How two wildly different brands win fierce customer loyalty

Consumer habits change fast. Companies that wish to stay ahead of them or shape them need to be in touch with what their customers want now as well as thinking ahead to what they want tomorrow. 

That was some of the advice that Poshmark co-founder Manish Chandra and CleanBoss co-founder Joy Mangano, inventor of The Miracle Mop, My Little Steamers, The Joy Hangers and more, had for their fellow business leaders on a recent episode of Your Next Move, presented by Capital One Business and Inc. During this lively interview with Inc. Editor-in-Chief Mike Hofman, the two shared how they keep up with customer needs and wants while navigating the pivots necessary along the way. 

• Why a true love of customer service is essential

• What to do when you make a mistake

• Why brand experience matters 

Both Chandra and Mangano said that a key to success is that they love serving their customers. “If you’re serving a community with passion, then you’re listening to them, you’re responding to them,” Chandra said. In doing so, you sometimes need to take a step back and ensure you’re heading in the right direction. 

Mangano said that innovation comes from asking, “How can we make [products] better for the consumer?” She is representative of her consumer base—someone who cares about cleaning and using nontoxic products. “I am the consumer, I love the consumer, and that’s how I function in business,” she said. 

Along the path to building a business, there are usually some missteps. The key is to own them and correct the course. Chandra recalled a time in 2024 when Poshmark changed its pricing structure, moving from the seller paying the cost of the platform to a shared model where buyers paid a portion. Soon, customer feedback told him that customers were unhappy with the shift. He says that the move caused stress on the platform, sellers, and buyers—as well as company revenue—for a month until they changed it back. “If you make a mistake you sort of go in and say, ‘It was a mistake,’ and have the courage to pull back,” he says. 

Both founders discussed how your experiential marketing and brand experience matter. At Poshmark, the community is part of the experience, so Chandra and his team work on embracing their community and ensuring they have an authentic connection to them, “because over time growth comes from bringing more and more people into your core.” 

Mangano added, “Today there has never been a smarter consumer, and never been a consumer that’s so experiential with who you are and what you do.” So you need to be willing to “shift your skis” and pivot once you see clearly what your customers want from you.

​​​​Both Mangano and Chandra indicated that their ability to anticipate what the customer wants is rooted in a true commitment to customer service. They listen to their customers, stay tuned in to feedback and ensure that they provide an authentic and positive experience at every opportunity. When customers feel cared for in this way, they tend to come back time and time again. Watch the latest Your Next Move to find out more keys to success from Chandra and Mangano.