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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 11 M A R C H 4 , 2 0 2 4 F O C U S I N N OVAT I O N because it helped us predict what people wanted and didn't want." Wickard developed a software platform that could integrate retail applications and leverage real-time data, advanced analytics and auto- mation. In 2013, he founded a sister company, FieldStack, and continued software development by using Bull Moose as an incubator. e platform integrates opera- tions that occur in today's complex retail environment — ecommerce, stores, warehouses, special orders, point-of-sale devices, curbside pick- up, self-check-out units and more. Operating in real time, the software allows the operations to "talk" with one another across the organization, which means that a retailer can react quickly — says, by ordering some- thing that's out of stock. "Say a client is selling out a product in one of their stores," says Wickard. "at's communicated immediately up their supply chain to their warehouse, which places orders with their vendors to prepare for future demand." Born of retail e company unfolded with hires in software development, sales and other positions. "And because we're born of retail — and almost everyone here has worked in retail or we make every- one go out and work in retail — clients know that we're a software company that eats, sleeps and breathes retail," he says. "at makes a difference." FieldStack's innovative strate- gies include sending new hires to work in retail. "We'll have mathematicians and top-tier developers and we tell them to work in a retail store," Wickard says. "Using FieldStack in the wild, you get an experience you wouldn't have unless you've been faced with a line of customers, wrapping up orders for them. He continues, " We love hav- ing folks experience that, because it changes how we write our software. We write with the clerks in mind; the clerks are the ones under the most pressure. Our strategy is to make it so clerks can just start using our soft- ware and not feel they have a giant learning curve." Self-financed, FieldStack today serves mid-sized and large omni- channel retailers, ranging in size from a handful of stores in a single city to national chains with over a hundred stores and growing. With thousands of FieldStack installs in place, reve- nue growth has been over 40% year- over-year. e great thing about the cloud, says Wickard, is that the com- pany can take on every retail sale around the world without having to own infrastructure. Installation of the software can either be done online or with Field- Stack-installed devices such as cash drawers, credit card readers and cus- tomer displays, all connected to each other and to the corporate network. Since devices can get beat up, they can easily be replaced. "Today's retailers are increasingly looking for innovative cloud-based solutions, and as importantly, full- service partners who can help them realize the many benefits of technol- ogy while allowing them to focus on serving their customers," says Wickard. The significance of the name FieldStack? "I'm a math nerd, and stacks and fields are computer science and math terms," says Wickard. "But we like that it also connects to Maine — a stack of wood in a field gives you a sense of security in the winter." L a u r i e S c h r e i b e r , M a i n e b i z s e n i o r w r i t e r , c a n b e r e a c h e d a t l s c h r e i b e r @ m a i n e b i z . b i z Custom Occupational Health For Your Custom Business Northern Light Work Health is here to be your partner in a healthy and productive workforce by working with employers to provide the most accessible and customized occupational health experience. Our services keep your people at their best. Our commonly requested services: • Work injury management • Testing services • Immunizations See a full list on our website: workhealthllc.org Phone: 1.844.975.4584 • Physical exams • Ergonomics • Fit testing They said, 'Whatever your secret is, could you sell it to the rest of our customers?' — Brett Wickard FieldStack

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