Ross Correia is the Co-founder and CEO of Reactiv, an AI-powered mobile commerce platform. Under his leadership, Reactiv has raised significant seed funding and forged partnerships with major retail brands. Before Reactiv, Ross held sales and leadership roles at companies, including Shopify. He has also been named to Forbes' 30 Under 30 list for retail and e-commerce.

Most e-commerce brands believe they own their customers — until ad costs spike, algorithms shift, or attribution breaks overnight. When growth depends on rented attention, even healthy revenue can hide fragile foundations. What allows brands to build durable growth and real customer relationships in an increasingly noisy digital world?

Mobile app builder Ross Correia maintains that the strongest brands focus on ownership over optimization — prioritizing direct relationships, reducing friction at every touchpoint, and meeting customers where and when they're most receptive. Brands should stop over-optimizing short-term metrics, design experiences that feel native to how people use their phones, personalize outreach thoughtfully, and choose long-term trust over quick wins. The result is sustainable growth rooted in loyalty, not volatility.

In this episode of the Up Arrow Podcast, William Harris talks with Ross Correia, Co-founder and CEO of Reactiv, about building owned customer channels in e-commerce. Ross explains why paid ads create hidden risk, how mobile-first experiences increase retention, and what it takes to build a company — and culture — by choosing the difficult but durable path.

Mikel Lindsaar is the Founder and CEO of StoreConnect, a customer commerce platform that helps businesses unify e-commerce sales, services, and systems. As a seasoned technology entrepreneur, he founded multiple software companies, including Exec IO and reinteractive, and exited several SaaS ventures.

Growth doesn't just stall when the business is underwater; it stalls when everything appears to be working, yet decisions slow, complexity piles up, and momentum fades. Leaders often feel the weight before they can recognize the cause, sensing friction in meetings, handoffs, and execution. What causes companies to break, and how can founders remove barriers before they compound?

According to seasoned technology entrepreneur Mikel Lindsaar, the root issue is decision-friction, and he argues that leaders must design organizations to move decisions faster, not upward. He emphasizes replacing "maybe" with clear yes-or-no frameworks, pushing ownership closer to the work, and using simple metrics to reveal problems early. Leaders can also turn repeated questions into written guidance and coach teams to present solutions rather than just problems. These practices create speed, trust, and resilience at scale.

In this episode of the Up Arrow Podcast, William Harris chats with Mikel Lindsaar, Founder and CEO of StoreConnect, about designing organizations that scale through clarity and speed. Mikel explains why indecision kills momentum, how policies and metrics empower teams, and what founders must do personally to sustain long-term leadership effectiveness.

Jason Anderson is the COO of Andzen, a global customer journey and AI-powered CRM agency. In his role, he oversees operational execution and helps drive the agency's growth and client success across email, SMS, and loyalty programs. Jason has over a decade of experience in the e-commerce lifecycle and CRM marketing.

Scaling an e-commerce business can feel like combining tactics without experiencing momentum. Brands add more channels, push more messages, and chase efficiency metrics, yet retention stalls and growth plateaus. What separates brands that break through from those that remain stuck?

According to e-commerce retention expert and CRM strategist Jason Anderson, the difference lies in designing intentional customer journeys. He emphasizes valuing your work, attracting ideal customers — not just the least expensive ones — and building systems that drive repeat purchases. Additionally, brands should segment customers by intent and engagement, integrate their tech stacks to uncover meaningful data, and use loyalty programs to reward behavior.

In this episode of the Up Arrow Podcast, William Harris sits down with Jason Anderson, COO of Andzen, to discuss how intentional customer journeys fuel e-commerce growth. Jason shares lessons from Andzen's near-failure, smarter segmentation and reengagement strategies, and how loyalty programs can increase lifetime value without eroding margins.