Saroosh Gull of Eventcombo
An exclusive Tech Tribune Q&A with Saroosh Gull, the founder and CEO of Eventcombo, which was honored in our:
Tell us the origin story of Eventcombo – what problem were you trying to solve and why?
Eventcombo was born out of a personal experience when a group of friends got together from different parts of the country to attend events in NYC. We all had to separately book transportation, parking, lodging, event tickets, etc. The experience was painful and laborious. I realized there was an opportunity to change the entire landscape for booking events online. The idea was realized when we built the platform and then injected partnerships with Uber, Lyft, ParkWhiz and more to offer a consolidated transaction.
What was the biggest hurdle you encountered in your journey?
The number of rejections was not a surprise, but I think the more specific challenges we overcame were related to breaking the perception that there was this single giant in the event marketplace who could not be disrupted. We quickly proved this concept wrong with 30% conversions. The rest of the challenges we faced were typical startup obstacles: tech build out, marketing, fundraising, etc. – pretty dull and typical hurdles.
What does the future hold for Eventcombo?
We scaled prior to COVID and in this post-COVID world, we’re experiencing 5X growth, as there is unprecedented demand for our virtual event solution, Fireworks. The future looks even more exciting than it did in February 2020.
What are your thoughts on the local tech startup scene in Jersey City?
The local tech scene in Jersey City is amazing. There are big players nearby (JET-Walmart in Hoboken) and smaller players everywhere. The energy is beautiful and the community is strong. There are a lot of local organizations and co-working spaces adding value to the ecosystem.
What’s your best advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?
Two things:
- Don’t stop. When someone tells you no, turn that into an embarrassment for them.
- Don’t be afraid to be wrong. Take risks and if you’re wrong, admit it immediately. Don’t get into right vs wrong debates. Most of the time, it is healthy to be wrong. That’s how you grow.