and things like that more overall, you know, List Perfectly, is going to continue to, to keep those goals in mind and improve for the customer. So I, I mean, that’s, what’s great is that I can sit here three years ago when I joined the team and everything, there were lots of question marks, right? Yeah. And, you know, life is always full of questions, but as I look forward and I sit here today, three, three years later, I can tell you without a doubt that no matter when it is in the future, it’s still going to be the customer-centric company that is. Developing, innovating, and providing solutions to issues that people have with the customer at the line. So I can tell you that’s without a doubt.
Patrick:
And so that is really, you know, as we look forward to the future where it will continue to grow, and, and from there, you know, it’s gonna be continuing to provide solutions to just like, what List Perfectly was started for: a wide range of users. Yeah. We talked about offering a solution for the little guy and the e big guy. Not being a $1,500 a month solution that’s geared towards drop shipping. Those solutions are great. They work great. There’s a space for them. That’s, I mean, there’s nothing against that. And or anything like that, it’s just not what List Perfectly was designed for, but it will continue to develop and innovate to solve solutions for that wide range, which is so unique, but so cool at the same time to be a part of that evolution, basically.
Clara:
How would you describe List Perfectly to someone?
Patrick:
First, I would explain what List Perfectly is doing, for people. Yeah. So, and what I mean by that is List Perfectly is what, what you see on, on media and things like that List Perfectly as an eCommerce solution. So we are providing solutions to eCommerce needs. So we are a service that will help users to manage inventory and accelerate sales. And then I would quickly move into speaking and touching base on List Perfectly is just solving people’s problems. It happens to be in the e-commerce space List Perfectly as a company is just that it’s, it’s solving, it’s providing solutions to people’s problems every day, but through tech and through innovation, I always ha I have such a hard time immediately not talking about the culture because it bleeds through the product. It comes through the product, it comes through the community, and things like that.
Patrick:
The culture really does. So, you know, that is what I would, I would have to have to talk about too, is the environment, the support you see it from, I mean, you see it in the Facebook group and that carries right over into the team spirit. Everybody with List Perfectly is supported. I mean, just my, my story alone and I’m not, and also just all listeners my story. Yeah, sure. Every employee and every team member has a different story, but one thing is to remain consistent, the opportunity and the support are across the board. So, you know, if you just take my one example, you got to listen to my example of coming on board as the first employee with nothing. And then, you know, three years later, I, I get to, you know, I have the luxury of sitting here with you guys today and with the title of Director of Innovation. So, you know, that kind of, that kind of level of opportunity and support is you know, it’s unheard of. It really is.
Clara:
Oh, thank you, Patrick. Beautiful answer.
Patrick:
Oh, of course. Yeah. No, no, thank you. And it’s true. It’s very unique. Like I said earlier, I would openly admit, that I moved from St. Louis. I left a great company. I left a great small company. I never thought I’d find something better or better people to work for. And I was, I was wrong and I was, I’m glad to be proved wrong. So it, it’s, it’s very nice.
Clara:
<Laugh> I love it. Anything, anything else you would like to add? I know we have, we haven’t even talked about your family. Okay. <laugh>
Patrick:
Yeah, yeah. So yeah, all the, all the listeners. Yeah. That’s a whole other dynamic of it all. So yeah, maybe you’ll have to invite me back for another episode and talk about, uh, you know, we could have a few, a few guests on for that. They would definitely enjoy that. But thanks for having me on, I, I love doing this. I hope that you know, that sometimes I get to, fill in and do the office hours or the Listing 101, but I really do enjoy, enjoy coming on and doing this, hopefully, listeners like it as well. The only thing I would add is, you know, I’ve talked about this in previous episodes. I’ve been a part of, and, you know, before it was encouraging users to, you know, reach out, contact us, work with us, you know, we’re always happy. That’s what List Perfectly is built on. I mean, it’s, I would encourage anyone that wants to know more about List Perfectly, more about eCommerce and what List Perfectly is doing in that world to, you know, reach out and find out more because there, there is a lot more to, to, to learn and to know about.
Clara:
Well said. Thank you. Thank you, Patrick. Thank you so much for your time.
Patrick:
Of course. Thank you.
Doug:
Yep. Thanks, Patrick. We really appreciate it. And you know, we will definitely have you back on, thanks for the great insights and tech and, you know, obviously it’s your story, but I agree with you is like, there’s that customer-centric, you know, focus and that’s so, so rare. And then obviously community’s one of my favorite topics. I love that you brought that up and how we are community-focused, but it’s so unique in the e-commerce industry, the seller community. Thanks. It was a great chat.
Patrick:
Yeah, absolutely.
Doug:
Thank you for joining us on The Seller Community Podcast from List Perfectly. You can find us at thesellercommunitypodcast.com. You can leave a message or ask a question at anchor.fm/sellercommunitypodcast. You can email us at podcast@listperfectly.com. Post a question in the List Perfectly Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/listperfectly. You can listen to The Seller Community Podcast anywhere you listen to podcasts and be sure and subscribe, tell your friends, and if you’re on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, please leave us a review on Instagram and TikTok. You can find @snoop.dougie and of course, follow @listperfectly. And you can always use our promo code podcast. That’s P O D C A S T for 30% off your first month of List Perfectly or 30% off your first month of upgrading your plan. Thanks for listening. And we will see you next time.