Para AI

When HexClad Cookware wanted to make their “Gordon’s Golden Ticket” campaign unforgettable, they partnered with Para to bring Gordon Ramsay's voice directly to their audience. The results of the campaign were extraordinary: ?? 48% higher click-through rates (CTR) ?? 6.7x more revenue per recipient (RPR) ?? 2.1x higher return on ad spend (ROAS) As Andrew Windle puts it: “Para is one of the best and most exciting vendors in the space. Their innovative approach to messaging and rich media offers opportunities that haven't traditionally been done in this space.” Learn how personalized voice messaging can elevate your campaigns. (Full case study in the comments.)

For the past year, we’ve been educating brands and partners on the growing relevance of audio and the need to incorporate Voice AI into their engagement strategies. Today, we’re excited to see Postscript adding voice within their terms and sign-up units—another signal that the industry is evolving. Voice is emerging as a powerful channel, and we’re thrilled to see our work at Para AI resonating with more brands, customers, and partners. Bringing voice into a unified engagement strategy is a game-changer, and we love seeing these conversations turn into real solutions—empowering our mutual customers to seamlessly integrate voice and enhance their engagement efforts. We believe voice should be as accessible and streamlined as SMS and email—giving brands a more personal, scalable way to connect with their audience. If you’re a Postscript customer interested in adding voice to your retention and engagement strategy, let’s connect. We’d love to walk you through Para AI's proprietary voice offering and show you how easy it is to get started. A big thank you to Postscript and Mike Manheimer for listening to the new kid on the block and working with us over the last several months to move this idea forward. Excited for what’s ahead!

Express Checkout Sponsor appreciation post!! My newsletter is 100% supported by sponsors right now and I've had some incredible ones! Tools and brands you should support and use, I only work with the best :) ?? ?? ?? minisocial (my first sponsor!! Thank you Kirsten Baumberger) - UGC in the palm of your hands. They're amazing! Doris Dev - the BEST product design and engineering studio The Rave - an incredible affiliate and referrals platform for DTC brands GNGR Labs - my favorite ginger shots and sparkling drinks, seriously they're amazing Original CRUMBS Bakeshop - I grew up on their oversized cupcakes ?? , and when Jason B Bauer wanted to sponsor I couldn't say no :) Portless - an awesome fulfillment service that ships e-commerce orders directly from China to customers' front doors Yotpo - an incredible all in one ecomm platoform that offers reviews, rewards, referrals, and more (weird if you don't know them or Eli Weiss by now) Help Scout - a great customer support platform for growing brands! Storetasker - connects brands to exceptionally skilled freelance?Shopify developers, Designers & Marketers Shoplift - A/B testing for shopify brands! SimplyDepo - a powerful AI-powered B2B wholesale platform, it digitizes sales and merchandising activities. Super cool! MagicPace - a global growth and talent partner that helps companies find and hire exceptional engineering talent quickly Zamp - They make sales tax simple and easy! Amazing tool for any brand Particl - an incredible competitor intelligence dashboard for DTC and retail brands. A tool i use almost daily! Recharge - if you need subscription for your DTC brand this is it Stack Influence - an awesome tool to send free products to thousands of vetted micro influencers Springboard CX - If you need CX help, this is it. They offer fractional customer service teams! Schaefer - a boutique research and marketing strategy firm for food & bev brands! Instant - incredible tool for identifying anonymous shoppers and?re-engaging?them with precision Para AI (Linkedin won't let me tag it Patrick Williamson & Eric Johnson) -providing brands with personalized audio marketing with voice AI! It's incredible Bags - Bags is a must if you're looking to grow and need help finding the best funding option! William Hayden is here to help! THANK YOU each and every one of you. If anyone wants intros to these teams lmk!! (also if you want to support or partner Express Checkout in 2025 email me!)

81% of consumers say the best way for brands to stand out is to surprise and delight them. Audiences don’t just want to see—they want to feel. dentsu's 2025 Media Trends Report lays out what brands need to know: ?? Reinvest in storytelling: The best way to break through the noise. ?? Make every moment count: Attention is scarce and quality > quantity. ?? AI is shaping interactions: Micro-moments will define engagement. ?? Creators and communities are leading: Culture is being built in real time. One thing is clear: media is now the primary way brands connect with their customers. Winning in 2025 will come down to making those moments personal, whether through storytelling, creators, or even voice. ?? Download the report at the link below

As the year winds down and the holidays approach, it’s easy to feel pulled toward the warmth (and chaos) of the season. A part of me wants to throw up the peace sign, cozy up by the fire, and hit pause. But as founders, operators, and people who genuinely care about our customers, we know the work doesn’t stop—especially now, when delivering for them matters most. That said, staying focused doesn’t mean we can’t lean into gratitude. In fact, expressing appreciation for your team and your customers can be the most powerful way to stay in the holiday spirit while keeping your momentum strong. For brands with thousands (or millions!) of customers, this isn’t always easy. Gratitude often ends up as a generic email or text—heartfelt, but not always personal. That challenge is one of the reasons we built Para. Our name comes from paralanguage—the tone, pitch, and emotion in our voices that communicates what words alone can’t. We wanted to help brands scale authenticity by letting their customers hear their gratitude and feel their appreciation in a meaningful way. It’s been incredible to see how Para users have connected with their audiences through personalized voice messages, especially during the holidays. Voice is a powerful tool, and it’s one of the easiest ways to build trust, foster connection, and create a sense of community. So as we wrap up this year, I just want to say thank you to my team, our customers, and my entire network for all your support. Wishing you a happy and healthy holiday season—and here’s to making meaningful connections in the year ahead! ????

