EXEC Has All The Deals with Scott Paniewaz.

Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge: A Comprehensive Guide to Exec’s Premium Benefits

Welcome to Gaining the Technology Leadership Edge, a podcast that explores the latest trends, strategies, and insights in the technology leadership world, from emerging technologies to digital transformation and beyond. In this episode, we have Scott Paniewaz, the founder of Exec, a company that provides over 400 travel, hotel, business, and lifestyle benefits to executives and small to mid-sized companies. Scott shares his journey in the travel and deals space, including his experience founding the largest college daily deal site, Campus Dibs. He also discusses the challenges of new user acquisition and the future goals of Exec.

The Power of Premium Benefits

Exec is a platform that offers a wide range of premium benefits to executives and companies. Scott explains, “We support our users with over 400 travel, hotel, business, and lifestyle benefits. We provide elite status upgrades with hotels, discounted pricing, and value-added amenities. Our goal is to cater to the executive lifestyle and make their day-to-day activities more convenient and enjoyable.”

The benefits offered by Exec are designed to enhance the travel experience of executives. Scott highlights, “We partner with top hotels such as Rosewood Hotels, W Hotels, and St. Regis, offering our members three-star prices for five-star properties. We also provide access to airlines like United Airlines, where members can enjoy corporate preferred benefits, including upgrades and priority rebooking.”

In addition to travel benefits, Exec offers lifestyle perks that cater to the needs of executives. Scott mentions, “We partner with retail brands like Salvatore Ferragamo and Nespresso, providing discounts and exclusive offers. We also offer experiences and bucket list items to make our members’ lives more exciting and fulfilling.”

The Journey of Campus Dibs

Before founding Exec, Scott had a successful entrepreneurial journey with Campus Dibs, the largest college daily deal site. He shares the story behind Campus Dibs, saying, “We originally had the idea to replace brochure kiosks in hotels with travel deals on iPads. However, my co-founder saw the potential in the daily deal space and suggested we focus on college campuses.”

Campus Dibs started with a small network of Ivy League campuses and quickly expanded to hundreds of campuses nationwide. Scott explains, “We negotiated daily deals with local businesses and attracted national brands looking to reach the college demographic. Our platform became a network phenomenon, but we faced challenges due to the consolidation in the daily deal space.”

Despite the challenges, Campus Dibs had a successful run and taught Scott valuable lessons in entrepreneurship and user acquisition. He reflects, “The biggest challenge in my career has always been new user acquisition, especially in the early stages of a company. However, each experience has taught me valuable lessons and helped me grow as an entrepreneur.”

The Challenges of New User Acquisition

Scott emphasizes the difficulties of acquiring new users, stating, “New user acquisition has always been more challenging than I anticipated. Educating the market and building demand for a new product or service is a constant challenge, especially in the early stages of a company.”

He further explains, “The key to overcoming this challenge is to find innovative ways to educate and attract users. In the case of Campus Dibs, we partnered with the Yale Daily News and a local pizza place to create a campaign that offered free pizza slices to college students. This not only attracted users but also built trust and credibility within the local business community.”

Scott’s experience highlights the importance of finding unique strategies to acquire new users and build trust in the market. It requires creativity, persistence, and a deep understanding of the target audience.

The Future of Exec

Looking ahead, Scott envisions Exec becoming the go-to platform for companies seeking elevated perks programs. He states, “Our goal is to be the household name for companies looking to provide premium benefits to their executives. We want to offer a level of perks and benefits that goes beyond the basic offerings of traditional HR providers.”

Scott also sees potential in partnering with professional organizations and clubs. He explains, “We aim to power benefits programs for professional organizations and private clubs, catering to their members’ needs and enhancing their overall experience. By becoming the preferred provider for these organizations, we can expand our reach and impact.”

In conclusion, Exec is revolutionizing the way executives and companies access premium benefits. With a focus on travel, hotel, business, and lifestyle perks, Exec aims to enhance the executive lifestyle and provide a seamless experience. Scott’s entrepreneurial journey and insights into user acquisition challenges offer valuable lessons for aspiring tech leaders. As Exec continues to grow and expand its offerings, it is poised to become a leader in the industry, providing executives with the technology leadership edge they need to succeed.