What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Making the most of the opportunities given to you
• How Rank & Style works
• What’s next for the company

Sometimes the best ideas aren’t the ones you build but the ones you discover. Rank & Style is a website that produces top ten lists of the best products in the fashion, beauty, and lifestyle categories. Everything is data-driven, so the lists are unbiased and based on actual consumer opinions. Beth Zerdecki, Dalton Young, and Jamie Chandlee make up the Rank & Style executive team. The three friends used their complementary strengths to acquire the platform, rebranded it, and grew it into what it is today.

There are an overwhelming amount of options in the fashion, beauty, and lifestyle categories and a limited amount of unbiased information. This makes it difficult for the consumer to know what is truly worth it when shopping. Rank & Style takes a level of difficulty away with their unbiased lists allowing the consumer to shop with more ease. This is what initially attracted Zerdecki, Young, and Chandlee to the platform. They took what they loved about it and accelerated its growth through their individual expertise. Some of the changes they’ve made include a site redesign and a rebrand to enhance the user experience.

Rank & Style is based on an algorithm that uses data and is meant to replicate the actual consumer journey when shopping. The number one type of data used is reviews. It also includes editorial recommendations, bestseller lists, and social buzz. Using this data, they produce their top ten lists and gives the consumer products that they know have good reviews and are well-loved without having to do the work themselves.

To hear more from the Rank & Style team on their acquisition, the website, and the next steps for the business, tune into the seventh installment of Founders of Fashion. If you enjoyed the episode be sure to share it with friends and family, and you can listen to more Founders of Fashion here!

Host: Jennifer E.S. Millspaugh, PhD

Guests: Beth Zerdecki, Dalton Young, and Jamie Chandlee

 

Transcript:

this is a founding media podcast if hello and welcome to this edition of founders of fashion podcast I’m your host Jennifer mill spa I’m the founder of aesthetic ventures and the Austin fashion initiative on this podcast series we learn about the amazing entrepreneurs who are building the next generation of fashion brands today we’re talking with Beth Sir Jackie Dalton young and Jamie Chandler the executive team behind Frankenstein what’s cool about this team is that they didn’t launch Reagan style but they certainly are making their mark with the rebrand and the strategy they’re using to grow the platform that aggregates the best fashion products on the market let’s jump into our conversation 

 

today we’re talking with basses are Dechy sorry I always the name Spencer Dechy Dalton young and Jamie chan Lee the executive team behind rank and style so first off so we can learn whose voices whose because we have three of you guys in here today let’s go down the line and how do you introduce yourself hi I’m don young and I am the chief operating officer of rank and style I am back in I am the chief product and marketing officer nineteen HM land I see yeah yeah Hossam alright so let’s start at the beginning what is rank and style I’m going to take that one back so reconcile is a website dedicated to publishing top ten list of the best products in the fashion beauty and lifestyle categories in you know the main the main take away from the businesses that we are data trends so there’s no I’m biased promotion of products on our site 

 

awesome so your story is unique because you guys aren’t actually the original founders of Frankenstein you acquired it right so how did how did that come about how did you guys find the company and and get started and there so we had it we had known about the company and we had a friend who is an investor and been following it for the three years since the founding team founded it I’m in then the founding team was Acqui hired but the platform was available so we knew there was an opportunity to acquire the business and bath and Jamie and I all knew each other and really have complementary strengths and you know I started talking about how much we love the platform where we thought it could go how much opportunity for growth there was with that and and and and just came together and acquired it and it was based in New York where all in Austin’s winded down to Austin and and have gone since then it’s been two and a half years and and lots to learn it’s been great 

 

awesome so okay so how did that go in figuring out who did what in and watching the company and kind of what each of your areas are focused on yes so I’ll start with that and we so I have a legal background and had run a legal business before like a legal support this message and so it was it was really obvious that I would be doing it like that yeah business organization and all that and business backing and in managing our affiliate relationships I said that was that was easy for me to take on and then and all that I think Jimmy talk about their backgrounds jail I’m sure I’ll have been here so I have a fashion merchandising background you know merrily in merchandising for vertically integrated organisations and then later got into a site development and design and and really kind of managing the technology products so the two of those kind of fed into managing the marketing piece and the product I reconcile this is Jamie I was previously a Facebook Mr here in our office and we watch here and so and I mean those are fashion partnerships there so it’s kind of the three of us came together it was really simple and seamless process that you know our backgrounds really aligned with their three controls if you will and so I was focused more on the internet and focus more on managing our partnerships and social media as one of my strengths and that’s an area that really awesome 

