Meet GES Delegate: Joy Ajlouny
Organization Name: Fetchr
Country of Origin: UAE
Twitter Handle: @fetchr
Organization Website: http://fetchr.us/
Brief Description of Organization:
Fetchr is a new way to send and receive packages. No Zip code required. We have an easy-to-use proprietary shipping and logistics solution which uses your phone as a GPS location. With our app, we can locate your exact location, allowing us to deliver packages to you faster and more efficiently. Fetchr solves the problem of no physical addresses in emerging markets, and eliminates the need for annoying phone calls asking for directions. We give your customers a great experience, and you increase your market share.
What inspired you to start this organization: At my previous company -an e-commerce platform- part of my marketing strategy was to reach the fast growing Middle East market that I knew was hungry for interesting products. My instinct paid off, as the amount of orders that came in was astonishing. The only problem I had, that kept occurring, was shipping. Most of my packages came back no matter what shipping company I used with a note that said “could not locate the customer” I came to realize that in emerging markets there are often no formal addresses, and packages are delivered through a series of annoying phone calls asking for directions through landmarks. It came to me there must be a solution and that was the creation of Fetchr.
What is the next big step you hope your organization will reach? I want to expand into as many countries as possible. I would like to complete expansion into the rest of the Middle East and then reach into Africa and hopefully Iran.
What has been your biggest obstacle as an entrepreneur? Coming from Silicon Valley, where things are extremely organized and made simple for entrepreneurs to thrive with very little money, adapting to the way business is done in emerging markets has been a huge challenge for me. There is a huge cost to doing business in emerging markets as compared to the USA and as an entrepreneur. The ecosystem is not as mature as it is in Silicon Valley. I would say the bureaucracy and infrastructure has not reached its full capability to help entrepreneurs thrive. The immense cost of doing business has been my biggest obstacle.
What advice would you give to other emerging entrepreneurs? Never take no for an answer. Do what you are passionate about, so it is not a job. Surround yourself with people who are equally passionate about what you are doing. If someone is not working out, make changes fast, firing people is not a bad thing. Have a really thick skin so rejection doesn’t affect you. Stay away from negativity - people will always tell you it’s not a good idea, believe in what your doing. Selling is something you do everyday … if you believe in what you’re selling, people will see the authenticity in it.
