Coupons on-the-go: Sprouter talks…to Clip Mobile

Everyone loves a good bargain. At least that’s what new entrepreneur Dave Offierski is banking on. Yesterday Dave launched Clip Mobile, Canada’s first location-based mobile coupon application (similar to Coupious in the U.S.). Clip allows consumers to search for, save and redeem special offers from merchants and restaurants – right now the app is available for the iPhone (download from the App Store for free). Blackberry and Android versions will be released in the coming months. We talked to Dave about his experience starting his first business, why having a good support network has been crucial, and why he thinks you should simplify your business plan right now.

Sprouter: Tell us about how you got the idea for Clip Mobile and how you started it.

Dave Offierski: I am a believer that mobile technology can significantly improve the consumer experience as we go about our daily routine of buying things.  This has been an interest of mine since about 2006 and I have been following what is happening in that space, both in Canada and abroad for a while.  Over the past 10 months I have become convinced that Smartphone penetration and the demand for mobile services has reached a tipping point in Canada and the market can support a location-based mobile coupon network.

My personal experience over the last few years certainly played a role in how I got to this point too.  In 2008 and 2009, I saw myself, like many Canadians faced with some amount of financial uncertainty and was forced to think about how I spent my money, and looking for ways to spend more wisely.  I researched quite a bit and found some tools that are out there for consumers, but was generally unimpressed because they were pretty clunky and required me to be sitting at a computer, connected to a printer.  That doesn’t suit my lifestyle which is pretty mobile and not particularly well planned so they didn’t really stick.  A location-based mobile coupon app seemed like it would be a perfect fit because Canadians really do love deals as much as they love their mobile phones.

S: What were your biggest challenges starting Clip Mobile?

DO: Doing a startup is definitely one of the most challenging but rewarding experiences I have ever had.  The point up to launch seems to be all about perseverance because you have very little concrete evidence of your progress.  Milestones and project goals are important but nothing measures success like revenues, users or clients.  After launch, it seems to be all about endurance and execution so now we get to shift gears a bit.

One of my biggest challenges was that I originally wrote a business plan that was much more complicated than it needed to be.  The journey that has gotten us to this point has seen our business plan get a lot simpler.  This was important because we are pre- funding and no one is giving money to concepts these days; especially ones with overly complex business plans. By simplifying the business plan, what was originally a hindrance to moving forward – limited resources, has become what could become a key factor to our success.  Limited resources make for lean, efficient startups, which are better suited to adapt to rapidly evolving environments.  The mobile industry is definitely evolving rapidly so we feel pretty well positioned to capture opportunities as they arise.

S: What are the top 3 tips you’d give to early-stage entrepreneurs?

DO: This being my first kick at the can, probably not comfortable giving 3 pieces of advice.  We’ll wait to see how I do at this one before I start handing out advice in threes.

But if I had to give two pieces of advice …

- Keep it Simple.  Seems to be working well for us so far.

- It is a journey, so enjoy it.  That might sound like some hippy-dippy cliché but doing a startup really is a huge rush of experiences with lots of highs and lows.  Take the time to reflect on both the positive and negative and you will learn a lot about yourself and other people.

S: What do you think can be a game-changer for an early-stage startup?

DO: Having people around who support you.  Whether they are your family, friends, mentor or partners it is important have people to share in the vision – or at least entertain you while you blather on about ‘the opportunity’.  My friends and family are good sports I guess.  I have been lucky in that I have several mentors that have been instrumental in various aspects of the process to make this thing go.

Also, the University of Waterloo MBET Program has been a huge asset.  Alaa, Nan, Paul and Zhen are the Clip Mobile practicum team members and these talented masters students have taken the challenge of launching a successful startup to heart.

S: What’s coming up at Clip Mobile?

DO: Big things!  We are currently scaling up our sales and marketing efforts to merchants as well as launching our awareness campaign to mobile consumers across Canada.  Canadian businesses big and small are definitely realizing that location-based mobile coupons are a great way to draw new traffic into their locations, but it is also an opportunity to create a really positive user experience when a consumer is looking to make a purchase decision.  This will keep them coming back over and over again and not necessarily toting a deal on their phone.

Our technology team is working hard to roll out the Android app in mid to late February and Blackberry apps are coming along for March.  These rollouts will definitely expand our user base.  We are especially excited for Blackberry because this is Canada and you have to play for the home team.  Bberry users are a bit starved for well designed, functional apps that they can use to make their lives easier so we are very excited about introducing ourselves to them and cultivating that relationship with our users.

For those that want to stay tuned, you can register for a ClipMail newsletter and automatically enter our draw for a new Android device when we launch.  We will only send you info about our product launches that are relevant to your device – so check the box for your phone!

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You can reach Dave on Sprouter here.