 

so did you guys obviously you knew each other before launching the company did you work together previously or were you all just friends now we have not worked together we were friends and I think we just and like as the idea came up we were all sort of looking for doing something different and we don’t sort of talked about that and this seems like a great opportunity and and I mean like we talked about just our strengths that the business needed were complimentary we each relate had that background and skill set to take on Frankenstein so was it it kind of came about in a strangely organic way that it worked out okay cool so let’s get a little bit more into the meat of the product what about it was attractive to you and what did you like what kind of specifically did you like about its potential I mean I I loved and believed in the concept in the first place the fact that you know there there isn’t an overwhelming amount of options for consumers today in the fashion beauty and lifestyle categories but there is a limited amount of unbiased information available to the consumer so you know we all know is you’re shopping for something if you really are looking for the basket can be pretty overwhelming process reading reviews and you know maybe slipping through the magazines are looking up your bloggers are are promoting and sucked into this tunnel yeah yeah black hole right and so this platform that exist and to really solve that problem was really interesting and enticing and then I think to layer on you know the the merchandising aspect and then you know that the social media marketing aspect is so much opportunity here is great yeah I think the founders they built this amazing foundation for the business but not again I’m going to try to ask to the company as we near that when our expertise because I take it to the next level and so I saw a huge opportunity within marketing channels like what version you can do for your business in terms of growth also leveraging just our relationship that we have to strengthen our partnerships with reconciles while so many just there are a variety of areas allowed us to continue to accelerate the growth awesome 

 

so what are some of the changes that you’ve guys have made in the company and and and some of the strategies you’ve implemented to achieve the growth you’re looking for well we did recently worked through a site redesign so when we acquired the business we maintain the original website providing your in house and then worked on a redesign and rebrand really enhance the user experience not something that we’re continuing to grow asked to expand on and so that was one of the first areas I think we’re making some changes awesome and so your product it’s based on an algorithm so it it continues is it based on a bit more of like a machine learning kind of opportunity where it learns more based on the way people click through how does the algorithm work so we we factor and a few primary she areas of data on the number one being user reviews on someone that has the greatest weight followed by editorial recommendations and best seller lists both of which you know are available data to the consumer and then lastly social us so we do all that and and and the main thing is we’re really just trying to replicate the way consumer digest shop and does do the research but we’re doing it and I asked her about our process 

 

okay cool so walk me through a bit of that customer journey are how do they find your site and you know what what is their experience like when they get on your site so I think oftentimes the consumer does find our site because they Google something and and Google did recently released a report stating that that the search term bast blank is on the rise which is great for us that’s kind of where we really capitalize on organic traffic so that the consumers may be searching something along the lines of best hurling lines and then you know hopefully or at the top of the search results and that’s something we were were we work really hard to achieve they will click through land on the site and see our top ten list of the best curling wands and we have ten presented for them starting at number ten and scrolling down to the number one product and from there there at the consumer has option to purchased from a variety of retailers so we do have them options so if they prefer to shop on Amazon there’s a fine line there this is my idea was honestly prefer to buy from Nordstrom you know I just kind of we give him all the options as far as which retailers to shop from I once they click through and then they do ultimately leave our site and go to the retailers okay cool and we did I’ll jump in for a second we do also have a really robust email group and really engaged audience that is I’m really looking to us at the number one resource for them so a lot of you know a lot of our customers are coming back again and again again third that that channel as well 

 

awesome but none of you though are technically technical founders or executives right that there’s a really good job yeah I know that’s a lot of right right I am a developer yeah I work very closely with a lot of developers so you know I think if anything that’s kind of the technical background but we did recently hire CTO which is really exciting for us to have how that individual in house and and driving that so that’s been really exciting for exile that’s awesome so one of the cool things I think is is when we talk about your fashion tech company really and when we talk about the stereotype of any tech company you think of sadly the guy in a hoodie the movie developer and a hoodie sitting there away cutting away on his computer and you guys obviously definitely don’t fit that stereotype so what is that experience been like for each of you as these very stylised Abby women developing a company a tech company in the space I mean I think overall we feel really supported I think we’re super lucky to be in a city like Austin where there are so many start ups and get a ton of support and make sure we are obviously minority here when it comes to females in this state however I I mean I think we’re gonna be honest as we can find amazing talent here in our studio is male so here’s our first mariner team the man that I think that overall I certainly feel I’m and so what kind of 

