Shubham has always been a seen as a gearhead with an immaculate interest in car engines and any type of mechanical engineering. After completing his B.E in mechanical engineering from Manipal institute of Technology, he started his career as a design engineer. However, before that, he had shown his skills by being a part of several projects like formula Manipal. Nevertheless, within a few years, he started to ponder over the idea of launching his own business.
As a director at Tricerion Delivery Solutions, he overlooks the management of the company including all the new products that are being launched under the umbrella. Their first venture is Laundrize, an online on-demand laundry platform, which they have started in Pune. Within a short span of time, they have managed to garner over 1500 registered customers on their portal.
Please provide a brief overview of your product/ service.
Laundrize is an online on-demand laundry service which aims at bringing all the laundry needs of a consumer under one umbrella. From simple ironing orders to specialized orders such as shoe laundry we aim to cater all laundry needs of consumer. Laundrize launched its website www.laundrize.com In July and we launched our Android app for customers in August.
What inspired you to build the above product/ service?
Laundry as a chore has always proved to be challenging for me. Be it washing several shirts or t-shirts or ironing your clothes at 7 in the morning for office. It is one of the most time-consuming tasks that we are allotted and we hated every moment of it. What if every laundry needs you could think of is just a tap of a button away? Therefore, we at Laundrize decided to make the process a matter of minutes instead of hours.
What is your life mantra?
If a plan doesn’t work, change the plan. Not the goal.
What was the most challenging part of your journey till now?
One of the most critical aspects of turning a traditional industry like laundry into a technology-based startup is to maintain sync between the ground operations and the product for consumers. Since every step of the product from consumer end usually translates into a physical activity on our end, planning for as many eventualities as one can think of, preparing contingencies in case of roadblocks and ultimately keeping up the commitment made to the consumer is a key challenge.
How did you overcome those challenges?
We at Laundrize spent a lot of time into pre-product planning. A lot of research in terms of quality of the product, the time it takes for a service to be completed, commute time for our delivery boys and its effect on the collection and deliveries, feasible area etc was done and is still done before we launch into any new area.
Share some details about the investments that you have been able to fetch for the business till now.
One of the most exciting moments for Laundrize was when our Consumer Android App was selected for the prestigious FBstart program, where Facebook provides tools, and services worth $30000 to promising mobile app-based startups. We are a part of top 1800 mobile application based startups in the world chosen by Facebook.
How do you protect yourself from the problem of Brain Drain?
Providing our team members with an atmosphere at work that challenges them to do better and grow along with the company.
According to you, what are the three qualities an individual must have to achieve success?
Persistence, Determination, Patience
Which online tools/ services/ apps do you use the most and would like to recommend as well?
Canvas, Zoho mail, Google Notes
Share any one habit which you think makes you more productive.
Listening to Music
Share any one habit which you wish to change in yourself.
Impatience for results.
Answer in less than 50 words
• One tip to success:
When getting into a venture, research and plan your way ahead. Taking a plunge on your idea might sound good but a sound research and planning will give you a springboard for that plunge.
• One mistake you believe every individual must avoid:
Micro Management. If you are a co-founder don’t try and do everything yourself. You can’t code, market your product and do the deliveries all by yourself. Delegate and trust your team.
• One most important lesson that you have learned till now:
Your team is everything that’s good or bad about your idea.
What are your plans for next 3 years?
Our focus is to consolidate our operations in all the current operational areas in Pune. Also, in the upcoming months, Laundrize is aiming to expand to 10 major cities in India. Apart from operational expansion we are also looking towards service based expansion in line with our Everything Laundry initiative.
If you get a chance to start your career again what would you do differently this time?
While working on Laundrize, I realized that I like solving real life problems. As such, I would have either joined a startup or started my own venture to gain experience in this sphere.
What are your top three getaway destinations?
Gokarna, Goa, Milan
Share a quote that inspires you the most.
If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or objects.-Albert Einstein.