Jaime-Lee Donovan of Huvr Inc.
An exclusive Tech Tribune Q&A with Jaime-Lee Donovan (co-founder and CMO) of Huvr Inc., which was honored in our:
Tell us the origin story of Huvr – what problem were you trying to solve and why?
What if we could create a way to teleport into another human? They were the first words I heard from my current business partner Herman.
There were a few laughs at first since it sounded really out there, but as we dove into the concept and what we could potentially do, we realized it was HUGE. We researched the travel industry inside and out, as well as different business models from app spending to VR growth. We then developed the hook that would make us unique.
We knew this was an opportunity for something special – to give access to people who can explore the world virtually in real-time almost anywhere. It is more relevant than ever now
What was the biggest hurdle you encountered in your journey?
Kicking off with next to no budget and having big goals was the initial hurdle for me. You need to get creative in new ways in order to stand out, while trusting the years of experience you have to attract consumers and build brand trust.
We all want to see immediate results as validation, and with a tiny budget, at first, you just move slower. The small wins have added up quickly and showed evidence that Huvr is really taking off – businesses, brands, different countries, and their representatives really want to adopt Huvr in a big way for their innovation and growth.
When you start looking at this, there is going to be a tipping point and we want to make sure as a global business we aren’t missing a beat, as there are a lot of pieces to connect. Streamlining and automating as much as possible is a big one for us with marketing, consumer onboarding, and tech to help with efficiency and productivity.
What does the future hold for Huvr?
We are just at the tip of the iceberg. The traction to date with partnerships across the globe in tourism, education, and sports is showing us that we are strongly headed in the right direction with our Huvr Pro model. The doors and opportunities are easily opening and we are helping businesses innovate while staying connected to their audiences and growing their global fan or consumer base.
What Huvr brings supports tourism at scale, jobs, growth in cities, communities around the world, and a gateway to new types of consumers. Travelers, people like you and me, can hire a Huvr Walker on the ground in another country and explore, shop, or get real-time news. The Traveler is in the driver’s seat if they choose one-to-one access, which makes this very special for consumers.
What are your thoughts on the local tech startup scene in Colorado Springs?
It is wonderful to see the tech growth in Colorado Springs. I’m originally from Australia and learned quickly that Boulder and the Denver area have a thriving tech scene when I arrived a few years ago. I’m sure we will see more great things from COS – there is a buzz in the air.
What’s your best advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?
Keep it simple and just get started. I know it can be easy from the onset to add lots of elements or functions thinking you need to overcompensate to make a product or service outstanding, especially with competitors, but it may end up complicating things at first and not even get off the ground. The beauty early on is that you have the ability to see what is really gaining traction so you can pivot and improve, then go all in and scale.
Finally, trust your instincts – you know if something doesn’t feel or look right.