David Sokolow (NYU, 2010) came from a family that taught him to never be afraid of trying new things. That’s why he founded WeFind, which helps other companies leverage their customer base. What started as a small business in 2015 has quickly grown into a one-of-a-kind company that helps connect clients to consumers who love their brand. WeFind has one goal in mind: helping companies grow.
“No one else out there thinks about the customer base like we do. We want to give brands the opportunity to reach out to individuals and drive growth but we also want these users to get closer to the brand, it’s exciting for both of them.”
Brother Sokolow believes many companies today are only looking at their consumers as a means to make money rather than tapping into the amazing group of advocates that exist within the customer base. “These advocates actually love and use your products. They can be advocates to promote the brand.” WeFind aims to turn these people into business partners. “These partnerships create a more authentic and efficient promotion.”
Reflecting on his time in Alpha chapter, he realizes how much of a networking powerhouse AEPi was and still is for him. “I’m still close with a number of brothers today. My first internship was through an AEPi brother who ended up being a first investor in WeFind.” For him, recruiting guys for the fraternity was the most similar experience to starting his own company. “With both situations, you need to prepare and do a lot of manual work. The energy around recruiting is the same as the energy you need in the early stages of starting the company.”
Since its inception, WeFind has had exponential growth. With that growth, Brother Sokolow has learned a lot about himself and improving the company. “We’ve brought on a number of incredible brands that we’re excited to work with. Building a company is a journey in finding out who you are, what value you provide and what your vision is for the future.” He loves the day-to-day operations and tiny steps you take to make strides with what you love. What strikes him the most is looking back and seeing how much he’s progressed in that time when it seemed so miniscule in the moment.
What’s unique about WeFind is its attention to the consumer. Its customers and product are the two main activities that matter most. “My goal is to keep on improving the product and bringing in new customers while making sure existing customers are happy.” He realizes that people have a strong passion for the things they purchase; they spend their time and money researching the product, which speaks to who they are.
When starting your own business, it can be challenging to face constant change and learn how to act on situations quickly. “I’ve seen the transformation in myself though and I’ve grown more with WeFind than anything else in the last ten years.” He loves being able to connect businesses with their consumers and hopes to make every brand iconic. “You look at Apple and Nike which create a movement for people to follow. WeFind is helping foster that movement.”
“I hope we only continue to grow and make customers happy. We’re just scratching the surface with this platform. There’s a mountain of opportunity to build and turn this into something inspirational. We’re going to keep going at it every day.”