Can you tell us a bit about your business?In Founder Focus we introduce entrepreneurs and innovators working on our next generation of new business startups, social enterprises and small businesses.
Roof Space is a peer-to-peer marketplace for sending large sports items. We connect people who need to send large sports items with people travelling that way making use of their roof rack space, vehicle space or trailer space.
Our community are loving using Roof Space as it’s easy to use, it’s affordable to send large items, people are making $50-$1600 per trip and there’s a personal element between the sender and the verified driver. Relocating 6m long surf skis, 10ft stand-up paddle boards or multisport boats requires special handling and care during the trip. Our verified drivers are surfers, kayakers, and cyclists themselves so they know how to handle relocating large fragile items and care for them like their own. Most of the community use Roof Space to send items they have sold to new buyers or they have brought an item around New Zealand. Athletes competing in events around New Zealand are enjoying sending their multi-sport boat or other items with Roof Space and flying to the region avoiding long road trips to the event.
What’s the backstory for your business idea?In August 2021, I needed a longboard surfboard relocated from Christchurch to Tauranga. I called a local freight company and got a quote for $500 nearly half the value of the board. I also thought of a friend’s boards that have been seriously damaged in transit, so I declined the service quote. Sports communities are always on the road for events, chasing swell, paddling rivers, biking trails or for work. I thought there had to be a way to connect sports communities in one place. So I created a Facebook group called Roof Space NZ. A week later a few people had joined and Peter had reached out to me as he was making that trip to see friends. I paid him $100 and he relocated the board in his van to my address in Papamoa. I was stoked about saving $400, knew it would be cared for and Peter got a full tank of gas. From the Facebook group, we then transitioned into a web app.
What programmes, learning or mentoring have been of assistance so far?- Very grateful to have joined the Phase One community started by Mahesh Muralidhar earlier this year.
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