What is Posse?

There are many ways for a business to grow its customer base. Spend a fortune putting advertisements in the newspaper or on radio, run a daily deal, only to be bombarded by bargain hunters who won't return. There is an alternative! Good businesses have a powerful untapped resource: their fans.

Fans are the customers that stores love. Your fan-base expands through recommendation. Posse enables stores to grow by encouraging the best customers to spread the word. Everyone wins!

How was Posse started?

Posse was dreamt up by Rebekah Campbell, a music manager for artists like Evermore, Lisa Mitchell, george, Alex Lloyd, Matt Corby, Amy Meredith, and many more. In 2008, Rebekah was promoting a tour for Evermore and sales for the Perth show had stalled. After spending a small fortune on press, radio advertising, and posters, Rebekah had a brainwave. What if she offered rewards to fans for helping to promote the tickets to their friends?

The idea was a resounding success and fans literally saved the show. Rebekah wondered: how could she replicate this miracle on the Internet? The result is Posse.

Posse launched in the music industry in September 2010. Within months, over 200 bands had started their own Posses on the platform. Check out one of our most successful music Posses at futurefans.com.au.

In 2011, a team member asked, 'if Posse works for bands and events, could it work for small retailers?’ Any business with a passionate customer base could empower their fans to spread the word.

In February 2012, we launched retail Posses for a select group of stores in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. In April, we'll extend our coverage across Australia, and by June we'll have USA Posses in New York.

Who are Posse's investors?

Posse is funded by more than 50 private investors from Australia, the US, UK, and New Zealand, along with EMI Music and Australian Superannuation Fund MLC. Our private investors are industry leaders from E-Bay, Twitter, Wotif, MTV, Sony Music, and a few well-known musicians too! Posse has also received an Early Stage Commercialisation grant from Commercialisation Australia.

Can my business get a Posse?

At the moment, Posse is only available to businesses in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. We will expand nationwide in April, so if you're keen to empower your customers please register your interest here. Posse is an exclusive community of stores and we're selective about whom we accept. To qualify, your customers must love your business, and you must provide such great service that customers want to return and spread the word.

I'd love to help promote my favourite store. Can I suggest they get a Posse?

Of course! Customers drive Posse, so if you nominate a store we'll invite them to join. If you love a restaurant, gym, hairdresser, yoga studio, beauty salon, fashion boutique or any other local merchant and you want to help promote them, let us know. We want to hear which stores are the talk of the town.

Meet our team

Rebekah Campbell, Founder & CEO

Rebekah founded top music management company Scorpio in 2002 and developed the careers of 11 of Australia’s biggest stars. In 2010, Rebekah switched careers to start Posse. Rebekah is obsessed with American politics.

Alex North, VP Engineering

Alex’s previous gig was as a tech lead at Google, re-envisioning group collaboration on Google Wave. He climbs rocks and sings in a choir, but not at the same time.

Jeff Brookes, COO

Jeff came from an advertising background. He then found his inner child and ran Habbo.com across Asia/Pacific. Loves surfing, gaming, and cooking—Chef Jeff.

Glen Kelley, Software Engineer

Glen likes figuring out how stuff works, then making it work better. If you’re lucky you might see him dragon boat racing around Sydney. If you're unlucky you might see him try to dance or sing.

Aaron Tay, Software Engineer

Aaron has taught robots to walk and play soccer for him at UNSW. He maintains an unhealthy obsession with StarCraft, Japanese food and pop-culture, and enjoys exercising his karaoke vocal muscles from time to time.

Nik Youdale, Software Engineer

Nik likes telling computers to do useful things.

Hamish Barney, Software Engineer

Hamish is quite possibly the finest swordsman ever to be employed by Posse.

Michael Hills, Software Engineer

Mike enjoys learning new things all the time. While not smashing out websites, he attends Mandarin classes and trains in Karate. Some further courses still need to be undertaken to complete his spy training.

Jennifer Lyne, Business Development Manager

Jen has always worked with two things she likes most—music & shops. She also loves swimming in the sea, yoga & mediation—Zen Jen

Richard Baker, Product Manager

When not sketching out Posse web pages, Richard likes to kiteboard, snowkite, and invest in start-up companies.

Lars Rasmussen, Director

Lars is Director of Engineering at Facebook. In early 2003 Lars co-founded a mapping start up which was acquired by Google in October 2004 and became Google Maps. Lars has probably the world's least developed sense of direction.

Bill Tai, Lead Angel Investor

Legendary venture capitalist and sponsored athlete. Bill has backed 19 companies who've IPO'd. He is an early stage backer of Twitter (via Tweetdeck), Tango Video, Voxer, Scribd Soundtracking and Posse. When not working with start-ups, you will find Bill on the water—he is a USA Team Rider with Cabrinha Kiteboarding.

Jeremy Colless, Chairman

Jeremy is managing partner at Artesian Capital Management, founder of Sydney Angels sidecar fund, and a keen supporter of early stage ventures and entrepreneurs.