Luis Perez of Remoov
An exclusive Tech Tribune Q&A with Luis Perez, the founder of Remoov, which was honored in our:
Tell us the origin story of Remoov – what problem were you trying to solve and why?
The original idea for Remoov came when my wife was graduating from Stanford Graduate School of Business. We were at a party about a week before graduation and several of her classmates were freaking out about preparing for finals and moving out at the end of the week. I decided that since I was not graduating, I would collect items from graduating students, hold them over the summer, and sell them to incoming students in the fall. The model worked great, and we looked to expand to other markets. However, we started getting more and more requests from normal residents in the area that needed our help because they were moving, downsizing, liquidating an estate, or simply de-cluttering their homes.
What was the biggest hurdle you encountered in your journey?
There have been lots and we continue to have them. Fundraising was tough, mostly because VCs in general do not like operationally intensive businesses. However, the hardest challenge is building the right team.
What does the future hold for Remoov?
We hope to continue to expand geographically while building out our e-commerce marketplace (www.thelocalflea.com) – our goal is to become the pipeline for the secondary goods market.
What are your thoughts on the local tech startup scene in South San Francisco?
There are a ton of larger startups in San Francisco – from Cruise, to Shyft, to a ton of biotech companies. To me, it is an ideal place – close to the city, more affordable, and a great community.
What’s your best advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?
Do something that you love. You will be spending 24/7 doing it. It might be a great business, but unless you love spending every moment thinking about it, don’t do it.