Q 1. Kindly give our readers an introduction to your business. Please include what your business is all about, in which city you are located and if you have offices in multiple locations/ cities.
Ans: Mailivery is an automated email warmup tool that helps businesses improve their email deliverability. By gradually increasing the volume of emails sent and engaging with recipient inboxes, we ensure that our clients’ emails land in the inbox rather than the spam folder. We are based in Chicago, Illinois, but our services cater to businesses globally, ensuring that emails reach their intended recipients effectively.
Q 2. Kindly give us a brief description about yourself (it should include your brief educational or entrepreneurial background and list some of your major achievements).
Ans: My name is Malik Shamsuddin, and I am the co-founder and CEO of Mailivery, a leading automated email warmup tool. I hold an MBA with a specialization in marketing from Keller Graduate School of Management. My entrepreneurial journey began at 16 in my parents’ basement, where I started my first business. Over the years, I have launched over 13 successful brands and helped numerous businesses enhance their email deliverability and achieve significant growth. My passion for solving problems and driving innovation has been the cornerstone of my success.
Q 3. What inspired you to (start a new business venture) or (to make significant changes in an existing business)? How did the idea for your business come about?
Ans: Mailivery isn’t a tool we built from scratch, but rather acquired. Having been deeply involved in the cold email ecosystem for over 15 years, transitioning to Mailivery felt like a natural progression. Initially, we partnered with Mailivery to enhance our own cold email marketing solution. However, recognizing its potential and alignment with our service offerings, we eventually decided to purchase the software from its original owners. We saw tremendous future potential in integrating Mailivery into our portfolio.
Q 4. What three pieces of advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs?
Ans: 1. Embrace Adaptability: The market is always changing, and your business needs to adapt to stay relevant. Be open to change and ready to pivot when necessary.
- Build a Strong Network: Surround yourself with mentors, advisors, and like-minded entrepreneurs. A strong network can provide valuable support and insights.
- Focus on Value: Always strive to deliver value to your customers. Understanding and addressing their needs will drive your business’s success and growth.
Q 5.What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
Ans:1. Passion: Passion drives motivation and helps you stay focused on your goals, even during challenging times.
- Risk Management: Being able to assess and manage risks is crucial for navigating the uncertainties of entrepreneurship.
- Innovation: The ability to innovate and continuously improve your offerings is key to staying ahead in the market.
Q 6. How many hours do you work a day on average?
Ans: Since Mailivery is still in it’s early stages, I end up putting over 80% of my time to this venture, which can be 10+ hours some days.
Q 7. To what do you most attribute your success?
Ans: I attribute my success to determination, resilience, and a relentless drive to innovate. Real-life experience teaches lessons that formal education cannot. It’s about having the courage to take risks and the persistence to keep pushing forward, even after setbacks. This combination of drive and adaptability has been crucial to my entrepreneurial journey.
Q 8. How do you go about marketing your business? What has been your most successful form of marketing?
Ans: For Mailivery, our most successful marketing strategy has been leveraging various online platforms, including Google Ads, Facebook Ads, LinkedIn, and content marketing. We also focus on SEO to ensure our target audience can easily find us. Cold emailing remains an effective method for reaching potential clients and demonstrating the value of our email warmup tool.
Q 9. Where did your organizations funding/capital come from and how did you go about getting it? How did you obtain investors for your venture?
Ans: Mailivery was entirely bootstrapped by my co-founder Jonathan and me. We did not seek any outside investors or external funding. This self-funded approach allowed us to maintain complete control over our business and grow it according to our vision and values.
Q 10. What is the best way to achieve long-term success?
Ans: The best way to achieve long-term success is to maintain a relentless focus on the customer. Always start with the customer and work backwards. Innovate constantly and be willing to experiment, knowing that failure is an integral part of the process.
Q 11. Where you see yourself and your business in 5 – 10 years?
Ans: In 5-10 years, I see Mailivery becoming a complete deliverability and inbox placement tool. Our goal is to be the go-to platform for businesses looking to improve their email deliverability. We aim to continuously evolve and adapt to market changes, ensuring we remain at the forefront of the industry.
Q 12. Excluding yours, what company or business do you admire the most?
Ans: I have great respect for Zappos. Their commitment to exceptional customer service has set a new benchmark in the retail industry. Zappos focuses on creating a delightful customer experience, from the ease of purchasing to their hassle-free return policy. Their strong company culture and emphasis on employee satisfaction have been pivotal in driving their success and building a loyal customer base.
Company Detail:
Company : Mailivery
Address : 2206 n main street suite 183
City : Wheaton
State : IL
Zip : 60187
Phone : 312-834-7726
Email : accounts@mailivery.io