Client Interview: Meet Kate Giovambattista, CEO of Beyond Main
Humankind Partnership CEO Eileen Sweeney interviewed Kate in March
Eileen Sweeney: How did Beyond Main get started?
Kate Giovambattista: The idea was hatched in 2015. I had just returned from maternity leave after the birth of our youngest daughter. I had been working since 2007 for a major US fashion, accessory, and gift brand as a Sales Manager, focused on small and specialty business partnerships. The buyer and I were once again discussing the challenges and plights of modern-day retailing.
My leave and the momentary break from the everyday working grind had given me an opportunity to process and digest the last decade of retail and consumer experiences. I had now begun to visualize what the future of shopping local could look like. Consumer behavior had shifted and marketplaces like Amazon, service like Prime and two-day delivery were quickly becoming the expectation. Yet, most research and analytics showed a strong preference for in-store experiences and a desire for elevated service. City living was booming and neighborhood gentrification on the city skirts was growing rapidly.
Taking all of this into consideration I got to work researching and planning what a new “shop local” system would look like. One that would serve not just small businesses but also the communities where it was embedded, based on findings that strong and thriving downtown districts resulted in stronger and more economically vibrant and desirable neighborhoods. It was this vision and goal that became the north star for the creation of Beyond Main.
Being a non-technical founder, it took time to understand and find the right individual who could help bring this product to life. My Co-Founder, Kelly Johannessen and I were lucky to connect with a small development company by the name of FiveOne and its founder, Daniel Van Schaik, who now serves as Beyond Main’s CTO since 2017. In 2018 we welcomed Bridget Renzulli to our Beyond Main team. Her background in strategy and corporate social responsibility. Together, in the summer of 2019, we launched our MVP (minimum viable product) into market with a small group of 10 retailers in Summit, NJ. By 2020 we had expanded to include three additional communities supporting nearly 100 businesses.
ES: What does “shop local” mean? What does it mean today?
KG: Shop local to me is not just an activity, it is an ideology. Having worked in the sector I have had the opportunity to listen and observe the direct financial and social impact it has on the lives of individuals as well as the vibrancy of communities. Covid has helped shed a greater spotlight on this but there is more we as citizens can do to learn, understand, and reform. I think many of us are just waking up to why this phrase is so important and the profound impact ‘local’ embodies. We are deeply connected to our communities and pride of place can be a unifier on many levels, it can act as a means for progress and positive change to occur. I often use the analogy that very soon we will begin to categorize shop local in the same way we now view the importance of organic and sustainably sourced food, or our environmental awareness and acts of eliminating single use plastic. It is a lifestyle choice, a conscious decision we make for our health and the health of our earth. In a similar way, shop local is a deliberate choice to invest in your community. Where we spend our money and what we spend it on matters deeply. Research has shown that if $100 is spent at a local business, $50 is recirculated back into the local economy, compared to $15 if that same amount is spent at a local national chain, and only $1 is recirculated when spent at a third-party website like Amazon. If we continue to invest outside of our beloved places we will inevitably experience their demise and worse have been actively participating in it. I don’t mean to suggest that one has to shop local 100% of the time, but being aware of the impacts our choices have can help us align our behavior to reflect the type of community we want to inhabit.
ES: What is next for Beyond Main?
KG: Beyond Main is focused on continuing to partner with community leaders and organizations in looking to implement a more sustainable tool to support local business and customer shopping needs. Our sole purpose is to continue to innovate and help them usher in the new technology operating system that will harmonize community and commerce interactions. We will look to these communities, businesses, and customers to help shape how Beyond Main evolves and serves the towns it is deployed within.
The pandemic for many reasons has required we move more quickly. As a small, bootstrapped startup we still face many of the same challenge’s companies at our stage face, but we continue to overcome them with perseverance, pride in our mission, focus on our vision, and partnerships with amazing business owners and community leaders across the country. We invite anyone who shares a passion for local or place to join us!
Here is Kate’s Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram account and website info so please send that over as well.
Personal Links:
https://www.facebook.com/kate.giovambattista/
https://www.instagram.com/kgiovambattista/
https://twitter.com/founderkate
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-giovambattista/
Clubhouse: @kgiovambattista
Company Links:
https://www.facebook.com/beyondmain
https://www.instagram.com/byndmain/