Feldman Supports Hospitality Industry’s Digital Edge

Young entrepreneur David Feldman, a contributor to Forbes Magazine, revolutionized how consumers can design and order cookie cakes from their cell phones. Another resume “cred” is his book, “Small By Design The Entrepreneurs Guide for Growing Big While Staying Small,” an acclaimed best seller by the Wall Street Journal and USA Today.

Feldman’s company, 3Owl, focuses on three key areas: engineering (web and app development), design (creating intuitive, user-friendly experiences), and data (measuring performance and success).

David spoke at a panel at the Restaurant Tech Conference.

He stated, “What sets us apart is our expertise in tying our work directly to measurable outcomes like increasing order values, visits to a car wash, or grant applications. Our clients appreciate that we set clear metrics from the start, which drives both creativity and results.”

Get The AJT Newsletter by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up

Since 2017, Feldman has been involved in the hospitality industry, particularly with multi-unit restaurants that have more than 200 locations. Now, 3Owl supports more than 2,500 restaurants globally and has grown their expertise in restaurant technology, tangentially launching a separate agency focused just on that vertical.

To keep current, Feldman attends conferences where he’s “all in” to networking with industry experts to build relationships and stay on cutting edge. Feldman continued, “We build strong relationships with our vendor partners, who often bring us into their pitches because they trust us to execute. We believe in being ‘hospitable’ ourselves, staying involved with our clients after the launch to ensure ongoing support and continuous improvements. Our philosophy is that a website is never truly ‘done.’ Technology evolves quickly, and we want to make sure our clients’ digital products evolve with it.”

David and family like Intown living and attending Chabad.

One of Feldman’s favorite projects was for the Great American Cookie Company, where he built an interactive cookie cake builder — the first of its kind. He modeled it after the Nike shoe builder, allowing customers to customize in real time. Feldman recalled, “The project was a lot of fun and contributed to a 20 percent lift in sales across the platform. It’s a great example of how we make user experiences both enjoyable and effective.”

Feldman graduated Emory University in 2008 during a tough job market. He briefly worked in corporate marketing, which “wasn’t fulfilling,” and then I took a role at a clinical research company while he took continuing education courses in marketing and technology, which helped him transition into freelancing.

By 2012, he was managing the clinical research company as a client, doing web design, marketing, and copywriting, while landing other clients through his networking.

Feldman noted, “When I was applying to business school, I was making just enough money to support myself, so I gave it one more year to see if I could turn my small business into something sustainable. Luckily, it worked out, and now we’re a global company with a team of 25 senior level folks.”

When queried if his goal is to sell 3Owl to an investor, Feldman demurred, “Not so fast. I don’t see selling anytime soon. We’re growing yearly, and it always feels like we’re at day one. In 10 years, I’d like to be more solely focused on strategy and business development. I coach a few small businesses and would love to grow that into a formal coaching practice moving towards retirement.”

Proffering advice to “wanna be” entrepreneurs, Feldman labels expectations as, “not on a linear path. There will be bumps in the road, but the key is to stay true to your values. That’s one of the greatest gifts of owning your own business— building it around what you believe in … Success often comes from sticking it out, so be ready to dedicate years to it, and make sure your passion runs deep. If you don’t love it, don’t do it.”

David Feldman at his 3Owl office where he works with 25 senior level employees.

Feldman grew up in Spartanburg, S.C., a town with a small Jewish population; and thus chose Emory University, “not just because it’s a great school, but because it has a vibrant Jewish community and was located in Atlanta’s amazing music scene.” He graduated in 2008 with dual degrees in business and music.

David has two daughters with wife, Alisa, the Intown connector for JBaby. Her role is to set up events, meetups, and build a stronger community with young Jewish Intown families.

The Feldmans are well suited to Intown living and attend Chabad.