OPEN Forum is an ecosystem of products built with one thing in mind, to help business owners connect, collaborate, and grow. On web we created a platform for business owners to exchange advice with each other and find inspiration from an experienced community. The native mobile apps keep entrepreneurs connected to topics that are important to them and on track towards growth. And we created the first Apple Watch app for Amex to pair with OPEN Forum, engaging with people on the move as they run their businesses in real-time.
Through getting to know business owners we uncovered two big keys to success. First was that they needed to be connected to other business owners who have faced the same challenges. Second is that they are a lot more open these days with their networks, resources and advice. We just needed a way to connect them. By introducing a community to the platform we were able to combine insights from experts with advice from peers, providing a new kind of network for business owners.
To help the client team truly innovate and operate in a new way, we co-located from WeWork, SoHo. Working side by side, we built the product as a start up. Immersed in start up culture, we adopted an agile methodology, testing minimal viable products, iterating against feedback, and releasing every two weeks.
Since launch, we’ve created a community of thousands upon thousands of members, designed award winning content series, and provided a space where business owners have seen tangible value for their bottom lines based on what they learned here.
