Andrea Orrego: Co-Founder + CEO at Atelier in Carbondale, CO.
This is part #EVOLve Series with one of our @posi2ive community members. Interviewees have been active in our weekly *VC Impact* community roundtables on Twitter Spaces [each Friday 3:30pm PT] and community. In each self-paced and self-authored interview, we ask impact Founders / Investors what they are doing to change the world, and why they’re motivated to focus on their area of impact. Hope you all enjoy!
When I immigrated to the US, I wanted to find the feeling of being at home. I accomplished this when I moved to the first place I didn’t share with roommates, and was able to design it by myself — I was able to create a home for myself using my own skills and ideas.
Twitter: @AndreaOrrego
The Interview
Top Sustainable Development Goals (SDG):
4: Quality Education
11: Sustainable Cities / Communities
12: Responsible Consumption / Production
Impact verticals your venture focuses on:
Lifestyle Brands, Social Impact, Sustainable Supply Chains
Please share what you’re building, your professional background, and what inspired this venture.
I’m an architect by trade and Co-Founder of Atelier App.
When I immigrated to the US, I wanted to find the feeling of being at home. I accomplished this when I moved to the first place I didn’t share with roommates, and was able to design it by myself — I was able to create a home for myself using my own skills and ideas.
I wanted to share that feeling of empowerment and peace with as many as I could. However, doing this consciously, thinking about the impact of my venture, helped me pay attention to some key factors. I decided that whatever I built had to help communities and our environment.
What’s the impact focus of your venture? And how do you plan to measure impact?
2 Key impacts:
1. Reduce waste and contamination produced by fast furniture creating an outlet where brands that do things better can thrive.
2. Incentivize communities and local businesses through a community-focused marketplace.
What’s driving your impact focus?
A clear conviction of doing things right, and wanting to prove that humans can do so much better when given the right tools.
What are some obstacles standing in the way of the impact you have planned?
Better quality furniture and materials come at a higher cost than Amazon, Ikea, or Wayfair furniture. It’s a long way until everyone who needs furniture will be able to “afford” or access the alternatives that are better for our planet.
How do you stay motivated?
I have a lot of drive that comes naturally to me. I’m addicted to growth and knowing/feeling that I can do better.
Tell us about your market, customers, and team.
Our target market is DIYers / amateur designers who want to tackle their own interior design projects. Atelier is also a marketplace for makers and SMBs, with ethical and environmentally-friendly manufacturing practices.
Team:
Andrea Orrego — CEO & Co-Founder: 3rd Generation Architect with vast experience in the field of residential design.
Junior Quevedo —CTO & Co-Founder: Software engineer specialized in mobile development and 3D technologies.
Kenny Horna — CTO & Co-Founder: Full-stack software engineer with a focus on planning, strategy, and brand and product alignment.
Yanise Orrego — VP of Design & Co-Founder: Yanise is the brains behind Atelier’s beautiful interface and branding. She’s designed multiple brand identities and digital products.
Ma. Fernanda Pacheco — Creativity and art director and Co-Founder: Curation of the marketplace products and making connections with our initial vendors. Her background is in staging and visual merchandising, as well as interior design and architecture.
This team has known each other for over 6 years. We have a very strong insight into this industry — especially in the LatAm market. We have built this product to be able to launch in both the US and LatAm.
How do you keep yourself healthy — e.g., mentally, physically, emotionally?
- Strong morning routine: meditation, journaling, healthy breakfast
- Exercise and dance
- Not being scared to ask for help (this took me years to learn but I’m glad I did!)
- Strong family-centered life. My family is my foundation.
What are you currently educating yourself on?
Multiple topics that I continue to learn and expand every year:
- Money and investing
- Marketing
- Startup theory and best practices
- Spirituality
- Brain and body performance
- How the brain works and what makes us humans
What books, podcasts, or newsletters should our community read — to better understand your area of impact?
I was inspired by the work of organizations and people I know to start this journey more than books or podcasts.
Some amazing organizations to follow are:
1. https://techo.org/
2. http://www.mutuo.org.pe/
3. https://www.construyeidentidad.com/
What do you do outside of work, that you like to brag about?
- Dance
- Arts and crafts
- I’m part of the steering committee of a group of technologists in the rural parts of Colorado https://westslopetechnologists.com/
How can the @posi2ive community support your efforts? (*Not public solicitation, nor securities offerings)
Keep doing what you are doing! I love how the posi2ive community rallies so many people, to come together, to do better, and show others how so many of us are already trying to make things better.
Copyright 2022, all rights reserved. If you’re a Founder / Investor focused on VC Impact, we’d love to invite you to share your story here (#EVOLve) with the posi2ive community. If you’re an LP or GP in venture, we’d also love to have you apply to our private VC Impact Capital Community.
