Proxima’s Post

One of the big mistakes I made as a founder last year: Getting so excited about building sexy AI tech I almost lost track of what our customers really want. 2023 was an exciting time in AI. Tools like ChatGPT and Dall-E hit the mainstream. Every major tech company was adding AI assistants and chatbots. Add in the fact that Proxima was heading into our Series A fundraise… I'll admit it, I got swept away. Started dreaming about aspirational tools with: → Longer execution timelines → More perceived value for our customers → Bigger potential payouts on our end We have a vision for a revolutionary AI-powered marketing solution. (That's all I'm saying – I don't want to give the idea away 😉) But I got so excited, I missed the major flaw in my plan: What DTC operators want today is *way* simpler. I was so focused on building something massively ambitious… That I forgot our real North Star: Following the customer signal. I'm not the first founder sidetracked by an exciting new idea. And I need to shout out my incredible team for getting me on track again. When I was talking about boundary-pushing tech… they were pushing back: "I hear you. But *this* is what our customers are actually telling us they need now and will pay for." Their honesty – and, I'll be real here, their occasional frustration with me – Brought me back down to earth. And reminded me why I started this business: To help founders build thriving businesses and avoid the pain of shutting down something they've poured their hearts and souls into. The best way we've found to achieve that (so far)? Using AI lookalike audiences. Proxima, as it is, is an AI platform that leverages lookalike audiences to help consumer brands: - Boost ROAS by 31% vs. in-platform targeting - Lower CAC by 26% vs. in-platform targeting - Unlock 2-3x more ad spend - Scale efficiently + profitably It addresses the major pain points that DTC operators are facing in 2024. It drives better performance so their brands can make it to 2025. Don't get me wrong – Proxima is innovating aggressively. You'll see that AI-powered software solution materialize in a big way in the near future. But today, I'm staying focused on why we're here: To provide a deeply needed service. One that can make a difference now. Thanks again to my team – I truly couldn't do this without you guys.