Gina Gindorf – Co‑founder of Loya
Published: 23 June 2026 | Category: Plugins | Comments: 0
My name is Gina Gindorf, and I’m the co‑founder and CMO of Loya. Originally from Germany, I have spent the last several years living and studying internationally, including earning my Master’s degree in Public Relations and Corporate Communications from New York University. Throughout my career, I’ve worked across marketing, communications, and technology, helping startups tell their stories and grow their businesses.
The Need for “Loya”
Ecommerce brands spend enormous amounts of money acquiring customers, but many struggle to get those customers to come back. When I looked at the retention tools available, I noticed that most loyalty programs relied on points systems, complicated reward structures, discount codes, or marketing campaigns that required constant management. As a consumer myself, I rarely felt excited by loyalty programs—I often forgot I was even enrolled in them.
That led us to ask a simple question: what if loyalty felt more rewarding and required less effort? We built Loya around the idea that customer retention should happen automatically. Instead of collecting points, shoppers earn instant cashback after every purchase that can be used on future orders. There are no extra steps, no complicated rules, and nothing new for merchants to manage.
What Makes Loya Different
- Simplicity: It operates quietly in the background, creating a natural reason for customers to return.
- No constant discounts: Merchants avoid relying on perpetual promotions or paid advertising.
- Valuable insights: Loya provides merchants with customer data, stronger loyalty, and more repeat purchases.
Building Loya
Like many startups, we’ve gone through product pivots, technical hurdles, and moments where we had to challenge our own assumptions. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that asking for help does not make you weak—it brings positives. Not only do you learn from others, but connections are incredibly valuable. This also ties into what I call being “strategically annoying”: following up with people, staying persistent, and not assuming the worst when you don’t get an immediate response.
Our biggest challenge has been earning trust. Customer loyalty and payments are areas where merchants need confidence before adopting a new solution. Staying close to our community has become one of the most important parts of building the business. Every conversation with a merchant helps us better understand their needs while also building the relationships that drive adoption.
One of the hardest experiences was realizing that some of our original assumptions about the product were wrong and having to pivot. As founders, it’s easy to become attached to an idea, but we’ve learned that listening to customers is far more important than being right. The moments I’m most proud of are when merchants tell us that Loya solves a real problem for them.
Advice for Business Owners
- Spend less time thinking about features and more time understanding customer behavior.
- Talk to customers early. Listen more than you speak.
- Validate assumptions before investing months into development.
- Be “strategically annoying.” Don’t stop reaching out, asking for help, and following up.
WordPress & Beyond
Throughout this journey, I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with WordPress, WooCommerce, and many other ecommerce tools that help merchants build better online experiences. Those experiences have shaped both my understanding of ecommerce and the way we continue to build Loya today.
While I’m not the technical founder—that role belongs to my co‑founder, Geoffroy Farrugia—I’ve worked closely with merchants through the development of our WordPress/WooCommerce integration and broader retention platform. Those conversations have taught me a great deal about the tools store owners rely on every day, the plugins they love, and the frustrations they experience with existing solutions.
As we continue growing Loya, I’m looking forward to becoming even more involved in the WordPress community and helping merchants build stronger customer relationships through WooCommerce and WordPress.
Looking Ahead
Our goal for Loya is to continue helping merchants improve customer retention while expanding across more ecommerce platforms and reaching a larger audience of online businesses. We want to increase both our merchant and customer base while continuing to build new features that make loyalty and repeat purchases even more seamless.
Looking further ahead, we plan to support crypto payments, expand beyond traditional retail into other types of online transactions, bring Loya to in‑person checkouts, and develop a mobile app that makes earning and spending cashback seamless across both online and physical purchases. Our long‑term vision is to become a core part of how businesses build lasting relationships with their customers, regardless of where or how those transactions take place.
Over the next five years, I believe WordPress will remain one of the most important platforms on the internet. Its open ecosystem, flexibility, and massive community give it advantages that are difficult for competitors to replicate. While newer website builders and ecommerce platforms continue to emerge, I believe WordPress will remain highly relevant because of the level of control it gives businesses over their digital presence as well as its competitive pricing.
My Love for the WordPress Community
I haven’t attended a WordCamp or WordPress meetup yet, although I’ve applied to speak at a few and hopefully will have the opportunity to participate soon. As someone building within the WordPress and WooCommerce ecosystem, I’m excited to become more involved in the community and connect with other founders, developers, and merchants.
The online WordPress community is active and supportive—whether through forums, social media, Slack groups, or conversations with other builders. There is a genuine willingness to share knowledge and help one another. That openness is one of the reasons WordPress has remained so successful over the years.
I’m inspired by Adam Weeks, one of my closest friends within the WordPress community, who has been incredibly supportive throughout my journey and is always willing to share advice, make introductions, and help others succeed. I also admire Katie Keith’s story: she built Barn2 Plugins from the ground up into one of the most respected WooCommerce plugin companies in the ecosystem. Her ability to identify real problems faced by merchants and turn them into successful products while continuing to grow and innovate is particularly relatable.
How I Keep Myself Updated
I stay informed through a combination of industry newsletters, communities, and conversations with merchants and ecommerce operators.
Life Outside Work
Outside of work, I love traveling, discovering new cities, and meeting people from different backgrounds. I usually spend the holidays with family and friends, enjoying quality time together in a relaxed setting. For me, the best celebrations are often the simplest ones: gathering around a good meal, sharing a bottle of wine, and catching up with the people I care about most.
Favorite travel destination: Japan—I just recently went for the first time, and it was stunning: beautiful culture and welcoming people.
I have a dog named Bubu.
Connect With Me
People can reach out to me easily through X and LinkedIn.
- Twitter: @yourhandle
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/yourprofile
If you’d like to learn more about Loya or discuss how we can help your business increase repeat purchases, feel free to get in touch!
