Post by Tom Stern

For six years, I poured everything into my last company — my money, my time, my energy, my identity. When it failed, I didn’t just lose a business. I felt like I lost myself. In 2023, someone told me, “This isn’t the end of your story, it’s just an intermission.” I didn’t believe them then. I do now. The past two years have been about rebuilding: early mornings, long walks, quiet nights, consistent routine and surrounding myself with people who refused to let me quit. I stopped asking “why me?” and started asking “why not me?” When AI tools started to take off, I began tinkering out of curiosity. One weekend, I hacked together a prototype: one profile that connects payment methods and loyalty accounts, turning verified purchases and actions into rewards that can travel with you across brands. I told myself it was just a weekend project. I wasn’t sure I had it in me to start a company again. Then brands saw how a unified loyalty profile could help them recognize and reward the same customer across coffee, travel, sport, beauty, and retail. Family offices saw a way to unify loyalty across their portfolios, instead of running dozens of disconnected programs. Investors started asking if I was raising. The only person left to convince was me. So I can’t believe I’m saying this... but I’m ready to try again. Introducing Perkalate: one unified loyalty profile that turns verified purchases and actions into rewards across every brand you love. Launching 2026. To my friends, family, mentors and investors who stood by me through the darkness, thank you. And to the man in the mirror: it’s time for Act II. Let's get it. Shoutouts!!! Gregory Leonarczyk Matt Stern Andrew Ehrenberg Robyn Stern Corey Milne Martin Roth Evan Maclin Joey Guggenheim Gabriel Aleman Daniel F. Nick Shafnisky Marisa Stern Peter Stern Gregory Hayes Marc Bonifacic John C. Hazard, Jr. Leaf O'Neal, CRSE, DCA Alfredo Sánchez III @Coop and dozens more.