Big influencers are charging over $1,000 per reel while delivering engagement rates below 3%. Meanwhile, 76% of everyday social media users have fewer than 10,000 followers, and 88% believe they deserve a reward for authentically promoting the brands they love. Swayze Co-CEO & Co-Founder Phi Long Bui joins us to share how his platform is bridging this gap by turning everyday restaurant-goers into powerful nano-influencers, completely flipping the script on local digital marketing.
We discuss:
How a background in strategy consulting led to the founding of Swayze
Why traditional influencer marketing is broken for small businesses
What a “nano-influencer” is and why they drive better ROI than celebrities
The stark differences between scaling a startup in Poland versus New York City
How partnering with intermediaries will accelerate their B2B growth
The future of social rewards and why retail is the next big frontier
Why his ultimate advice to young professionals is to just start building
