Business to Watch: WedPics App

This is one smart fellow! Justin Miller saw a need in the wedding realm and met it by creating the amazing WedPics App. Being able to share photos between wedding guests has made it easy for brides & grooms to document their big day all in one place, and people are loving it! And so are we! Justin gave us some background and business wisdom on how it all started and what’s made WedPics a huge growing success and the only wedding app you need! Going to a wedding this weekend? Download it now!

Name: Justin Miller
Company: WedPics (Deja Mi INC)
Title: CEO/Co-founder
Location: Raleigh, NC

1.  We’re obviously huge fans of WedPics over here!  Tell us a little bit about how the idea came about and what it is.

WedPics was the spin off from our original app, “Deja Mi”. The idea behind the app was enabling people to collaboratively share photos and videos from shared experiences without necessarily needing to be socially tied to one another. It was originally an idea born at a concert – watching hundreds of people capturing candid photos and videos and then realizing that I would never see any of that media again, as I only knew a handful of the people there… that’s when the wheels began to turn. After launching our first app and understanding its various use cases, we began to see the potential with weddings. In early 2012 we decided to pivot into this niche market. The rest (so far) is history.

2.  What is the process of designing an app like?  How long did it take?

It’s never ending.  It’s a constant balance of design, development, new ideas, testing, and repeat. We’ve been underway for about three and a half years now (between the two apps).

3.  WedPics started out as a little idea and now has grown into the number one wedding photo sharing app!  Was there a moment you realized that this was something much bigger than you could have imagined?

It’s been a wild ride for sure! And the crazy part is that we’re so deep in this everyday that we often don’t take a step back to see all we’ve done. It’s been an amazing journey and we’ve reached goals that not a lot of companies now a days get to achieve.

4.  You’re a male technology expert in a predominately female industry.  Why did you choose weddings?

Haha it is quite the bizarre juxtaposition – a team of 15, with only one female. But the reason it has worked so well for us is that we know the technology space and understand how to market and how to scale.  We cut our teeth in the photo sharing space with our first app so making this transition was an opportunity to simply bring our knowledge into a new market – a market that was in dire needed of being disrupted.

5.  How do you stay motivated and inspired to continually improve WedPics and your company?

The field we’re in is really exciting –  and the fact that we continue to surpass our goals and generate these giant numbers keeps us awake at night! Having had an app that didn’t do well and then see it take off is amazing inspiration. Also, receiving daily feedback from our users about how much they loved the WedPics experience is a major driving force.

6.  What was the best business advice you have ever received?

Fail fast and move on. Also, when you are as excited on a Sunday night as you are on a Friday night you know you’re doing the right thing.

7.  If you could pass along a piece of advice for someone looking to start their own business, what would you tell them?

Probably similar to the last response.  As an entrepreneur, I don’t think it’s necessary to try to figure out some brand new thing that the world has never seen. Instead, look at what’s out there and figure out how to make it better.

Favorite free time activity: Traveling, eating at places from Diners Drive-Ins and Dives, Drawing/painting, hanging out with my pups and their underbites.
What you wanted to be when you grew up: I wanted to work in an ad agency.
Number of tattoos: Hmmm good question… I think 31
Favorite wedding element: the CAKE!
If I didn’t work in weddings I would work in: another vertical in the start-up space… where exactly though is TBD. Possibly in health/medical.