 

water that some of the things that you’re doing to market your brand and are using paid channels or is it mostly all organic you talk a little bit about that word of mouth are you looking to have people have a brand attachment to the brand drink in style or is it more of I’m looking for the best T. shirt that’s how yeah so we you know like I mentioned before we do work really hard and you know earning that number one spot in Google search results that’s really important to us and we do also work really hard to acquire email users not surprising but they are our strongest users and we have a variety of ways that we work to achieve that we do a little bit of shade and you know actually Facebook has been our best platform for that we’ve tested a variety of of J. strategies and that’s the one that keeps winning so ultimately they’re getting most of our money when it comes to the marketing budget yes we see that return on investment yeah and I feel like that’s just an area that’s going to keep growing in in a different way or changing as people move more over to things like Instagrammer you know the next social media channel that there I guess the kids are using 

 

certainly I definitely across social channels here are way straight for you our customers on Instagram stories will feel a little bit different than their Facebook posts on in recurrent organics you point it’s just different readers are users that are consuming content and who is your target consumer is it mostly female is it anybody how how do you kind of tailor your lists and and what you’re doing to attract who you’re looking to attract it was a two point two part question there well we do we can have a wide range of our and our target demographic on which you know initially when we are part of the business it was it was female product oriented only and we really kind of thought it was the busy busy shopper so I mean anyone from the age of eighteen yeah you need sixty five plus and it’s someone that is strapped for time but is looking to purchase something we’ve added on the verdict the man’s vertical I’m so we are targeting that category as well and and right now you know we’re really growing again in the organic mame which is great guys are searching for something and they want a quick and easy way to find that and we have for them but it is it’s just you know really that that consumer that’s looking to find a bass and the quickest passes fire a lot of people out there that’s awesome 

 

so how do you do like your list ever at let’s let’s talk a little bit more about the less like what what are some of the things that you are creating lists around and some of the things that I guess the most fun or exciting or just the worst most surprising for you and how do you keep coming up with those ideas you know it’s funny when we acquired the business that was something that we did briefly talk about ways will we ever run out of ideas from lesson is that like something we need to be concerned about in this acquisition and we can tell you that there is never a lack of ideas it’s always regenerating I mean the way that primarily fashion moves in there’s just always so much that’s new and interesting happening and that our audiences are always interested and you know we’re we’re constantly updating our basics last that are sort of evergreen and we wanna make sure that the products are always available on those last and they were always word you know want to be sure that our audience has an opportunity to see the trends check out and and focus on seasonal always I mean doing this kind of fun last but anyway I don’t know if you wanna jump and worry but that’s you know there there’s never a lack of ideas there yeah I mean that’s the beauty of fashion and beauty I mean we’ve all vein creating new products and so there is there’s always more or less for us to generate so but we also do you dig into data as well and and we see what people are are grueling what are they looking for and that will drive our top ten list as well as water people shopping every now and then we’ll kind of do a shopping roundup last and it’s interesting to see what the consumer is converting on there and okay well actually everyone is interested in the possibly slaughter let’s go ahead and do a list of just that that sounds like the best top ten puff sleeve rice water exactly so yeah but it was interesting to me and it still is basics always like our reader loves the basics yeah black lightning strapless bras white tee shirts yeah exactly you need to know and then when the shot for time you want to have the basics in your closet and are the best yeah I think we so 

 

do your your list eventually expire like something from a couple years ago obviously some of those products aren’t available anymore so you have to figure out the new the new stuff that comes on but that all kind of feeds up naturally through the algorithm that essentially kind of how does that technical bit of it work is it crawling websites to understand what products are out there automatically so you can have this feature so there there isn’t actually a feed announced sense where it’s kind of an overall trend hangs us yeah and says everyone’s buying this type of loss we have to go in and and and say how slaves slaughters and then it falls okay from 

 

yeah cool all right and earlier Jamie you mentioned being located in Austin so I wanted to jump in and talk about what that experience is like for you a bit more in depth of being a company located in Austin and being a fashion company so many people I’ve talked to since I’ve really relocated back here is that all you need to be in New York you need to be in LA you need to be in San Francisco but you know Austin itself has its own unique resources and and kind of environment and culture so what is what is that experience how do you like about it you think I think actually when we acquired business than it was in New York City we were probably a little bit concerned you’re gonna need partners and I think just this day and age that’s just not how people are doing business in the morning things aren’t necessarily all done face to face meeting with your partners right so we have strong relationships and marriages Bob this is different ways and I think being in Austin one of the biggest things is just growing our team and we have no less talented inspiring team that we have that we don’t hear local and they’re ready to work and they’re energized and also in a great class so I think being here is has been wonderful for awesome 

