What’s the best thing about doing business in Middle Tennessee?
Middle Tennessee is starting to become the next Austin in terms of tech startups and innovation. The small business community embraces technology and pushes our community to new limits as a result of so many ingenious solutions being launched right here.
What has been the most valuable aspect of your Chamber membership?
To meet and socialize with small business owners like myself who come from a wide range of industries with a common purpose to improve the lives of the people of Nashville.
Who is CliquePrize and what should we know about you?
CliquePrize was not an overnight creation. In fact, it took 19 years to launch this as a Mobile App after most of that time struggling as a desktop sweepstakes site previously called HollywoodWin and later HollywoodPrize. After many years of trial and error, the CliquePrize mobile app was born. I started the parent company in 1998 to manage artists, since I’m a musician myself, but the digital capabilities eventually turned the primary product of the company into CliquePrize.
What is unique about your business that makes you stand out?
CliquePrize solves the problem of lead generation to grow small businesses. We do this through a patent-pending, trademark registered Mobile App that will have many different functions in the coming year. First it will start with sweepstakes, but we will eventually evolve into contests, surveys, event registration (with giveaways), raffles, and mobile instant win promotions. Since we focus on local business, we make it possible for small business to survey as well as collect prospect emails and mobile numbers. Prior to this, the best option was Fishbowl promotions.
What’s your biggest goal for your company this year?
CliquePrize is only launching in 2022 in the Nashville market. Our goal is to beta launch the MVP to gain traction and learn from our clients which are Small Business Owners called Sponsors.
What best business practices did you learn in 2020 and what did you do to be creative?
CliquePrize was always a remote operation. However, now with a development team in New Jersey, India, and Nigeria (for the website), we had to adjust our workflows and release cadences to put the beta product into orbit. We learned how to pivot as our teams and locations evolved.
What’s your best piece of advice for other business owners?
Embrace change. Don’t let a small investment into digital be threatening. The days of word of mouth and print/billboard marketing are practically gone as a method to grow your business. There’s too much noise in the market for almost every industry.
How do you stay involved in the community?
Being the father of a daughter, we support gendap.org not just locally but internationally. We raise money to help with underprivileged girls with education and self-reliance.
