Clowns, Sharks and eCommerce: The Party People Story | #216

In this episode of Add To Cart, we are joined by Dean Salakas, CEO and Chief Party Dude at The Party People. Going online in 1999, Dean and his brother are leaders in the party space with a physical store and over 30 team members. Dean is and has been a figurehead in the Australian eCommerce industry for many years and it was a delight to have him finally join us on Add To Cart. We actually lined up this chat while on the dance floor at the Online Retail Awards.  But despite knowing Dean for some time, I always pick up something new every time we talk. In this conversation, we cover why he thinks marketplaces are the today opportunity for many retailers, how his approach to acquiring customers via search has changed over the years and we go behind the scenes on what really happened when he pitched The Party People on Shark Tank back in 2015! And if you need anything else, Dean gives his tips for the hottest Halloween costumes this year. Links from the episode:The Party PeopleAmazonBarbeques GaloreHarvey NormanAfterpay ZipPayShark TankPackleo (sponsored)Shopify Plus and Mr Roses (sponsored)Questions answered:How did The Party People navigate the pandemic?Where do you see the real value in marketplaces?How do you predict upcoming trends in events and celebrations?This episode was brought to you by…  PackleoShopify PlusAbout your co-host: Dean Salakas from The Party PeopleIn 2007 Dean and his brother took over the family business.  Today they have over 40 employees, operate the market leader for party supplies online and also have two bricks and mortar stores, one of which is Australia’s largest.  For the last two years, Dean has been named in the Internet Retailing Top 50 People in eCommerce and the Australian Retail Association Retail Leader of The YearYou can contact Dean at LinkedInPlease contact us if you: Want to come on board as an Add To Cart sponsor Are interested in joining Add To Cart as a co-host Have any feedback or suggestions on how to make Add To Cart betterEmail [email protected] We look forward to hearing from you!Thanks to our sponsors, Shopify and Subscribe to the Add To Cart newsletter  SMS us to Suggest a Guest Connect with Nathan Bush Join the Add To Cart Community