We had the good fortune of connecting with Mark Peterson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mark, how does your business help the community?
According to October 2020 Census Bureau survey data, one in eight Americans often do not have enough food to eat. The Census Survey estimates that nearly 26 million American adults don’t have enough to eat daily, an increase several times greater than pre-pandemic levels. Ziscuit is a two-sided reverse auction marketplace platform that will save consumers time and money when grocery stores bid to fulfill their shopping lists. In addition to making grocery shopping more efficient, Ziscuit wants to stamp out hunger. Ziscuit rewards each shopper with Ziscuit dollars when they refer new users or complete a Ziscuit auction transaction. Shoppers can use Ziscuit dollars to buy groceries, pay for home delivery, or they can donate their Ziscuit dollars to local food pantries. Ziscuit, through its foundation, will donate one percent of its profit in the form of Ziscuit dollars to food pantries registered on the Ziscuit platform. Food pantries can use the donated Ziscuit dollars to purchase food through the Ziscuit app. If we work together, we can provide a safety net to those who do not have enough to eat.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Ziscuit is an Atlanta, GA-based startup that facilitates business-to-consumer sales through its reverse auction platform, a 2-sided marketplace where shoppers create and post grocery lists, and grocery retailers bid to fulfill them. Online grocery shopping is a $33B market that is growing at forty percent year-over-year. By 2025, the market will reach $170B. The majority of these online shoppers are cost-conscious deal seekers who will search multiple websites or make numerous stops at brick-n-mortar locations to save money. Ziscuit uses predictive analytics to help users create lists and machine learning to assist retailers with list bidding. Ziscuit makes money by selling shoppers premium accounts or pay-as-you-go services. Retailers will purchase user or location-driven seat licenses. When using Ziscuit, shoppers can set their auction preferences, i.e., full or partial bids, type of stores that can bid, auction duration, and shopping radius. Based on user auction preferences, the Ziscuit Auction Engine alerts eligible retailers and, where approved, automates bid responses. The Ziscuit Auction Engine algorithm analyzes eligible offers, configures multiple bid combinations, and ranks them based on total savings (compared to primary store prices). Shoppers can re-rank bids to show which offers to save money and are more convenient, i.e., closer to home zip code or requiring fewer stops. When the shopper selects the winning offer, the Ziscuit Auction Engine alerts the grocery retailers, who then “pick-and-pack” order items and make them available for pick-up.

When it comes to your grocery budget, don’t risk it. Just Ziscuit!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Before the pandemic, a dear friend from Business School (Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth) informed me of an upcoming trip to Atlanta. He wanted to see the town through my eyes. Unfortunately, shelter-place orders prevented him from making his trek from out West, so he missed out on the itinerary I planned, which included some of my favorite spots. Breakfast – Another Broken Egg in Buckhead. I take all my Tuckie classmates to this breakfast spot. Lunch – RuSan’s in Buckhead. Good people-watching from their patio and great sushi! Exercise – Yoga Works in Buckhead. Flow classes with some of my favorite Yoga instructors. Dinner – Desta Ethiopian Kitchen. Saturday Afternoon – Hang-out at Serenbe Farmhouse, one of Atlanta’s original farm-to-table restaurants, also offers horseback riding.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My wife (Sophia) has been my rock. My children (Langston and Mia) are my heart and soul. Special thanks to my cofounder (Mitch), employees, partners, and clients from my last startup, PrideRock Holding Company, Inc. We changed the world. Love for my parents (Joe and Mary). You paved the way for my success. I want to give special appreciation to my three mentors, Joe, Jr., Ezra, and Doug. They taught me the meaning of leadership.

Website: https://www.ziscuit.shop/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Ziscuit2

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-peterson-guerrillapreneur/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ziscuit2

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ziscuit

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSwgP77X87tloA8MAGU17gg

Other: Please Donate to Ziscuit – https://fundly.com/ziscuit-you-save-when-grocery-stores-bid/dash

If you are an entrepreneur and you want to cash for your startup, check out my Listenable course: Simple Ways to Save and Build Wealth – https://listenable.io/web/courses/386/simple-ways-to-save-and-build-wealth/

https://fundly.com/ziscuit-you-save-when-grocery-stores-bid/dash

Image Credits
Credit: Ceyero Consulting

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