Persistence, adaptability, and customer-centricity are at the heart of success—that’s an unwritten rule in the world of business. The story we’ll be sharing today is another solid proof for that. Let’s introduce you to Rytis Lauris, the CEO and co-founder of Omnisend. Heading one of the most recognized e-commerce marketing automation companies in the world, his entrepreneurial journey is awe-inspiring.
Let’s begin, shall we?
Omnisend: Getting It All Started
For Rytis Lauris, entrepreneurship started with the urge to create.
“I have always wanted to start my own business. Omnisend was my third attempt to launch a successful start-up,” Lauris says. His other early ventures included an enterprise selling postcards on environmentally friendly material with the pledge of planting a tree for every postcard sold and IQ Polls, a tool similar to today’s Slido, meant for speakers to engage audiences.
Although these ideas did not see long-term fruition, they were pretty instructive experiences. Then finally, Lauris dived into a more traditional business—a marketing agency that would afterward become Omnisend.
“It is important to say that I didn’t launch any of these businesses alone; I had partners and co-founders along the way,” he stresses, underscoring how his entrepreneurship path was not solo from the very beginning but together with a team.
Overcoming Challenges to Success
The road to building a startup is rarely smooth, and Lauris faced some huge challenges, especially with scaling Omnisend.
“With any startup, there comes a point where continued growth requires scaling, and that can be expensive,” he notes.
One such point was whether to take in outside investment.
“We were faced with this same situation, but ultimately, I knew that taking outside investment would mean I would have to report to people more interested in making a return on their investment than growing the company in a responsible and sustainable way,” he explains. Lauris’s choice to move forward with sustainable growth thus formed a pivot in how Omnisend operates.
Pivotal Achievements
Lauris looked back at several milestones that defined the success of Omnisend.
“It’s always a great feeling when your first paying customer renews. That’s hurdle number one,” he shares.
However, a big turning point came in 2017, when Omnisend went from strictly being an email provider to an omnichannel marketing platform. That shift—which added new marketing channels for customers—sent Omnisend’s reputation soaring.
Another turning point came when one of the more established competitors stopped integrating with Shopify, one of the leading e-commerce platforms.
“These companies started searching for a replacement, and this is the point that things really took off for us,” Lauris recalls.
Then he underlined that Omnisend wasn’t just a convenient choice.
“They chose us because our platform worked, and they saw value in that. This proved that building a product with the customer at the center was the right decision.”
Future Plans for Omnisend
Rytis Lauris remains focused on enhancing Omnisend to meet the evolving needs of e-commerce merchants.
“I am excited to continue growing and providing our customers with an exceptional product that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg,” he explains.
A significant improvement underway is a complete overhaul of Omnisend’s reporting functionality.
“We have completely overhauled our reporting functionality to give merchants greater insights into their marketing efforts with relative ease,” Lauris says. Importantly, this direction was shaped by customer feedback—a testament to Omnisend’s commitment to being a customer-centric platform.
Final Thoughts
Lauris has straightforward advice for those hesitant to start their entrepreneurial journey: “Just do it.”
He highlights, “Don’t overthink every aspect of the business you want to launch or a change you want to make. Start acting, evaluate the results, and pivot if needed.” This proactive attitude certainly has worked for Lauris through three startups onto the success of Omnisend.
Lauris’s journey is a powerful reminder that in business, resilience, adaptability, and a knack for listening to your customers can often make all the difference. As Omnisend continues to evolve, Lauris’s focus on sustainable growth and customer satisfaction ensures it remains a powerful tool for e-commerce marketers.
