Nearly 80% of consumers reconsider or change a purchase decision online after reading a negative review. Statistics like this have businesses devoting more and more resources to different aspects of social media management. Startup ReviewPush focuses on reviews left on locations like Yelp, Foursquare, and TripAdvisor. ReviewPush monitors reviews and compiles them into reports that give businesses the opportunity to respond before bad press spreads.
This area is highly competitive, but players may want to keep an eye on Founder and CEO Lee McNiel; after twice selling his shotgun to a pawn shop to pay his rent, he has his firearm back thanks to recent ReviewPush growth. As it is for so many solo, bootstrapping entrepreneurs, he’s had faith in his vision tested and rewarded. Here McNeil shares a few details of his saga of creating his online review management site with KillerStartups.
How long have you been involved with the internet? What were your first steps? What was your first computer? How old were you when you first got one the world wide web?
I launched my first ecommerce site when I was 20 and that’s when I was introduced to SEO. With this skill set I was able to pay my bills throughout college. I was probably 12 when I first got onto the web.
What time do you usually start work each day? Do you have an office or work at home?
9am, I work from home and a office.
What’s the first thing you do when you leave the office at the end of the day?
This changes on a daily basis. I’m either working out, meeting up with friends, or taking a nap if I’m really tired.
When do your best ideas come to you? In bed in the morning? After working for 16 hours? While out jogging?
Probably when I’m laying down or after my 3rd beer.
We want to know about where you spend your day! What’s on your desk right now?
Not a lot, an original Nintendo controller turned into a docking station for my iPhone, and a note pad for my daily to-do’s.
Favorite book? Author?
Power of Persuasion – Robert Levine
A lot of people have big ideas. What gave you the confidence to actually put your life on hold and realize yours?
My 8 years experience in SEO–and knowing that there are 37 million businesses within the USA today–gave me the confidence I needed to take the leap.
What advice do you have for other entrepreneurs struggling to get their business off the ground?
Determine who’s your target client/customer and start selling asap.
Who has been your biggest cheerleader throughout this process?
My family and friends give me a ton of support.
3 people you recommend we follow on Twitter, and why?
briansolis, mashable, and sengineland
We also love to know the fact and figures: revenue (this year? last year? your first year in business?), profit, investments, number of employees, etc. Any details you’d feel comfortable sharing with us?
Since January 2012, we’ve been cash flow positive and our revenue this year should be 10x what our revenue was in 2011.
Where can our readers get a hold of you? Facebook? Twitter? Google+? Personal blog?
Twitter at leemcniel or reviewpush.
One last question, how many local businesses use ReviewPush to manage their online reviews?
More than 2,500.
