Jose Li of 71lbs

March 17, 2020 thetechtribune

An exclusive Tech Tribune Q&A with Jose Li, the founder and CEO of 71lbs, which was honored in our:

Tell us the origin story of 71lbs – what problem were you trying to solve and why?

Having sat on both sides of the shipping table (managing shipping/logistics for a 450-store retailer and running FedEx’s Retail & eCommerce practice), I found many inefficiencies in our business. Large, Fortune 500 companies have resources, people, and million-dollar budgets to run their logistics operations. Small and medium size businesses do not, and often times are pressed to be more efficient and resourceful in order to stay competitive. One common point between both large companies and small businesses is their need to save money on shipping. After 7 years at FedEx, I thought there had to be a better way to help companies do that, so I started 71lbs.

What was the biggest hurdle you encountered in your journey?

So many to list…if I could choose one, it would be the mental balance of holding everything together, from launching a product while bootstrapping/looking for funding, to hiring the right people for the team, to managing a diverse workforce, to finding more creative ways to continue to grow and build more services/create more value for our customers. I love it.

What does the future hold for 71lbs?

I’m excited about our future. We have several new products/services we are working on, a combination of our customers asking us to help them solve their problems, and our own initiatives in trying to build something that hasn’t been done before.

What are your thoughts on the local tech startup scene in Fort Lauderdale?

Happy to see the continuous growth over the last several years. I see many other entrepreneurs who hunker down and build/grow their business. You’d be surprised how many hidden gems there are here.

What’s your best advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?

If you really believe in your idea, as Nike says, ‘Just Do It’.