 

so what inspires you kind of in in the development of your business and your brand and where you want to take it sailing what inspires me I’m seeing about this actually is I guess I can going out for a team and they just are such hard workers and they’re always working they’re always coming up with new ideas so I know that that’s how constantly continue product range and I think secondly our readers like they’re super engaged like I am concentrating we have an endo at dress that you can write in and request Lister commander plane or whatever it is on your mind it’s amazing how engaged readers are summer news also notice for ever and they’re constantly asking for more lasting what specific content I’m especially went through a redesign aspect was mentioning you know it was amazing but it was also really wonderful to have you back in the house some so kind of like let’s talk about a little bit about how the company has evolved and grown when he started it was obviously I guess just the three of you and then what was that journey like and and to get to where you are now how about how many people are on your team now so we have a team of ten now and we’re always lucky also to have at least one really awesome merchandising intern from UT we usually what the semester and and so that’s been great so yes when we started with the three of us and working out of bass my kitchen table which was great does it all day and we quickly realized that we had to make in addition to that our content team and and were able to hire I think the first person that we interviewed and and she has really risen up the ranks and is now managing like them most of the content team and and we have a lot of our writers are freelance so they’re not in office she but otherwise I mean it’s just we just have sort of hit these points were like we have to make an additional higher I am and you know it I think probably most entrepreneurs and what businesses fail that’s why it’s like for us it has been pretty glaring where the resources need to go and the time so we’ve been able to make some really strategic hires that have helped us grow the business like unbelievably awesome I think you were like two dollars credit what is that we stayed really clean and really thoughtful about our hires you know it took us a long time to find the right CTO and that was something that I know better super cautious about insightful to make sure it means that you can hire for us that as we continue to expand right Martine culture so important especially anything about being an awesome all the start ups you know culture is important for everyone like you’re trying to competing with everyone else’s right who has the best answer you want to make sure that number in our office that were not providing like massage there right it’s a great place to work yeah right exactly well and sometimes you end up with everybody ends up staying there all day long and you’re like oh have a life right when you want you want your I know I want my team to be able to have a life so so yeah so like what’s the kind of the vision for the future 

 

what’s next for you guys all right now you know we’re really kind of just focusing heavily on enhancing reconcile the website making sure that it is the best platform for the user to find what they’re looking for that and the best and fastest way possible sh we are considering an out on down the line and you know when we when we talk about it now and you know it will just be another another way for our users to really access our information and in a faster easier way so it’s just right there on your phone you’re even having to go through a browser to access our our data and let’s see what it’s been one of the biggest challenges that you’ve had well we’re constantly challenged with the changing algorithms with all social media and Google’s organic search and and we’re not alone in that but it is you have to be a bit reactionary to that you have to be nimble and you have to be able to be reactionary you have to be quick you have to be able to adjust and and make sure that your content is aligned with you know those algorithms isn’t as much as possible while providing like weeks we always are going to provide content and that is is true to rank and style but yeah you you really have to stay on your feet what that is and and everybody in the space feels that the same way that it is time and in the years that we ban and that space I mean it’s probably those algorithms have changed countless times already and there isn’t a man also Justin over them like we know how to start figuring out on our own like how do we overcome this and traffic backed up and and you did and you kind of rely on all these different channels yeah yeah 

 

so okay so before I ask my last question fill me in on and where people can find you and how people can get involved in what you’re doing hello yeah you can go to reconcile dot com visit our site and also follow us and all of our social channels and style at rates or at just reconciling Facebook as well but if you go to our website you can also sign up to receive our newsletter not the best way to stay in touch with us could you send us your top ten list yeah all those brilliant new ideas 

 

yeah all right so what is last question what is some of the what is one thing that you’ve learned about running your business that has surprised you I mean it I it’s different every single day I mean that has you know you we sat down a few years ago and thought that we were like kind of have a road map of where the business would go and I think in a lot of ways we surpassed what we thought we’d be and then you know we continue to look at like well now we see there’s so much more we can do and in every day you know at weekly we said when we have our meetings and and help bring new ideas and it’s exciting it’s constantly changing but you also feel like you can never work fast enough check with your ideas you’re always like okay let’s get it yes 

 

all right well thank you guys for joining me for this addition and thank you everybody for listening sometimes the great idea you build isn’t the one you invent but the one you discover it all begins with staying open to new ideas thank you for listening to our founders of fashion podcast don’t forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts if you’re watching this podcast on YouTube be sure to subscribe to this channel and click that notification bell for new episode alerts founders of fashion is produced by Mariah gossip and myself audio video production by Jake Wallace and also a huge thank you to the rest of the team at founding media who makes this podcast possible also a quick note if you have been enjoying the show I wanted to recommend another founding media podcast great society posted by Constance di cues in the podcast is a series of conversations with inspiring individuals companies and brands that are working to do good things in the world if you want to check it out see the link in the show notes I’m your host Jennifer mills spot to learn more about my work at the intersection of fashion internationalization and entrepreneurship visit aesthetic dot