Creating Moments that Matter

By Greg Segall on April 8, 2021

When I first started Alyce, I had one goal in mind: to build a company that mattered. 

Back then as a new father, I recognized there was an opportunity in front of me. I had two choices: I could build a company that focused purely on profits and gross margins or I could build something that made the world a better place for my daughter to grow up in. Meaning, a company that prioritized people over profit, the environment over waste, and authenticity over genericness. Starting Alyce based on the latter inherently has become the accelerant for profits and gross margin.

Fast forward five years later and our core value to “Give First, and Give Consistently” is now our guiding principle. Through hundreds of thousands of gifts, over $300,000 in donations, and countless personal connections, our journey to create meaningful interactions through gifting has been remarkable. 

And humbling. 

We’ve partnered with some of the world’s best marketers and sellers and the transformation and change we’ve introduced into the market is thrilling. Together, we’ve reduced the environmental impact of unwanted and wasted gifts and swag, pioneered what it means to create meaningful Personal Experiences with your prospects, customers, and partners, and prioritized people over personas. It’s been remarkable and I am so proud for the journey yet to come.

Today, I’m thrilled to share the news that Alyce has closed a $30 million Series B funding round. But, as I’ve repeated internally — we aren’t here to glorify the money, but instead, celebrate the amazing opportunity we have together to accomplish our vision and create an ever-growing impact in the world.

Personal is Always Better

Coming out of one of the most challenging years for marketers and sellers, last year many folks have come to realize that personal is here to stay. The explosion of marketing and sales automation coupled with a focus on digital connections led to all of us becoming inundated with automated outreach, generic offerings, and simply put: a bunch of unwanted digital noise. As everyone is continuously flooded with spam, unsubscribes are soaring. When someone unsubscribes or opts out, that’s forever. And businesses today can’t afford to lose touch with their contacts forever.

It’s clear that both brands and customers crave the same thing – a much more purposeful and relatable way to engage. We’ve designed the Alyce platform to put the relationship at the center of every interaction by creating moments that matter rather than impersonal, generic ‘touches’. 

Building Personal Experiences are more respectful and sustainable. Your investments in elevated experience won’t end up in a landfill or at the bottom of a closet. As brands look for meaningful ways to connect with prospects, customers, or employees, and partners, gift recipients greatly prefer being given choice. Combine the Power of Choice with the best possible gifting experience for senders and recipients – now that is a company and a mission that matters. 

Thank You Just Isn’t Enough

It’s hard to convey what this achievement means through only 8 letters in the phrase “thank you,” but I’ll try.

To our customers, thank you. With all of the exciting adventures we’ve had over these last five years, we would not be where we are without you. Thank you for helping us refine our product, introduce innovative applications of our experience, and for trusting us to put personal at the forefront of their businesses. 

To our employees, thank you. Whether you have been here since day one or have only been here for one day, you’ve made a deep impact that’s helped us achieve this milestone. Thank you for all of the late nights, early mornings. For the happiness and the laughter. For the tough problems and your brilliant solutions. For your drive and determination.

Above all else, thank you for being you. Without each and every one of your unique contributions, this company would not be where it is today. Your passion is what inspires me. From the bottom of my heart: thank you.

My Commitment to the Future

As founder and CEO, I believe Alyce will continue to play a vital role in the transformation of marketing and selling. Because of this, I am committing to the following:

• Give First, Give Consistently: This has been my commitment from day one. It’s guided us well thus far, no sense in changing that now. As we scale our product, our team, and our services, my commitment to you is that Alyce will always prioritize meaningful ways to give back to our community, our people, and our customers. 

We will continue to reduce the environmental impact of swag, corporate gifting, and direct mail. We will continue to expand our donation offerings, finding new ways to enable you to pay it forward. We will continue to build product that allows you to give to others, no matter the occasion and no matter the location.

• Meaningful Moments, Powered By Data, At Scale: As our product continues to evolve to expand our offerings, service more customers, and gift in new ways, my commitment to you is to build a platform that allows for creating meaningful moments, powered by data, all while solving for the imperative enterprise need – scale.
  

• Culture that Fosters Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity: Alyce is fortunate to have received many accolades over the years for our company culture. With recognition by Forbes as “Best Company Workplace Culture” in 2021 and just yesterday voted Comparably’s “Best Places to Work in Boston,” we are clearly passionate about building a culture that inspires and motivates our employees.

Our organization took a hard look at itself last year and recognized we have a responsibility to build and retain a team that represents the diversity of thought, experience, and mindset we see in our customer base. Because of this, my commitment is to continue to find new ways to introduce inclusivity throughout our organization and provide equitable opportunities for our employees and the customers we serve. 

It’s with great pride and honor that I get to lead a company that matters so much to so many. While we are incredibly proud of our achievements thus far, it’s the opportunity ahead that makes me beyond excited for what is still yet to come.

Let’s rock, together. 

Greg