Interview with Jesse van der Pluijm Co-Founder of WeTicket
Welcome to the latest edition of the founder spotlight interview with Jesse van der Pluijm, co-founder of WeTicket. Jesse and co-founder Nando Bennis were inspired to start WeTicket due to their experiences as event organizers. WeTicket was born out of a desire to challenge the “ticketing mafia” and promote transparency and fairness in the industry, ensuring that all stakeholders are treated justly. They aimed to significantly reduce service fees, charging only €0.18 per ticket, about one-third of what competitors typically charge. This approach allows event organizers to retain more earnings, benefiting artists and attendees.
Let’s hear the story of the WeTicket from Jessie.
What inspired you to start WeTicket, and what was the company’s initial vision?
WeTicket originated from a group of progressive organizers who were unsatisfied with existing ticketing solutions. Through collaboration, we’ve successfully developed smarter tools and reduced costs. Now, we are making these advantages accessible to everyone.
Can you share the story behind the name “WeTicket”?
The name “WeTicket” embodies the essence of our mission – collaboration and community. The “We” in WeTicket signifies our commitment to working together with event organizers, promoters, and attendees to create seamless and memorable event experiences. It’s about building a platform that everyone can benefit from, ensuring that ticketing is no longer a hassle but a smooth, enjoyable part of the event planning and attendance process.
How does WeTicket differentiate itself from other ticketing systems on the market?
The price-quality ratio of ticketing systems is out of balance. It’s no exception for organizers to pay up to 10% of their hard earned revenue to a ticketing provider. In most cases the service provided is disappointing. This limits organizers from staying within budget and to create the best experience for visitors. We are here to change the industry with groundbreaking low costs, making professional ticketing services accessible to events of all sizes.
What are the core features of WeTicket that make it smarter and more intuitive for event organizers?
WeTicket offers a delightful array of features that make it a breeze for event organizers to use. Our user-friendly interface ensures that managing tickets is as easy as pie. With our point of sale (POS) system, you can effortlessly sell tickets at your counter and get rich insights by merging online and offline sales data. Need a helping hand? Our premium support offers expert advice to elevate your strategy. And for that personal touch, our customizable white label platform lets you create a branded ticket shop with modular elements, making your event shine!
Can you explain the benefits of WeTicket’s marketing tool?
WeTicket’s marketing tool is a game-changer for event organizers, packed with advanced analytics that offer deep insights into attendee behavior and event performance. It’s delightfully connectable, allowing seamless integration with other marketing tools via our API. Kickstart your campaigns with discount codes, and track conversions using Google Analytics and FB Pixel integrations.
What challenges did you face while developing WeTicket, and how did you overcome them?
Developing WeTicket came with its fair share of challenges, particularly our commitment to low prices, which necessitated a high volume of sales for sustainable revenue. Being a bootstrapped company, we had to be especially resourceful and innovative. In the early days, we pushed forward with a small team while keeping costs extremely low.
Congrats on the Funding; what are the next steps regarding cap table management with the recent funding?
With the recent funding, we’re excited to manage our cap table strategically to support our international growth, expand our marketing efforts, and optimize the platform. These steps will ensure that event organizers worldwide can benefit even more from WeTicket’s innovative features and user-friendly interface.
Can you share any upcoming features or developments that WeTicket users can look forward to?
We’re introducing tap-to-pay for event organizers, making offline payments a breeze. Additionally, we’ll be enhancing our platform with more integrations and improved open APIs, ensuring seamless connectivity with other tools. We’re also adding CRM functionality, enabling organizers to manage relationships and interactions with attendees more effectively.
What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs?
Enjoy the bootstrapping journey! Those first three years at WeTicket, even though we’re thrilled with our recent investment, were priceless. Needing to make money from day one kept us laser-focused on creating tools people actually needed and were happy to pay for. This approach not only helped us build a product that truly solves problems but also laid a rock-solid foundation for future growth and investment.