The most powerful digital platforms are ones that effectively capture a live, real-world experience.

That’s exactly what this week’s Room For Growth guest, Phil Michaelson, has done as CEO of LiveAuctioneers, a digital auction house solution for buying and selling one-of-a-kind treasures.

Translating the fast and furious experience of a live auction into web and mobile is complex, but Phil credits the success of the platform to a strong, cross-functional team that includes research, design, product, and advanced analytics.

Throughout the pandemic, consumer interest in estate sales has grown exponentially, and Phil joins Billie and Billy to discuss how his team examines search data and recent trends to reach this growing market and compete with analog auction experiences. As a long-time entrepreneur, Phil is always thinking about the best channels to leverage and how to fulfill user needs on both sides of the marketplace.

From jewelry to gazebos to knights in shining armor to David Hasselhoff memorabilia, LiveAuctioneers’ customers are always bidding on something completely unique. You can hear about all things niche eCommerce and more in this episode, so be sure to tune in.
 
Connect with Phil Michaelson on LinkedIn here. 

Topics Discussed:

• How consumer behavior has changed with the ebb and flow of the pandemic, after more than two years of seismic change
• The age-old profession of auctioneering and the origin story of LiveAuctioneers’ online platform
• “Treasure hunting” as a value proposition in both brick-and-mortar and eCommerce
• The importance of cross-functional collaboration for a digital product team
• The value of entrepreneurship vs. prestigious MBA degrees