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EyeMail Inc.
Company typePrivate
Industry
Founded2004; 20 years ago (2004)
Headquarters
Atlanta, Georgia
,
U.S.
Area served
Worldwide
OwnerLisa S. Jones
Websiteeyemailinc.com

EyeMail Inc. is an American communications technology and digital marketing company based in Atlanta, Georgia.[1][2] Founded by entrepreneur Lisa S. Jones, EyeMail Inc. is both a black and woman-owned business enterprise (WBE), and is an officially certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) by the NMSDC (National Minority Supplier Development Council).

The company is an "email video" provider,[3] offering a technology that enables up to 60 seconds-long HD videos to be compressed and embedded directly into emails, avoiding the need to click on a link or access a browser to play them.[4][5] Some of EyeMail Inc.'s chief clients include PepsiCo, Microsoft, Delta Air Lines, The Coca-Cola Company, Porsche North America, and Harvard Business School, although the company also partners with mid-tier and emerging brands,[6] as well as nonprofit organizations.[3] In 2023, EyeMail Inc. appeared on Inc. magazine's annual list of the fastest-growing companies in the US Southeast region at number 181.[7]

History

[edit]

Origins and growth (2004–2014)

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EyeMail Inc. was founded by Lisa S. Jones in 2004 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.[8] Jones is originally from Montgomery, Alabama, and enrolled at the Alabama A&M University,[3] university from which she received BBA and MBA degrees.[9] She also studied marketing management at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.[10] Before becoming an entrepreneur, Jones worked as a logistics and supply chain expert at NASA,[8][4] eventually relocating to Atlanta to expand her career in supplier diversity for companies such as AT&T.[8][3] Jones has revealed that she founded EyeMail Inc. after the unexpected passing away of her mother,[11] making a "vow to start and scale a global company in her honor".[12]

In 2004, Jones filed her first patent focused on video in email.[13] For five years, she developed EyeMail Inc. during her spare time, as she was also working full-time as an executive in telecommunications in Atlanta.[12][11] Initially, EyeMail Inc. was turned down by a number of American development agencies, so Jones worked with several international technical teams until choosing a final partnership,[12][5] which developed the product in only six months.[12] During her development process, Jones participated in Microsoft's Mentor/Protégé Innovation Lab Program, which "provided more support and expertise",[12] as well as its Innovation Center, becoming the first African-American woman to do so.[6][14]

In 2008, Jones presented EyeMail Inc. in the first season of the CBS reality competition show The Next Tycoon, which she won.[6][15] Jones subsequently contacted Georgia's Greater Women's Business Council (GWBC) and offered to create a free EyeMail Inc. campaign for them.[5][6] The campaign caught the attention of Time Warner executives, and the company became EyeMail Inc.'s first client.[6][8] This prompted Jones to leave her day job and fully dedicate herself to the company.[12] Following Time Warner, EyeMail Inc. began to work with other companies like The Coca-Cola Company, Delta Air Lines, Major League Baseball,[5] Porsche North America, Aetna, the Atlanta Braves,[12] and The Home Depot, among others.[6] In 2008, EyeMail Inc. was listed at number 3 on the Atlanta Tribune's list for the "Top 8 Atlanta Businesses to Watch".[16]

In 2008, EyeMail Inc. began a formal relationship with The Coca-Cola Company as part of their mentor program through the Georgia Minority Supplier Diversity Council (GMSDC).[8] Three years later, the mentorship program with The Coca-Cola Company resulted in EyeMail Inc.'s selection by the Microsoft Corporation as a premier MWBE supplier in digital marketing.[17] EyeMail's business partnership with The Coca-Cola Company was pivotal to the growth of the company, purportedly causing its revenue to quadruple.[8] This allowed Jones' company to expand to Canada, Mexico, Pakistan, India and the United Kingdom.[8]

As both a black-owned and woman-owned business, EyeMail Inc. is a partner of the Billion Dollar Roundtable organization, where it classified as a Minority Women Business Enterprise (MWBE) strategic partner.[18] As EyeMail Inc.'s CEO, Jones took part as a panelist at the 2014 Billion Dollar Summit held by the Minority Business News USA (MBNUSA).[19]

Recent years (2015–present)

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Writing for Forbes magazine in 2021, Laurel Donnellan noted that: "EyeMail's next-generation email experience has repeatedly proven with increases to click-through and call-to-action open rates while bringing email to life for a more engaging & memorable experience. Customers have achieved open rates of 60% and click-through rates of 38%, far above the industry average."[12] In 2018, Jones announced that the company would expand its business model of custom-made campaigns, moving towards a software as a service (SaaS) platform.[5] As of 2020, EyeMail Inc. partners with both private businesses—including The Coca-Cola Company and Delta Air Lines—as well as nonprofit organizations, such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation.[3][12] Recently, EyeMail Inc. has launched a new product called EyeCon, which animates a logo or email signature,[8][12] which, according to Forbess Lauren Donellan, "brings company logos to life".[12]

