We see it time after time: Companies in major coastal cities receive recognition for large acquisitions or funding rounds, while those in the American heartland go overlooked. Robin Smith and WeGoLook, though, seem to have broken this mold.
Raised on a farm in Oklahoma, Robin brought no background in tech with her when she founded WeGoLook, a mobile and online collaborative economy platform that essentially functions as the Uber of inspections. WeGoLook’s mobile app assembles a national mobile workforce of real people — called “Lookers” — to verify anything from Internet purchases to automotive and property inspections.
“By linking people with technology — and creating what I refer to as “humology” — we’re transforming the traditional supply chain,” Robin said.
In 2010, the company began with two employees and 7,000 Lookers. Now, with 100 employees and more than 30,000 Lookers, Robin sold 85 percent of her company for more than $36 million to Crawford & Company, one of the world’s largest independent providers of claims management solutions to insurance companies and self-insured entities.
According to Robin, this partnership will revolutionize the claims management process within the insurance and inspection industries by developing innovative solutions for a carrier, utilizing technology and an on-demand workforce to create faster and more efficient process flows within the carrier’s traditional supply chain.
What paved her road to success? When I talked to Robin, she was very clear about the values that built her company. Here are her tips:
1. Be a good coach.
Building the right team means being a good coach. After starting her company with a single software engineer, Robin recruited thousands of Lookers within the first year. “You don’t have to be the smartest person in your industry to be an industry leader if you have the ability to build and motivate the right team,” Robin said. “Step outside of your personal comfort zone, innovate outside the office, and adapt.”
2. Follow through.
Perhaps it’s her Midwestern values, but Robin believes your customers should always be able to count on you. Practice a business model that prioritizes customer service every time. This includes prioritizing customer convenience, whether it’s verifying each report before sending it to the client, getting your services to clients faster, or simply being available when your clients need you.
3. Don’t compromise quality.
In any scenario, don’t compromise on anything that could hurt quality. In addition to constantly improving the app, Robin’s management team is available every day of the week, and every report undergoes rigorous review. Nothing is submitted to the client without passing an extensive check by the company’s assurance team because the company works to preserve its high quality throughout every step of the process.
4. Provide what you promise.
Both your clients and your employees must be able to trust that you’ll deliver on your promises. Some ideas might sound great, but if you can’t execute them or offer worthwhile results for those efforts, you’re not helping anyone in the long term. As you grow your company, your employees and clients should be able to identify a path to grow with you — a path that you can deliver.
5. Pivot if needed.
Not everything is going to go your way, and you have to be prepared to change gears when that happens. Robin’s original business plan was focused on B2C, helping to stop online shopping scams from permeating auction sites or marketplaces. But Robin saw an opportunity with enterprise clients, who now comprise 90 percent of her business. “Don’t just act as a vendor,” Robin said. “Be a part of the process.”
While coastal companies tend to attract the most attention, Middle America is clearly capable of paving a road to success. By developing strong teams, being open to the idea of a pivot, and following through in every sense of the word, those hoping to break the mold in their own industries just might get a taste of the success Robin has found.