Matt responded that he didn't know what the end solution would be when he first started. Rise was just a lookbook of sustainable homes at the beginning. This allowed consumers can see what these homes did to reach their goals. Now Rise has a full research and writing team doing great work every day. Rise is even enlisting the help of expert reviewers for an extra layer of accountability.  

The two discussed that Rise was just about to reach 3 million site users at the time of the interview (we have since surpassed!) and Rise's demographic spread throughout the United States and Canada.

Matt told Neal about Rise's rigorous writer's guidelines and the product and manufacturers' criteria that we developed and abide by - that these help us choose who we work with. 

The pair discussed how Rise began to monetize the platform in 2020 by bringing on manufacturers and how Rise paused lots of this work due to COVID. With this, Rise shifted gears and dived into the distance learning market and started translating our content into educational resources specifically for Realtors™. Matt commented that we are teaching Realtors how to talk with their clients about what goes into their houses and how to improve them - for the owner's health, wealth, and the planet - and how this enhances the home's overall value. This knowledge is what homeowners now expect from their realtors, and Rise is excited to give them that edge. 

Listen to the full episode here!