Countless influencers promote different products on their social media. Everything from skincare to fashion, all the way to nutrition and health, is plastered on our Instagram feed. It is public knowledge that these influencers earn money from giving a single product the limelight. But what if there is a way where everyone can participate in promoting their favorite products?

Bonnie Takhar and Kyle Wasserman contemplated the idea of ‘influencing’ and how it affected brands. The increased dependence that people have raised towards technology made shoppers lazy, but with LetsBab, you can shop till you drop without actually leaving the comfort of your bed.

LetsBab is an app that provides the users with a platform to become influencers themselves, and therefore get paid for their recommendations. It also lets its users shop in brand stores, create OOTDs and collect rewards for participation.

If you want to read more about the first-ever digital mall, LetsBab, read down below.

Raising a ‘Fashionista’

Originally a Bombay native, Bonnie would travel all around the globe looking for a home. Bonnie spent most of her early years being a typical girly girl. Her favorite hobbies were dressing up and performing in front of an audience. Her family couldn’t afford the fanciest of clothing, but her mother and grandmother sewed dresses in vibrant colors for Bonnie to wear with a smile on her face. Because she and her family moved around so much, Bonnie did not have many friends. Most of her friends were temporary and only her family was always beside her. Bonnie and her family moved from New York to Los Angeles, to Bombay, and Singapore. Roaming around the world in harsh conditions made Bonnie come face to face with the harshness of reality at a very young age. The adversity of feeling like a nomad led Bonnie to promise herself that she won’t continue her family’s nomadic tradition.

When finally settling in London, Bonnie took on fashion. She admired the pretty British ladies, wearing their fancy hats and puffy dresses, and wished that she too could implement her own idea of style. Bonnie began to draw the people that she saw on the streets, and put a strong emphasis on their outfits. This is where her talent for fashion design began. After her parents took a look at her work, they encouraged her to pursue a career in fashion.

Kyle Wasserman was born In San Francisco, and was a wunderkind since birth. Growing up as a millennial, Kyle was a shy kid. His parents were kind of convinced that there was nothing more to Kyle than his computer. They said that Kyle got completely starry-eyed when he got his first-ever giant computer. He would learn all the commands with ease and surpass his parents’ tech abilities. His ingenuity continued to grow when he furthered his education at California Polytechnic State University, earning himself a BS in Financial Management. This marked the beginning for Kyle, as he continued to venture onto Cambridge University.

At Cambridge, Kyle felt like he could finally be himself and talk about the things that truly captured his interest. The digital era, the evolution of technology, business development, and eCommerce were only some of the realms of interest for Kyle. Guided by the idea of the future in e-businesses, Kyle applied for a job at Apple. Young Kyle would spend 4 years at Apple, working as a financial analyst, all in favor of furthering his knowledge for a career with his startup.

Kickstarting Season

Because of the impoverished life she led from such an early age, Bonnie vowed to turn things around and make a better life for herself. That notion is what drove Bonnie to always work harder. In 1994, Bonnie began her career in fashion by becoming the Sales and Merchandising Officer at Donna Karan. This is where Bonnie would gather her initial understandings of the fashion world.

Bonnie’s newfound joy did not stop there, as in 1999 she became the president of one of the first-ever denim businesses- Earl Jeans. Bonnie was elected president after the company was acquired by Nautica Enterprises. Thanks to her innovation and experience, the brand spread to Japan, Europe, and the US.

Her success began growing, as the following year she became Chief Commercial & Merchandising Officer at one of the most popular clothing brands in the world, Jimmy Choo. The little girl inside Bonnie finally got her to wish to stand hand in hand with the biggest names in the fashion industry. The business strategies acquired thanks to her professional engagement while working at Jimmy Choo gave Bonnie the nudge she needed to independently begin her startup story.

Open Season

On one hand, although Bonnie did manage to make a name for herself in the fashion industry, she still felt that she could make an even greater change. The fashion industry needed a second makeover, one that will make the shopping process much easier. On the other hand, however, Kyle garnered tips and tricks of running startups, as he launched digital consumer businesses for two startups at Founder Fellow.

With one being a high-fashion glamor module, and the other an i-tech company, startup strategists Bonnie and Kyle were a match made in heaven. These two met at a mutual friends’ exclusive party, where they shared ideas. Bonnie was desperately trying to break free into the world of e-commerce, and Kyle shared his view of venturing into yet another startup business. Both agreed that the overcoming of technology is inevitable, and the future of a successful business lies in the field of e-Commerce. With this in mind, Bonnie and Kyle joined forces to launch their new startup- LetsBab, in 2018. LetsBab is a revolutionary platform in so many ways at once: it is the first-ever digital mall, everyone can get paid for a promotion made, and everyone is rewarded for spreading the word.

The Future is Digital Consumers

Bonnie and Kyle had invested an initial $600k in LetsBab and later managed to raise an additional $1.1 million from an American seed investor.

The brains behind LetsBab built the perfect fashion center for the common man. LetsBab is the ultimate fashion companion of the modern digital user. If a man or a woman needs anything, they can surely find it on LetsBab. The ‘online mall’ includes all the major brands, so shoppers can enjoy a stress-free shopping experience while browsing every shop that comes to their minds, leaving the hustle and bustle behind.

LetsBab also allows buyers to get an advertisement deal with a brand, and all they need to do is be themselves while promoting a certain product. LetsBab is focused on the more fresh and young faces, especially millennials and generation Z youths who are more technology-oriented. By having users play the role of influencers, LetsBab helps them build confidence and raise their following. LetsBab encourages its users to share their outfits and ideas, thus earning rewards in return.

The Ups and Down

Like many companies emerging in uncharted waters, Bonnie’s LetsBab encountered its fair share of traps. Even though digitalization has been around for ages, more people still don’t take online shopping seriously. The lack of trust that users had for the app was ever more present, and many existing users stopped using it altogether. All of this because average users preferred the physical touch, rather than the online alternative.

Perseverance, patience, and nerves of steel were the traits that made Bonnie and Kyle see LetsBab through, in the world of online shopping. With time, more users spotted incredible offers at LetsBab so the word spread quickly. Fashion brands also warmed up to the idea of a digital mall, after witnessing a rise in revenue because of the recommendations on LetsBab. Giant names like ASOS, John Lewis, H&M, Urban Outfitters, Glossier, and other brands made deals with LetsBab, which meant an enormous following for the company. Brands have seen a rise up to 12% in their sales, thanks to LetsBab.

LetsBab hit another milestone when Google named it as one of the top 20 European Startups.

LetsBab Today

Today, LetsBab has over 1 million users.

LetsBab holds its headquarters in London, UK, and is now the official app partner of London Fashion Week. Now, LetsBab offers employment for more than ten people.

Bonnie and Kyle strived to always be open to noble causes, and that's why LetsBab partners up with 16 charities, including Cancer Research. The duo wanted to create a social, e-commerce platform where people can simultaneously shop and share their own creative outfit ideas. A platform that is open to all profiles, and one that rewards its users for their recommendations and participants for purchasing. As the worldwide online business grew in size and popularity, it also meant more digital traffic. While major brands were head over heels for celebrities and well-known influencers, LetsBab opened a huge door for the common people to take on the role of being a focal point. So, let’s all get babbin’ on LetsBab!