Last Updated on November 16, 2020
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About Liviu Tanase
I feel like one of the lucky ones because I’ve had the opportunity to pursue my love of technology to the fullest extent. From the very first time I heard “you’ve got mail” and received an email, I knew I wanted “in.”
I started my first business at 18 years old. I sold computers offline. It was all about filling a need of the times, something that may seem obvious, but is the key to almost anything.
After starting several companies, I felt the magnetic pull of Southern California, a place where so many things are happening in business, entertainment, industry and every combination of those things. That was six years ago.
My fascination with email was the main reason behind starting ZeroBounce in 2017. My gut feeling was that the email revolution was only starting and I still feel like it’s only just begun. The possibilities are limitless and it’s all very fascinating and exciting.
About ZeroBounce
It all started out of necessity. My partners and I were looking for a way to clean up our email list. Our vision was admittedly better than the various services out there so we pondered the idea of making it a reality. We’d all been involved in email for a while and saw tremendous growth coming to that world.
I saw that there were businesses not reaching their full potential because of email lists “gone bad.” Not verifying your email list inevitably leads to stress and loss of revenue. I’ve seen it create a lot of anguish. Many companies were sending email promotions, newsletters and transactional emails with a severe impairment that in many cases they didn’t even know about.
So we created ZeroBounce for all companies that operate with email. We make sure your message gets to where it’s going, which is the inbox of your customers.
Email lists inevitably will have obsolete or damaging data on them, including spam traps, email complainers, catch-all emails and addresses that were once good, but now are invalid. Keeping fake or low-quality email addresses on a list has repercussions.
ZeroBounce allows businesses and marketers to efficiently, quickly and effectively maintain and rehabilitate their email lists – even if they don’t have a great knowledge of technology.
Contents
How Did You Get Your First Several Customers Or Users? How Many Users Or Customers Do You Have Now?
The first few customers were simply word of mouth. A lot of people were looking for a better solution and when they found us, they told their friends and business partners. It’s an honor that this continues, getting referrals that stretch across the globe.
We also used and continue to use PR to our benefit. A journalist calls and is looking for a story? We put our all into helping the writer to get a great story. I sincerely think what we do is very cool, so we are always happy to tell the tale of how we got here and where we’d like to go.
These days we have more than 85,000 users and customers. As our service continues to be perfected and the different features we offer expand, I see it only growing.
We take the privacy of our clients extremely seriously and, although there are many I can’t disclose, it’s not really the bragging rights I care about. It’s when companies tell us their email marketing has completely turned around and that they’re excited about it.
How Does Your Company Grow And Acquire New Customers?
It’s a combination of PR, marketing and sales efforts. We’ve created a workflow that has been helping us grow tremendously throughout the past three years.
Word of mouth still takes us very far and the fact that we get great reviews on a variety of platforms helps a lot. If I had to pinpoint how we grow and get new customers, I believe much of the credit goes to our existing customers.
What Actionable Tips And Tricks Do You Have For New Founders Who Are Looking To Get Their First Thousand Users Or Dollars?
Even getting the first few hundred, let alone thousand users can be intimidating to say the least. I always like to say that you shouldn’t get stuck on a tactic. Don’t beat yourself up to prove a point if the results aren’t practical.
You try something else. Sometimes all you need is a different strategy. Whether it’s stubbornness or ego, you have to admit something isn’t working. When you realize that, try to find it as a relief rather than frustration. It means you’re that much closer to what will work.
Finally, what do you do when you make your first thousand dollars or customers? You celebrate and decide on the next milestone!
However, rather than being focused on numbers, I say concentrate on creating something invaluable for your audience. Always put yourself in the customer’s shoes. Ask yourself “If I was them, how would I want this to be better or easier?” That’s how you continuously improve and become so good that people won’t be able to afford not to use you.
What Is Something You’ve Learned That Would Not Be Obvious To Somebody Who Hasn’t Worked In Your Space Before?
Being in tech means that things change abruptly. An idea that is thought of as absolute truth is scoffed at tomorrow. Laws and regulations can be passed and force you to adapt quickly. There are software updates for online services that virtually everyone uses. In modern businesses, there are a plethora of programs and applications that are like gears in a machine.
All of this means that you must always be aware of what’s going on. Be prepared to pivot and always, I mean always, expect the unexpected.
What’s The Craziest Thing That’s Happened To You (Good Or Bad) On Your Founder Journey?
When I started in the world of business, I had aspirations, but to me it’s crazy that in a few years my whole life has changed and the company has grown exponentially. I didn’t think I’d be living in the United States.
Thanks to the ZeroBounce team, we’re now no. 40 on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing companies in the United States. I like working with good people and had an expectation that the people I worked with would be talented and good-natured. They’ve blown me away and I consider it an honor and a great privilege to go down this road together.
What Are Your Favorite Books?
“Meditations” by Marcus Aurelius is one book that has been a constant source of inspiration and motivation. It’s loaded with food for thought.
It’s also sometimes interesting to read the book a great film is based on. I have a real passion for cinema. Books and films are a great source of ideas and can also be a welcome break when you feel your brain is having a melt-down.
Anything You’d Like To Plug?
Our inbox placement tester (https://www.zerobounce.net/inbox-placement-tester.html) is an unbelievably helpful tool. No longer do you have to wonder if your email will go to the spam folder or the inbox. With our inbox placement tester, you can absolutely see into the future.
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