rewardStyle is a global technology platform that empowers influencers to provide for themselves and their families through entrepreneurship. Today, 35,000 influencers use rewardStyle to power their businesses and 4,500 retailers have chosen rewardStyle to leverage the power of influencer marketing at scale, and those retailers invest well over $100 million in the platform annually.
In early 2017, rewardStyle founders Amber Venz Box and Baxter Box, launched the LIKEtoKNOW.it app.
LIKEtoKNOW.it is a shopping app that lets users shop real looks from influencers, tastemakers, stylists and celebrities across all lifestyle categories—fashion, home, beauty, family, and more.
Tell us about the timeline behind rewardStyle’s success.
Amber: In April of 2010, I launched a blog, Venzedits.com; it was initially developed as a marketing tool for my offline business, personal shopping. I would post three times per day- usually a trend story, a ‘get the look’ story and an outfit of the day, all with the hopes of attracting more offline customers.
I quickly learned that my audience preferred to use my recommendations to shop online at their convenience, instead of booking and paying for time with me. I needed to be compensated for the sales I drove online and that was the impetus for rewardStyle.
We began to think about a solution to monetize my blog in the fall of 2010, just months after I launched my blog. By early 2011, we had a working platform and I began to invite my blogger friends to use rewardStyle.
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Baxter: And then in early 2017, we launched the LIKEtoKNOW.it app, a shopping destination that lets users shop real looks from influencers, tastemakers, stylists and celebrities across all lifestyle categories—fashion, home, beauty, family and more.
The overall app experience provides this theme of bringing shopping to life—real people that are wearing real items that you can shop instantly. LIKEtoKNOW.it is the first contextual search engine for mobile shopping. All search results are all 100% ready to shop in the palm of your hand. This gives more shoppers more reasons for LIKEtoKNOW.it to be the starting point of their shopping journey; it gives the intent-driven shopper an incredible experience that cannot be found anywhere else.
What are the benefits of working together as an entrepreneurial couple?
Amber: As our company grew, our roles became obviously differentiated. I own everything brand and marketing and he owns everything tech and finance. We respect each other’s expertise and together, we are quite like yin and yang. I believe our matching skill sets are secret to our success.
Baxter: Now, I am so grateful that we work together. If we didn’t, I’m not sure when we would see each other!
What challenges have you overcome as an entrepreneurial couple, and how?
Amber: In the beginning, it was really tough. We were two years into dating when we started the company together. We shared a desk and were hovering over one another 24/7 and our relationship was not mature enough to set boundaries.
How do you get away from it all at the end of the day?
Amber: 7 years and three kids later, we set boundaries around our work time and family time and once we get home, we stop working (and talking about working) and we focus our energy and attention on the kids.
Baxter: Time matters, so we are intentional with our children and each other. We also really recharge at our ranch out in West Texas, some of our best ideas have come from our time spent out in the desert.
Are you cat or dog people?
Baxter: Definitely dog people! We have two big rottweilers.
This Q+A was used in Dallas Innovates 2019—The Magazine. The magazine highlighted entrepreneurial couples who have found success in Dallas-Fort Worth.
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