INspired INsider Podcast: Eliminating Waste, One Phone Case at a Time with Matthew Bertulli Co-Founder of Demac Media

Eliminating Waste, One Phone Case at a Time with Matthew Bertulli Co-Founder of Demac Media

Nov 15, 2018

Matthew Bertulli is the co-founder of Demac Media and Pela Case. Pela Case is the world's first compostable phone case. This helps cut down on the billion cases produced each year that will probably end up in the ocean. Demac Media is an award-winning ecommerce products and services company based out of Toronto, Ontario. They are one of the largest Magento Gold partners in Canada and one of the top Magento partners globally and a Shopify partner as well. Their 90 person staff provides ecommerce platform technology and managed services to retailers, manufacturers, and wholesale distributors selling direct to consumer or business to business.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

[1:16] Jeremy welcomes his guest, Matthew Bertulli.
[3:20] Matthew talks about his family and their work in entrepreneurship.
[5:45] What led Matthew to start his own business?
[8:30] Early work in ecommerce.
[10:30] How did Demac Media start?
[16:20] Grabbing the dragon by the tail.
[24:00] How Matthew started building up Pela.
[28:00] Allocating resources and keeping two businesses separate.
[33:30] Matthew’s take on building a successful ecommerce brand.
[39:30] Products that Pela is rolling out in the next 60 days and how they launch.
[46:15] Using innovative and sustainable materials.
[50:30] Matthew talks about the decision to bring on an outside CEO.
[52:45] Dealing with challenges in the business.
[55:30] Apps that Matthew and his team use.
[1:03:30] Growing pains in the ecommerce industry.
[1:07:50] Matthew talks about email notifications and conversion rates.
[1:10:00] Why reviews are so important.
[1:16:00] Matthew shares some bumps along the way and building a healthy culture.
[1:20:30] A proud moment in business.

In this episode…

What does it look like to lead the way in eliminating waste from consumer products? Why would a business create a goal so large and seemingly impossible? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from entrepreneur and innovator Matthew Bertulli. In his conversation with Jeremy, Matthew opens up about starting Demac Media, how he connected with the founder of Pela, why he is so passionate about eliminating waste, his successful career in the ecommerce industry, and so much more! Don’t miss a minute of this engaging and informative episode featuring Matthew!

Can a business become profitable while focusing on eliminating waste from everyday items like cell phone cases? While it’s a noble cause and worthwhile pursuit, how could it ever become a sustainable business model? Matthew Bertulli is convinced that people will connect with the vision and goal of eliminating waste using one of the most natural methods available, their buying habits. If they can convince people who are willing to spend money on a phone case to take the time to consider what impact that purchase will have on the planet, they are confident they can win a buyer. Make sure to check out the link to Pela’s website to learn more!

When was the last time you purchased a product based on the advice of someone you know and trust? The buying habits of many people are primarily influenced by the opinions and input of their friends and family. As social media continues to expand its reach, people are turning to influencers and social media personalities when it comes to deciding which product they are going to purchase. Recognizing this trend, Matthew and his team at Pela went on the hunt for the right person and demographic to connect to their brand. Thankfully, they found a vegan influencer who got behind the product and ignited interest in Pela. What can you learn from Pela’s story?

Let’s face it, we all have to make strategic decisions when it comes to our time, resources, and energy. Leaders like Matthew Bertulli have to make those same decisions but on an amplified scale. After successfully running Demac Media, Matthew jumped at the opportunity to take a product like Pela Cases to the marketplace. Rather than folding Pela into Demac Media, Matthew made the strategic decision to keep the two organizations separate so they could plot their paths and profitability. While the decision wasn’t an easy one to make, looking back, Matthew is satisfied that it was the right call, putting both businesses in the best position for long-term success.

Have you ever had a moment when you took the time to reflect on your career and realized that every step of the way prepared you for your current role? Matthew Bertulli had no idea when he was younger that he would end up leading two thriving businesses, but looking back some influences led him to where he is now. Growing up in an entrepreneurial environment enabled Matthew to consider starting a business as a viable career option. This upbringing also gave him a creative edge opening up opportunities that most people would have never found.

Resources Mentioned on this episode

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