Just published our latest Express Checkout issue! Issue 104! This week is brought to you by Para! (Patrick Williamson & Eric Johnson) ?? Some fascinating developments in consumer & retail this week ?? ?? Big CPG is entering the functional beverage space - both The Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo are launching prebiotic sodas in 2025. It's a major validation for brands like poppi and OLIPOP PBC who pioneered this category. ?? Retail media continues its expansion: Hy-Vee, Inc. just partnered with Grocery TV to create a massive in-store network across 400+ locations. The future of grocery shopping is getting more digital by the day. ?? And in DTC turnaround news: Foxtrot is staging a careful comeback, planning to reopen locations in Dallas after their sudden bankruptcy earlier this year. What do you think about these moves? Are major CPG companies too late to the functional beverage game? Read the latest issue now! https://lnkd.in/eDfSddVV

should we start an official denim dress code at the LA Summit? yes or... yes? ?? Cole Shapiro Patrick Williamson #leagueoforiginals #lasummit

A familiar voice can make all the difference. For their “Gordon’s Golden Ticket” sweepstakes, HexClad Cookware partnered with Para to send a personalized voice message from Gordon Ramsay. The result? 6.7x more RPR compared to traditional campaigns. Here’s what made it work: ? Authenticity: Gordon’s voice created an instant connection. ? Personalization: Tailored messaging that resonated with subscribers. ? Measurable Impact: Proven results in click-through rates and revenue. This campaign wasn’t just heard—it made a lasting impact. Read the full story in the case study below.

What. A. Year. ?? When I first teamed up with Karolina Swietoniowska, I knew this was a special opportunity I’d be crazy to pass up. Last year, I made the decision to step away from my agency full-time and pour my energy into building League of Originals. Fast forward to today -- we’ve grown this business from low six to seven figures in less than a year! Last Thursday, we wrapped up our final event of the year, a culmination of hard work, creativity, and an unrelenting focus on community. Was it perfect? No. But over 20 people came up to me and said it was the best work event they’d ever attended. Here’s why: VIP Kickoff Dinner:? Hosted at bala HQ and sponsored by Wunderkind, we welcomed 34 of our top VIP brands, setting the stage for the Summit to be loaded with impactful leaders in the spotlight sharing some of their most valuable insights. The LA Summit:? We planned for 400 guests—checked in 522! (75% brands) With an 80% RSVP-to-attendance rate, we saw our best turnout in LA yet. Takeaways? 1. League of Originals has officially made its mark. 2) We keep it fresh, we keep it original. Every event we’ve hosted offers a new experience, from pop-up tattoos , custom t-shirts, brand-hosted roundtable discussions, artist collaborations, and more. And we’re just getting started—wait until you see what we have in store for 2025! 3. No name tags, to incentivize more authentic dialogue. 4. Brand booths instead of tech booths. By positioning brand activations in the thick of the floorpan, we’ve found that it adds validation and comfort for the crowd to co-mingle and get involved. Community at the heart:? Last week, there were as many hugs as handshakes. Why? Because we’re building a community where people don’t just show up—they genuinely want to be here. This isn’t a typical pitch-heavy event. Sure, sponsors gain ROI, and business conversations happen, but with community as our core, these interactions feel natural, not transactional. Huge thank you to our sponsors: Wunderkind, Recharge, Elevar, Nostra AI, Postscript, Kintsugi, Black Crow AI, Rebuy Engine, Checkmate, Gamma Waves, VENDO, Wayflyer, FERMàT, ShipBob, Pietra, Recharge, SHOPLINE, Para, VEICOLO, Superfiliate, Passport, Box Genie, Ratz Pack Media, Doris Dev, Gorgias, GRIN, OrderProtection.com, Awesome CX, Triple Whale Brand shoutouts:? SKIMS, Nike, Playboy Enterprises, Inc., BYLT Basics, Kinn Studio, De Soi, Hyperice, MaryRuth's, Parks Project, HOP WTR, Cymbiotika, Beyond Yoga, Crap Eyewear, CLEARSTEM, Nécessaire, Inc., Nordic Naturals, FRAME, Health-Ade, GUESS?, Inc., HexClad Cookware, Skechers, Allbirds, PrettyLitter, PARKER CLAY, DryWater, Fabletics, JuneShine, Ketone-IQ, FUNBOY, Manssion, Ridge, VEGAMOUR, Dr. Squatch, Alo Yoga, Our Place, 12th Tribe, 686 and hundreds more! 2025 — ready or not, here we come! Dates and Locations: Austin Retreat + Summit: May 6-8, 2025 Toronto Retreat + Summit: August 19-21, 2025 LA Retreat + Summit: November 5-7, 2025

Great case study from Verbatim and Intelligems on the impact of speed. Verbatim quickly understood Intelligems' needs and delivered high-quality content that made a real difference. It reminded me of a blog post by James Somers that Jordan Gonen shared with me a few years ago: "If you work quickly, the cost of doing something new will seem lower in your mind. So you'll be inclined to do more." Read it here: https://lnkd.in/gu5kviuW At Para, we believe speed matters too. Great work, Verbatim, and thanks again, Jordan, for sharing this read.