The company's business model grew significantly due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as the need for employers to effectively communicate digitally became more relevant.[20] In 2020, EyeMail Inc. announced the release of new options to support the hearing and visually impaired with close captioning, so they can also engage with the company's video email technology.[12] This new venture was done in collaboration with Senior Architects at Microsoft's Innovation Lab.[21] The company is also developing a "video in text solution" to expand product offerings, expected to be launched in 2022.[3]

In 2020, EyeMail Inc.was chosen by PepsiCo as one of 15 participants in the Stacy's Pita Chips's Rise Project, a mentorship program to support black women business owners.[22] As part of the project, EyeMail was added to a Female Founder Finder directory, which directs consumers to nearby female-founded businesses.[23]

In early 2023, EyeMail's Lisa S. Jones was listed among the "finest email mavens" by Uplers.[24] In May, she was among the winners of the Enterprising Women of the Year Award,[25] and the following month she listed as one of Top 100 Women of the Future in Emerging Tech by Women of the Future.[26] In June, Microsoft dedicated a special case study on EyeMail Inc., noting that it grew 71% in 2 years and delivers managed services projects 40% faster following the adoption of Microsoft 365 Business Premium.[27] The company has thus "[earned] a spot on the Inc. list of fast-growing small companies in the US Southeast region for 2023."[27] Writing for Microsoft the same year, Susanna Ray uses EyeMail Inc. as an example of "black-owned companies [that] are using corporate connections to give back".[28] The writer noted: "When Microsoft announced its Racial Equity Initiative in 2020 and set a goal to double the number of Black suppliers it does business with, a procurement engagement manager for the company remembered Jones and reached out, partnering with EyeMail to integrate video in email marketing communications as part of the Windows 11 launch in 2021."[28] In the same article, Jones stated:

I started crying when I got my first contract with Microsoft, because I was full of gratitude. Everyone told me, "You're a woman, you're a Black woman, you're from Alabama, you don't have the right network, you're not a coder" — I could go on and on. But I said, "I am going to make it." So when I was awarded the Microsoft contract, and the supplier number, the whole process of onboarding was fabulous, and it was exhilarating. We have a lot of Fortune 500 customers on our roster now, and there are so many tangible and intangible benefits to this relationship that continue to evolve and show up.[28]

Jones has recently announced the upcoming launches of EyeMail Software as a Service (SaaS) Storytelling Platform, which also includes new products and features such as EyeCon, EyeViewer Assistant (EVA) and Video in Text.[29] In November 2023, EyeMail Inc. was selected among the winners of Invest Connect, a pitch competition organized by the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) as part of their Bridge Builders initiative, aimed to link black-owned businesses with investors.[30]

