LemonStand is a refreshingly customizable cloud based eCommerce platform that helps web developers, agencies and fast growing brands create beautiful online stores that stand out from the crowd and sell more.
Features an infinitely flexible storefront design engine, including the ability to check out on your own domain and completely customize the checkout process. Comes with built in analytics, robust catalog management with unlimited options and variants, advanced discounts engine, digital product selling, subscriptions and much more. A full featured content management system (CMS) and blog is built-in to enable advanced and integrated content marketing from a single platform And there are no transaction fees or penalties for using your payment processor of choice.
Who started the company? Do you / team members have tech background?
Danny Halarewich is founder and CEO. Previous to LemonStand, Danny ran a web agency where he lead design, development and marketing projects for companies such as Telltale Games, Yahoo! and MasterCard. LemonStand is also lead by CTO Bruce Alderson, who has over 20 years of software development and management experience, and VP Growth Ross Paul, who has over 20 years of technology, sales, marketing and general management experience.
How are you being financed?
LemonStand has raised seed funding from BDC Capital, as well as several Silicon Valley-based angel investors.
What do you think will be / is a big obstacle to overcome?
With less than 10% of retail purchases made online, there is still a massive shift ahead. Technology solutions that make it easier and preferable for consumers and businesses to purchase a much wider variety of products online without needing to see them “in the flesh” so to speak is both the obstacle and opportunity for LemonStand.
How do you go about finding good developers / IT guys for your company?
We’re culture-driven and have tried to build a team that is passionate about what we do, so word of mouth and referrals from our own team is where this starts. We also source candidates through AngelList, and we have a pretty sweet careers page which gives prospective team members a good sense of our culture before applying. Beyond that, we’re looking for people with passion, and curiosity. So far it’s worked out pretty well!
Who is your biggest competition?
There are a lot of legacy server based eCommerce platforms out there, but far fewer cloud-based solutions, which is where the market is going. Of the cloud platforms, most are focused on either very small businesses selling online for lifestyle or testing out a business idea, or very large enterprise retailers. We’re laser focused on the large underserved group of fast growing small and midsized retailers in between, and don’t really see much focus on this group from other cloud platforms. Most LemonStand customers are modernizing from aging and high-maintenance server platforms like Magento, Miva, WooCommerce and/or launching new innovative subscription based businesses and unable to find another cloud platform with the same level of flexibility.
How are you intending on taking your company to million dollars in revenues? In what markets?
LemonStand has been growing very quickly. We’re rapidly adding new functionality based on customer feedback to continue to improve and differentiate our platform. The majority of our customers come from the more developed, English speaking countries (USA, Canada, UK & Ireland, Australia/New Zealand, etc.) but we’ve also had some success in other markets.
What is the big lesson you’ve learned (success or failure) with this project.
We’ve learned that building an eCommerce platform is about more than just a product. It’s about building and growing an ecosystem of connected, complementary solutions and partners who can help our customers accomplish their business goals. For online retailers, that is to grow revenue and profits. The bigger our ecosystem gets the more valuable it is to our customers and the more quickly they can grow. And of course, the success of our customers helps us grow even faster.
Website: lemonstand.com
