Ana Mineva shares the Journey Behind Building DGLegacy®: A Service Revolutionizing Digital Inheritance Management
Date: December 20nd, 2021
Dreams don’t just come true!
Ana Mineva, CEO of DGLegacy®, shares the story behind DGLegacy®, a digital legacy planning and inheritance service, and how it all began—a service that helps people protect their assets and loved ones when it matters the most.
In a recent interview with Starter Story, an American media company that covers entrepreneurship, Ana Mineva, the co-founder of the global digital inheritance service, shares the backstory of DGLegacy®.
The interview covers several very interesting topics, outlining some of the most important milestones for DGLegacy® up until now.
As part of the interview, Ana talks about:
How Ana Mineva Came Up with the Idea for DGLegacy®
Ana Mineva’s journey began with a realization about the complexity of managing both digital and physical assets with digital access. As an expat, the challenge was magnified by a lack of transparency with her extended family about her assets. The existing do-it-yourself solutions, such as using flash drives or Google Sheets, were inadequate—they lacked proactive mechanisms to inform loved ones in the event of a crisis and posed security risks. This inspired her to create a more robust solution, leading to the birth of DGLegacy®, a service designed to help people protect their digital and financial legacies effectively.
Designing and Prototyping DGLegacy’s MVP
The DGLegacy® team embraced a lean development approach, prioritizing short feedback loops and minimal waste. The MVP was intentionally launched with limited functionality to ensure reliability, a critical component in building trust with users. This focus on creating a functional and trustworthy product from the start was essential, given the financial nature of the service and the need for impeccable security and user confidence.
Launching DGLegacy
The formal launch of DGLegacy® was marked by a significant press release through CISION, announced while Ana was attending an EMBA program in Berlin. The launch was not just about introducing a product but also about educating the market on the necessity of digital legacy management, a concept many were unfamiliar with at the time.
Effective Strategies for Customer Attraction and Retention
Post-launch, DGLegacy® tested numerous acquisition channels, from native advertising to social media campaigns. They discovered that channels with clear user intent, like search ads, and precise targeting capabilities offered the most success. Feedback loops from customers were integral to refining their approach, ensuring that the strategies not only attracted customers but also retained them by continuously delivering value.
Lessons Learned from Starting DGLegacy®
Ana emphasizes that creating a new market—like digital inheritance—requires educating potential users about the problem and the solution. This educational approach is crucial for market creation, especially in areas where awareness is initially low. The experience taught the team the importance of patience and persistence, and the need to continuously iterate and respond to user feedback.
Influential Books and Resources
Ana credits several books with shaping her business philosophy, including The Fifth Discipline and Blue Ocean Strategy. These books provided frameworks for thinking differently about business challenges and market opportunities, reinforcing the need for innovation in the traditionally conservative field of estate planning.
Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
For those looking to start their own business, Ana advises focusing on understanding and solving a real problem. She stresses the importance of adapting to feedback and being willing to pivot strategies as the business grows. Above all, she reminds entrepreneurs to enjoy the journey, as the passion for what they are building is crucial for long-term success.
Through these insights, Ana Mineva not only narrates the story of DGLegacy’s inception and growth but also offers valuable lessons and inspiration for other entrepreneurs aiming to innovate and succeed in their ventures.
Screenshot source: Starter Story
The whole interview can be read on How We Started DGLegacy That Lets People Manage Their Digital Inheritance.
Enjoy your reading!
