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Key Takeaways:
- Businesses that foster strong emotional connections with their customers see sales grow 85% faster than their competitors.
- Finding and creating multiple revenue streams is crucial for long-term business growth and success.
- Mission-driven businesses must strike a balance between purpose and profit as purpose fuels growth, and revenue supports the mission.
Establishing an emotional connection with customers is an effective growth strategy. In fact, a Gallup study found that companies with emotionally engaged customers outperform their competitors by 85% in sales growth.
However, transforming that connection into long-term business success is no easy task.
For VidDay, a feel-good platform for meaningful video messages quickly grew into a scalable business — serving individuals, businesses, and even astronauts in space.
In our interview, VidDay President and Co-founder Denis Devigne shared the key strategies that turned VidDay from a viral sensation into a sustainable enterprise with lasting impact.
Who Is Denis Devigne?
Denis Devigne co-founded VidDay in 2015, helping millions celebrate special moments in 180+ countries. He later co-founded VideoGreet and CineGreet, expanding his mission to spread joy through personalized video messages. A firm believer in business as a force for good, Denis values teamwork, collaboration, and making life meaningful — whether building startups, exploring the ocean, or perfecting his salsa moves.
Going viral may boost awareness, but keeping customers engaged is a different challenge.
According to Denis, building a product that users return to repeatedly was critical to VidDay’s growth:
"One of the biggest challenges is making sure people keep coming back."
"Going viral is great, but if your product is just a one-time use, it’s hard to sustain. We had to focus on making VidDay something people would use multiple times — whether for work, family, or different milestones."
This insight led VidDay to expand beyond personal celebrations, introducing B2B solutions that businesses, schools, and nonprofits could use for everything from employee recognition to volunteer appreciation.
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"One big moment was when companies and organizations started reaching out, wanting to use VidDay in ways we hadn’t even thought of," Denis recalls.
"That was a clear sign that this wasn’t just a one-time viral moment but something that could have a lasting impact."
VidDay has had a multitude of milestones since it kicked things off over a decade ago, but Denis believes that one in particular was “truly out of this world.”
The platform had the opportunity to send a VidDay video to astronaut Victor Glover Jr. as he was aboard the International Space Station in space.
“Seeing a video filled with heartfelt messages from his family, friends, and even well-known actors reach him in orbit was an unforgettable moment. It proved that no matter the distance — even beyond Earth — VidDay can bring people closer together,” Denis adds.
Expanding the Revenue Model
Balancing purpose with profitability required strategic changes in VidDay’s business model.
Denis emphasizes that finding sustainable revenue streams was crucial to ensuring their feel-good platform could continue making an impact:
"One of the toughest parts was figuring out how to monetize without taking away the heart of the product."
"We wanted to keep it accessible, but we also had to cover costs and grow. Finding that balance — offering free options while introducing paid features — took a lot of trial and error."
VidDay then diversified its offerings with:
- Ecards
- Personalized Keepsakes
- Videobooks
- AI Tools
- Group Gift Cards
- Custom Song Maker
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Additionally, Denis credits filling a gap in the market as one of the company’s keys to long-term success:
“We had already cracked the code on seamless video creation, which led us to explore offering our expertise as a service.
Many companies struggle with the technical side of video processing, so by providing white-label solutions, licensing, and integrations, we enabled businesses to focus on their core operations while we handled the video side of things.”
These not only enriched the user experience, but also created multiple revenue streams to stabilize the business.
"We also launched VideoGreet.com and CineGreet.com to expand into new markets," Denis adds.
"By diversifying our offerings and ensuring our core experience remains accessible, we’ve built a sustainable model that supports growth without compromising on impact."
Automation’s Role in Scaling Successfully
Reflecting on VidDay’s growth, Denis highlights one key strategy he wishes they had implemented earlier: automation.
"In the beginning, we were handling a lot manually, which worked fine when we were small but became a huge bottleneck as we grew," he admits.
"Investing in automation sooner would have saved us time and headaches."
Automation allowed VidDay to manage surging demand while maintaining high-quality customer experiences.
This approach played a vital role in the company’s expansion into new markets and service offerings.
Measuring Beyond Engagement
For VidDay, success isn’t just about user numbers — it’s about the depth of emotional impact and repeat usage.
Denis emphasizes retention, conversion rates, and customer satisfaction as the most telling metrics.
"For us, it’s all about retention — how many people come back and use VidDay again," he says.
"We also look at conversion rates from free to paid, Net Promoter Score (NPS), and the number of videos created over time. A viral spike is great, but long-term success is about people coming back."
When it comes to tracking success, Denis also shared valuable insights on the key metrics that entrepreneurs should keep an eye out for to sustain mission-driven businesses:
- Customer Lifetime Value (CLV): Understanding how much value each customer brings over time is crucial.
- Customer Retention Rate: If people aren’t coming back, something’s off.
- Gross Margin: Ensuring your business remains profitable as you scale.
- Operational Efficiency: Running things efficiently without unnecessary costs.
Overall, VidDay’s ability to sustain long-term growth while staying true to its mission reflects Denis’s core belief: purpose and profit must go hand in hand.
"A lot of people think if you’re building something with a mission, you shouldn’t focus on making money; but that’s just not sustainable. If you don’t have a solid business model, you can’t keep delivering on your mission long-term," he explains.
"Purpose and profit don’t have to be at odds. The key is finding a balance where purpose fuels growth, and revenue supports the mission."
From heartfelt moments on Earth to messages sent beyond the planet’s atmosphere, VidDay has proven that meaningful connections — and smart business decisions — can build a sustainable, purpose-driven company.
It reminds us that sticking to our guns while having solid strategies can be a fruitful business decision.
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