Max Rhodes’ Post

Today we announced an exciting transition for our core team. Lauren Cooks Levitan will step into a new role as President and Jason Lee will become our new CFO. This is great news for both our team and our customers. Lauren's deep industry knowledge and strategic vision will help us advance our mission and create more value for our community. Jason brings a wealth of financial expertise and a genuine passion for supporting local businesses, making him the perfect fit for this role. Lauren and Jason have been instrumental in bringing Faire to where we are today. We are so grateful for their continued leadership as we empower entrepreneurs around the world. Congrats Lauren and Jason!

Independent retailers are more in demand than ever – not only are they incredibly resilient, but we’ve seen how durable the consumer demand is for their unique perspectives and the character they bring to local communities. Read more from U.S. Chamber of Commerce about recent research we conducted revealing Americans will spend more this year to support their local Main Street businesses. https://lnkd.in/gSVF8e3y

We’re lucky to have Forerunner as one of our investors – their consumer research is always incredibly eye-opening and motivating for us as a business. This year’s report revealed small businesses are building consumer trust more than any other institution, including big business, education, government, and healthcare. At Faire, we’ve always believed small businesses strengthen the vibrancy and character of local communities around the world. Our work to ensure they thrive is more important than ever before. https://lnkd.in/dD-BQhE2

I’m excited to share that Faire Head of Strategy & Analytics, Dan Hockenmaier, has been promoted to Chief Strategy Officer! Over the past seven years, Dan has been instrumental in guiding some of Faire’s biggest strategic decisions that have created tremendous impact for the business and our customers. I know that as CSO, Dan will continue empowering every team at Faire to make better decisions for our customers and for the future of Faire. Please join me in congratulating Dan!

At Faire we are lucky to count some of the most creative entrepreneurs in retail as customers – The Goods Mart and Kolkata Chai Co featured in this The New York Times article highlighting just how special and resilient this incredible community is. In my own backyard in San Francisco, I pay a visit every Friday morning to my favorite local coffee shop, Johnny Doughnuts. Last December during our annual Hack Week, our team decided to see just how quickly we could help get Johnny’s up and running with retail merchandise to expand their business. In less than a week’s time, Johnny’s Pacific Heights location was retail-ready, with a curated assortment of products their loyal customers, like me, could browse while picking up their morning treat. This was such a fun partnership with Craig Blum and the Johnny’s team – thank you for exploring this new channel with us! https://lnkd.in/gxeqPdic

The start of the year always presents us with a meaningful opportunity to reflect – both professionally and personally – on what we’ve accomplished, learned, and what we hope to achieve in the year ahead. At Faire, we took a look back at some of the most exciting updates we brought to brands in 2023. In 2024, we’ll continue making daily site improvements, build tools that boost brand visibility, and grow the number of retailers that shop on Faire to make running a wholesale business easier and more seamless than ever. To all our customers – thank you for your partnership, together we look forward to making 2024 our best yet. https://lnkd.in/gvSGg4S8

One of the greatest joys of working at Faire is hearing first-hand the impact we’re able to have on the lives of small business owners. Seeing the heartwarming reaction of two entrepreneurs, on opposite ends of the world, meeting for the first time after years of doing business together is the reason we’re so passionate about our mission at Faire. Wishing all the brands and retailers on Faire a wonderful holiday season and looking forward to finding new ways to support this incredible community in the new year.

Thank you Kirsten Green for lending your insights and expertise on this topic. While it’s not surprising in-store shopping is on the rise for Gen Z consumers given its ability to create meaningful social connection, it’s an important reminder for retailers everywhere this holiday shopping season.  Read on for more insights from our latest research report developed in collaboration with our partners at Forerunner.

Earlier this week, we announced a global partnership with Shopify, a world-class leader in retail and commerce. As our largest partnership to date, this is a big moment for Faire. More importantly, it’s an exciting step forward for our small business community and indicates the massive opportunity that still lies ahead for independent retail. I'm proud of our team who continue to build products that live up to our mission and excited to continue finding new and innovative ways to serve our inspiring community. Learn more about the partnership on Faire's Newsroom. https://lnkd.in/gE9ab2gg