Brian Wong, CEO and Co-Founder of Kiip, spoke during USPAAC’s August BLS Series about “Startup Growth and Acceleration.” Kiip is a mobile platform that allows brands to engage with customers during “moments” when they are the most attentive, and using their apps.
Brian started Kiip in 2010 after he was laid off from his job. He started his idea with the simple insight that “advertising is annoying”. He saw the opportunity to create a better advertising model by delivering advertisements at the right time or “moment”. He defines a moment as anything you have completed while using an app, such as leveling up in a game, taking a selfie, etc. Brian started thinking of using advertisements to reward consumers after these “moments”. Kiip’s primary customers are large consumer brands and app developers, who Kiip helps to monetize.
To explain the importance and value behind Kiip further, Brian Wong explained the importance of understanding the “Connected Generation”. He discussed his idea of “cheat codes” for real life that are geared towards mindsets. His three cheat codes, which are “on yourself, on your industry, and on others” are geared to help you continue to build your own business and career. The idea of “on yourself” is about a mindset of understanding your own skillset and knowing your superpower. He suggests asking others for advice with cold emails and using Linkedin.
Cheat codes related to “on your industry” include creating a new category or market, free of experts that your company dominates. When Kiip was first created, it was the only company that focused on moments in terms of advertisements. Now 8 years later, there are many players in this category, which helped to create the market. Finally, cheat codes “on others” means losing control and allow others to be the best they can be in their roles. If you hired right, people who are autonomous and self-motivated, you should feel confident in “losing control”.
