TechCrunch Startup News How a headphone site operator built loyalty startup Lantern to solve his own problems; plus, Deel hits $17.3B valuation after raising $300M from big-name VCs
Dec 25, 2025
Andrew Lissimore shares how he created Lantern to tackle customer retention issues from his e-commerce site, Headphones.com. This innovative loyalty platform integrates tools for referrals and account management, enhancing brand loyalty. Deel's impressive $300M funding round pushed its valuation to $17.3B, showcasing strong growth and profitability. With 35,000 customers and over 1 million workers, Deel continues to thrive despite ongoing legal challenges.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Founder Built Product To Fix His Store
- Andrew Lissimore built Lantern after struggling to retain customers at Headphones.com and finding existing loyalty apps inadequate.
- He recruited Shopify designers Kyle Peet and Dominic McPhee to create a native, customizable loyalty system that became Lantern.
Native Integration Improves Loyalty UX
- Wiring together multiple apps created inconsistent UX and diluted brand identity for loyalty experiences.
- A Shopify-native solution enabled seamless account, loyalty, and referral flows without extra code.
Make Loyalty Feel Native To Shopify
- Build tools that feel native to the platform rather than bolted on to increase merchant adoption and usability.
- Prioritize wallet functionality that appears in checkout without pop-ups or redirects to smooth the purchase flow.