FOUNDER OF THE MONTH
MEET THE FOUNDER
REVSHOPP
BY Russell Nichols
Every body has a type . But clothing stores typically focus on sizes , which does a disservice to both retailers and customers , says Amy Wister , cofounder and CEO of RevShopp . Her Sacramento-based startup wants to change that model with its first product : Body Shape Intelligence .
The platform , currently in development , will allow online shoppers to filter options by one of five body types , using visual avatars . This would solve the problem of customers who order a piece of clothing in their supposed size , only to find out it doesn ’ t actually fit . After gathering data from 3,000 customers in 10 years , Wister discovered there wasn ’ t a method to filter by body type when shopping online or in a store without the help of a stylist .
“ The stylist would bring her human brain to a person ’ s closet ,” Wister says . “ There has yet to be a product that automates the stylists ’ knowledge in such a way that could be scalable .” The Body Shape Intelligence tool took about a year to build . According to Wister , the minimum viable product has been reviewed positively by several big retailers and channel partners , including Target , Chico ’ s , Revolve and Oracle Retail . The platform also benefits retailers , who would be able to glean anonymous body type data to optimize their inventory and cut down on returns and related expenses . RevShopp has a team of three plus two interns . Wister completed the women-led tech accelerator , FourthWave , in December 2020 . In August , the startup opened a seed round for $ 1.5 million . The initial product will be geared toward women ’ s apparel , but Wister sees potential of body type filtering revolutionizing an array of industries , including health care .
If I could have any other job , I ’ d be .............................................................. an investor .
A startup can ’ t be successful without an ..................................................... authentic culture .
“ The The book that best represents my approach to business would be .................. 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership .” ...............................................................................................................
I believe life is ........................................................................................ a Ferris wheel .
If I could give my younger self a word of advice , that would be .................. take time for yourself . ..............................................................................................................
WILL CUSTOMERS OR RETAILERS HAVE TO PAY FOR THE PLATFORM ? “ The platform is a B2B ( business to business ) solution and charged on a SaaS ( software as a service ) subscription model .”
WHAT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE YOU HAD TO OVERCOME ? “ Until recent years the ability to connect with other founders in the region was a hurdle . To date , a number of great organizations have made headway in knocking this hurdle down . Carlsen Center ( Sacramento State ), FourthWave and StartupSac to name a few .”
For more on RevShopp , read Russell Nichols ’ Startup of the Month column at comstocksmag . com .
98 comstocksmag . com | November 2021