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Name: Stephanie David
Business: PopNod, an online service for a socially conscious shoppers
Industry: Social Enterprise, E-Commerce
Location: District of Columbia, U.S.
Reason for starting: When I married my husband, we decided to make donations to the American Diabetes Association and American Cancer Society in lieu of wedding favors. The donations had sentimental value for us and our families. Since then, we would have frequent debates about the power of giving, either big or small. Why can’t giving back be a part of my everyday routine? Imagine a world where giving back was a part of everyone’s everyday routine – and imagine the impact. I left a rising career at a Fortune 50 company to launch PopNod. We empower people to change the world by combining shopping and saving with giving. PopNod offers shoppers the freedom to shop at any store, receive cashback savings, and automatically donate a portion of their savings to any cause of their choice. We have made giving back simple and accessible for all.
Related: Read about another E-Commerce entrepreneur here.
How do you define success? On a holistic level, I define success as seeing giving becoming the “norm” – more and more people integrating giving into their everyday lives. I strive to help build a world full of changemakers. On a personal level, I define success as happiness. I love what I do, and I’m so grateful to have found my passion.
Biggest Success: My biggest success on this project was when we had a major uptick of people requesting new causes to be added to the PopNod community shortly after our launch. It helped me realize how much of a market there was for this platform, and the amount of generosity that existed in our communities. People were passionate about the causes they cared about, and sometimes shared their stories about why the causes meant so much to them. It was a huge success for me to see how much people really wanted to make an impact.
What is your top challenge and how have you addressed it? My biggest challenge is working with limited resources and a very small team. I have worked in large corporations for most of my career, where we had experts in every area. Now, I need to be the jack-of-all-trades and trust my own gut instincts. More than ever, I also need to recognize that my own personal and professional network are my extended team. It is ok to ask for help!
Related: Read more about the power of networking here.
Who is your most important role model? I look up to many people in my life, but the one who inspires me the most is my father. He has gone through a lot of physical hardships over the last decade, but he has powered through them with such strength and grace. He always has a huge heart and is the most selfless person I know. For that, he has inspired me to do what I do now.
[box_light]Website www.popnod.com
Twitter @PopNod
Facebook www.facebook.com/popnodapp
Tumblr www.blog.popnod.com
Pinterest www.pinterest.com/popnod[/box_light]
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Edited by The Story Exchange