Empowering Creativity and Collaboration | Ali Ghasssemi from Weaver & Loom

Ernesto Quezada: Welcome to Pathmonk Presents, the place where business owners and marketers share their insights on digital growth. In every episode, we discuss real strategies, why they worked, and also why they didn’t, getting insights from real experiences to save yourself a whole lot of time and money. Let’s get to it right now.

Before we get started with today’s episode, let’s have a quick look at what Pathmonk is all about. If you are winning leads, demos, or sales through your website, then Pathmonk might be interesting for you. Pathmonk is an extension to your website. It watches each visitor as they’re moving through your page and builds up their interest in your product or service in real-time to deliver a great uplift in conversions from your website. Usually, the buying journey can be divided into two stages: awareness, consideration, and decision-making. Pathmonk figures out in which stage a given visitor is by watching every action they do on the website and provides them with micro experiences such as notifications, case studies, and introduction videos, helping them to move to the next stage in the buying journey towards a conversion.

Welcome to today’s episode. Let’s talk about today’s guest. I have Ali from Weaver and Loom, founder and CEO. How are you doing today, Ali?

Ali Ghassemi: I’m great. Thank you for having me.

Ernesto: It’s great to have you on, and I’m sure our listeners are tuning in, wondering what Weaver and Loom is all about. So, let’s kick it off with that, Ali. In your own words, can you tell us a little bit more?

Ali: Absolutely. We are reimagining the future of design, starting with the $75 billion rug industry. We’ve created the first-ever digital platform that connects designers directly with artisans, eliminating over 12 layers of middlemen. This makes the design and production process faster, less expensive, and exponentially more ethical.

Ernesto: And I definitely think that the area was looking for something like that. So, in that way, our listeners could get a good understanding of Weaver and Loom. Would that be the primary key problem that you like to solve, or are there any other issues that you like to resolve for clients?

Ali: Well, at its core, our platform processes complicated orders in a scalable manner. We are currently tackling this particular sector, which is an old industry, untouched by software. We feel that if we can solve this major issue, which is leading to the death of a centuries-old industry, it can be adopted and utilized not only across the design world but for all cottage industries on the production side.

Ernesto: Definitely. So, is there a vertical or an ideal ICP for you guys?

Ali: It’s challenging on that side. You could think of it as a supply chain on steroids, with complicated, sophisticated orders and production on the back end. Essentially, it’s creating access for key stakeholders, including creatives and production artisans. It’s a simple way for people in the West to connect with those in the East through the power of software, disrupting an old industry.

Ernesto: And how would someone usually find out about Weaver and Loom? Is there a top client acquisition channel for you guys?

Ali: Our social media has been a great vehicle for education. Our users need to learn about us and know that this is viable and possible. Other than our social media, our website is crucial. We rely on targeted reach-outs for our first set of users. It’s a very niche market, so it’s pretty simple for us to reach out to that group. But Instagram has been the number one place for our audience.

Ernesto: Perfect. For our listeners who want to visit, you can always go to weaverandloom.com. What role does the website play for new potential clients?

Ali: The website is used to cement what we’re already putting out. It’s not our first point of contact but serves as a place for someone who has heard about us to understand what we do in depth. We use the website mainly for education. We’ve recently added a blog to provide further in-depth knowledge for our clientele.

Ernesto: Great. Is there any tool, tip, or method you would recommend for website lead generation?

Ali: We’re in the early stage of our go-to-market strategy, but unique content has been key. Our social media channels like LinkedIn and Instagram provide teasers, and our website and blog provide in-depth information. This strategy has worked well for us.

Ernesto: Let’s switch gears a little bit, Ali, and talk about you as a leader. You are the founder and CEO of Weaver and Loom. What are some key tasks you focus on in your day-to-day work?

Ali: Like any founder, every day is completely different. I’m blessed with an amazing team. My major task day-to-day is not to get in the way. I make sure the team and machine run efficiently and that I’m not the bottleneck. I focus on ensuring that knowledge and information flow smoothly so that the experts on my team can excel in their roles.

Ernesto: How do you stay up to date with all the new tools and marketing strategies?

Ali: That has been the biggest learning curve for me. Tools like HubSpot and Apollo have been amazing for us. We rely on the expertise of our team and quickly pivot off tools that don’t work for us. The key is having team members who are experienced and plugged into the latest advancements.

Ernesto: Thanks for sharing that, Ali. Let’s move to our rapid-fire question round. Are you ready?

Ali: Sure.

Ernesto: First off, what is the last book that you read?

Ali: I don’t read many paperback books these days. Most things come through audio. A couple of books I go back to often are “Tools of Titans” by Tim Ferriss and “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho. “The Alchemist” is a story of a journey and adventure into the unknown, which resonates with me as an entrepreneur.

Ernesto: Great reads. If there were no boundaries in technology, what would be the one thing you want to have fixed for your role as a marketer today?

Ali: Anything touching admin tasks to be more automated. We’re already bringing in tools to help, but simplifying admin work would be a huge relief.

Ernesto: If there’s one repetitive task you could automate, what would that be?

Ali: Accounting. Technology has already solved this to some extent, but further automation of accounting would allow us to focus more on building our business.

Ernesto: Lastly, what is one piece of advice you would give yourself if you were to restart your journey as a marketer today?

Ali: Don’t focus so much on perfection. Things move so fast; iterate quickly. Also, stick to your gut. There’s so much information, but trust your instincts—they got you here and will guide you through the next steps.

Ernesto: Great advice. Before we end, what is one thing you want listeners to remember about your company?

Ali: We’re set out to change the way orders are processed and how humans connect with one another. We want to empower individuals through software to excel in their respective fields.

Ernesto: You heard it here. You can visit them at weaverandloom.com. Ali, thank you so much for being with us today. To our listeners, thank you for tuning in. Looking forward to our next episode at Pathmonk Presents.

Ali: Thank you so much, Ernesto. Have a great day.