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Springfield, MO

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Startup Corner: Stuart Emerson and Brent Borrelli, Reaction Surveys LLC

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Minimally viable product …
Reaction is a mobile app offering restaurant and retail customers the opportunity to take a quick, two-to-four question, in-store survey and immediately receive a discount. The analytic data is then relayed back to the businesses to help them improve any products or services.

Problem solving …
Reaction removes the barriers in the field of market research by connecting the businesses to their customers through their mobile devices. It provides more valuable data to the businesses and makes it much easier for the customers to not only answer survey-type questions but also to redeem deals and discounts for those efforts.

Seed money …
The eFactory invested $30,000 (through its business accelerator program). With that, we have taken Reaction from idea to product in two months and have begun to see download traction as we market the product in Springfield.

Hurdles overcome …
Stuart and I are both originally from Alabama. The biggest obstacles we have faced stem from starting up in a city we were virtually blind to. It was difficult to try to sign up businesses in a new town with new people when we had no idea what businesses to even approach. The eFactory and our mentor, Linda Ramey-Greiwe, have offered extensive networking and connection opportunities, and we currently have 20 local restaurants on board and that list is growing.

Next phase …
After the accelerator ends – the final pitch day being May 1 – we will be seeking additional funding to expand and launch in 10 additional cities over the next year.

Pivot …
Not many significant changes have been made to the overall idea of the product from the beginning. Little things like narrowing down color schemes, wording and general branding designs have really been the biggest adjustments along the way.

Biggest mistake …
All of our “wish I had a redo” moments revolve around marketing. We created our own personal obstacle course with everything from totally failed advertising to basic wording on printed materials. The trial and error process seems to be working out OK for us.

Best advice …
“A lot of people will give you really bad advice, and it’s your job to filter through it.”

Greatest need …
Getting as many downloads as possible before pitch day. The more traction we can show by the end of the program, the better we will be sitting in terms of the overall greatest need of additional funding.

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