Awards and nominations

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This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Year Presented by Award Result Ref.
2008 Atlanta Tribune Top 8 Atlanta Businesses to Watch Won
[16]
Technology Association of Georgia Top 40 Innovative Companies Won
[31]
2009 Georgia Technology Industry Award Won
[31]
2010 Black Enterprise Innovator of the Year Finalist
[32]
Georgia Minority Technology Industry Award Won
[15]
Stevie Awards Most Innovative Company of the Year Won
[15]
2011 Women in Technology Honoree Innovator of the Year Won
[31]
2014 Women in Technology Honoree Innovator of the Year Won
[31]
2018 Delta Air Lines Catalyst of the Year Won
[33]
2019 Minority Business Entrepreneur WBEs Who Rock Award Won
[34]
2021 Global Business Leaders Mag 20 Innovative Companies Which Everyone Should Know in 2021 Won
[13]
Upliers Email Top 29 Experts Email Marketing Trends Won
[31]
2022 Microsoft Supplier Prestige Awards Diverse-Owned Supplier of the Year Finalist
[35]
Women in Technology Women of the Year Award Finalist
[36]
Corporate Vision Corporate Excellence Awards Won
[37]
2023 Enterprising Women Enterprising Women of the Year Awards Won
[25]
Women of the Future Top 100 Women of the Future in Emerging Tech Won
[26]
Inc. The Fastest-Growing Companies in the US Southeast Won
[7]
Women in Technology Fearless Woman in Technology Won
[38]
Technology Association of Georgia Invest Connect Won
[30]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Burns, Renita (September 28, 2010). "Tips for Effective E-mail Marketing". Black Enterprise. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  2. ^ Fisher, Ann (2022). Tech Tuesday - Email Innovation (radio show). All Sides. Ohio: WOSU Public Media – via SoundCloud.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Archie Tucker, Lisa S. Jones (September 16, 2020). Guest Lisa S. Jones, Alumna and Founder/CEO of EyeMail, Inc. Start and Go (audio). Alabama A&M University. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Jim Fitzpatrick, Lisa S. Jones (March 6, 2019). How to Transform Traditional Email into Engaging Experiences – Lisa S. Jones, EyeMail (YouTube video). Atlanta Tech Village: Atlanta Small Business Network. JBF Business Media. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d e Beilin, Holly (May 9, 2018). "How This Founder Got Execs At Delta, Coca-cola and More to Notice Her Email Marketing Product". Hypepotamus. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Neil Howe, Craig Williams (2017). Lisa Jones - Founder and Chief Executive Officer of EyeMail Inc (radio show). Business Authority Radio. Business Innovators Radio Network – via iHeartRadio.
  7. ^ a b "Meet the 200 Companies Making an Outsized Impact in the Southeast". Inc. 2023. Archived from the original on June 29, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h Southerland, Randy (2021). "Corporate partnership helps email tech company quadruple its revenue". Atlanta Business Chronicle. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  9. ^ Blake, Tania (August 20, 2020). "10 Incredible Women of Email (that you may not have heard about yet)". Knak. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  10. ^ Lowery, Melissa (November 24, 2014). "EyeMail: Lisa Jones Wants To Start An Email Revolution". Women's Enterprise. WE USA. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
  11. ^ a b Gesenhues, Amy (September 30, 2020). "Success Spotlight: Lisa S. Jones". Women of Martech. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Donnellan, Laurel (November 4, 2021). "Love Is The Bottom Line At EyeMail Inc". Forbes. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
  13. ^ a b Paul, Logan, ed. (July 2021). "EyeMail Technology: Reshaping the Communication Experience". Global Business Leaders Mag. Atlanta. pp. 72–75. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  14. ^ Meckling, Kalees (March 8, 2023). "Three challenges that women and minority entrepreneurs face". Microsoft. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  15. ^ a b c "EyeMail Inc". Stevie Awards. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  16. ^ a b Morrow, Candace (2008). "Top 8 Atlanta Businesses to Watch". Atlanta Tribune: 38.
  17. ^ "2011 U.S. Diversity Stewardship Report" (PDF). The Coca-Cola Company. 2011. p. 21.
  18. ^ "M/WBE Partners". Mobile, Alabama, U.S.: Billion Dollar Roundtable (BDR). Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  19. ^ "BDR SUMMIT PANELIST". Minority Business News USA (MBNUSA). IV. Dallas, Texas: TexCorp Communications Inc.: 58 2014.
  20. ^ "The Entrepreneurial Spirit of Lisa S. Jones". Success Knocks. Arizona: Foresight Tech Media LLC. March 8, 2022. pp. 27–30. Archived from the original on March 21, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  21. ^ "This Female Technology Innovator Brings Next-Age Innovations to the Email Marketing Space". Mumbai: Humans of Fuzia. June 6, 2022. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  22. ^ "Stacy's Rise Project Expands Commitment to Female Founders; Partners with Hello Alice to Fund $150,000 in Grants to Black Women Business Owners". PepsiCo. September 22, 2020. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  23. ^ "Stacy's Pita Chips Help Female Founders Get Found: New Limited-Edition Stacy's Bags Feature QR Code with Geotargeted Women-Owned Business Directory". PR Newswire. Cision. 27 October 2020. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  24. ^ "23 Experts Share Email Marketing Trends To Keep An Eye Out For In 2023". Uplers Email. 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  25. ^ a b "Enterprising Women of the Year Awards". Cary: Enterprising Women. May 2023. Archived from the original on 17 June 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  26. ^ a b "We are honored to continue our journey as we unveil the next 20 remarkable women from our Top 100 Women of the Future in Emerging Tech". Women of the Future. June 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023 – via LinkedIn.
  27. ^ a b "EyeMail brings innovation to email marketing, grows 71 percent in two years with Microsoft 365". Microsoft. June 7, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  28. ^ a b c Ray, Susanna (June 20, 2023). "How Black-owned companies are using corporate connections to give back". Microsoft. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  29. ^ "Lisa S. Jones - EyeMail Inc: Revolutionizing Email Marketing with Video Engagement". CEO Time Magazine. 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  30. ^ a b Ehlinger, Maija (November 12, 2023). "Meet The Startup Winners From Invest Connect, A Pitch Competition For Diverse Founders". Hypepotamus. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  31. ^ a b c d e "Awards". EyeMail Inc. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  32. ^ Robinson, Tennille M. (June 4, 2010). "Vote for the 2010 Innovator of the Year Nominees". Black Enterprise. Archived from the original on June 4, 2010. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  33. ^ Kruse, Brian (March 1, 2018). "Diverse suppliers honored at 19th annual Star Awards". Delta News Hub. Delta Air Lines. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  34. ^ "Honoring WBEs Who Rock!". Minority Business Entrepreneur. 36 (3). MBE: 34–35. 2019. ISSN 1048-0919. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  35. ^ "Microsoft celebrates suppliers' bold ambitions empowering communities". Microsoft News Center. Microsoft Corp. May 26, 2022. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  36. ^ "In our next Women in Tech Global Awards 2022 category we are celebrating the work of professionals contributing to the Rising Star Founder of the Year Award". Global Awards. Women in Tech Network. November 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022 – via LinkedIn.
  37. ^ "EyeMail Inc". Staffordshire: Corporate Vision. AI Global Media Ltd. 2022. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  38. ^ "Today, we recognize our Fearless Woman in Technology, Lisa S. Jones, with EyeMail, Inc.! Please join us in celebrating Lisa's great work supporting women in #STEAM!". Global Awards. Women in Tech Network. October 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023 – via LinkedIn.
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