thank you so much for allowing me to be here I’m so honored to show to space
here I’m so honored to show to space
here I’m so honored to show to space with you for those of you that don’t
with you for those of you that don’t
with you for those of you that don’t know me my name is Alex maroc I am a
know me my name is Alex maroc I am a
know me my name is Alex maroc I am a bulldog mother of two and business owner
bulldog mother of two and business owner
bulldog mother of two and business owner living in Los Angeles if you haven’t
living in Los Angeles if you haven’t
living in Los Angeles if you haven’t been to LA or know much about it I can
been to LA or know much about it I can
been to LA or know much about it I can tell you two things that I know for
tell you two things that I know for
tell you two things that I know for certain
first the traffic is horrible and
first the traffic is horrible and secondly the cost of living is
secondly the cost of living is
secondly the cost of living is unimaginably high about a year and a
unimaginably high about a year and a
unimaginably high about a year and a half ago I decided that I was gonna move
half ago I decided that I was gonna move
half ago I decided that I was gonna move in with my partner and our two Bulldogs
in with my partner and our two Bulldogs
in with my partner and our two Bulldogs and at the time she had a roommate when
and at the time she had a roommate when
and at the time she had a roommate when we approached her roommate to let her
we approached her roommate to let her
we approached her roommate to let her know that we were gonna be a meshing our
know that we were gonna be a meshing our
know that we were gonna be a meshing our lives together
lives together
lives together her ramiz response was mixed on one hand
her ramiz response was mixed on one hand
her ramiz response was mixed on one hand she was really happy for us and on the
she was really happy for us and on the
she was really happy for us and on the other hand you could see her fear rising
other hand you could see her fear rising
other hand you could see her fear rising of the anticipation of finding someone
of the anticipation of finding someone
of the anticipation of finding someone to live with so at the time I decided
to live with so at the time I decided
to live with so at the time I decided that I was gonna put myself in her shoes
that I was gonna put myself in her shoes
that I was gonna put myself in her shoes and actually go through the process
and actually go through the process
and actually go through the process myself of looking for a roommate in Los
myself of looking for a roommate in Los
myself of looking for a roommate in Los Angeles so I went to Google and I typed
Angeles so I went to Google and I typed
Angeles so I went to Google and I typed in looking for roommate in LA what I was
in looking for roommate in LA what I was
in looking for roommate in LA what I was presented with was a plethora of
presented with was a plethora of
presented with was a plethora of different advertisements URLs for room
different advertisements URLs for room
different advertisements URLs for room shares and leasing opportunities in Los
shares and leasing opportunities in Los
shares and leasing opportunities in Los Angeles and also Craigslist postings so
Angeles and also Craigslist postings so
Angeles and also Craigslist postings so I went to Craigslist and when I got to
I went to Craigslist and when I got to
I went to Craigslist and when I got to crack sister I was immediately
crack sister I was immediately
crack sister I was immediately disappointed most of what I saw were
disappointed most of what I saw were
disappointed most of what I saw were postings without photos and of the
postings without photos and of the
postings without photos and of the postings with photos they were a bit
postings with photos they were a bit
postings with photos they were a bit questionable and a lot of what I saw
questionable and a lot of what I saw
questionable and a lot of what I saw were men looking for roommates and room
were men looking for roommates and room
were men looking for roommates and room chairs for instance this is Rick Rick is
chairs for instance this is Rick Rick is
chairs for instance this is Rick Rick is an attractive older white male looking
an attractive older white male looking
an attractive older white male looking for an attractive female roommate and
for an attractive female roommate and
for an attractive female roommate and girlfriend
girlfriend
girlfriend Rick was not only looking for someone to
Rick was not only looking for someone to
Rick was not only looking for someone to share his house with but he was also
share his house with but he was also
share his house with but he was also looking for someone
looking for someone
looking for someone the shares bed with from there my
the shares bed with from there my
the shares bed with from there my friends told me to check out Facebook
friends told me to check out Facebook
friends told me to check out Facebook housing groups so I joined these private
housing groups so I joined these private
housing groups so I joined these private Facebook housing groups in order to do
Facebook housing groups in order to do
Facebook housing groups in order to do research and it wasn’t what they were
research and it wasn’t what they were
research and it wasn’t what they were looking for that I found really
looking for that I found really
looking for that I found really interesting it was who and what they
interesting it was who and what they
interesting it was who and what they were looking for this gentleman for
were looking for this gentleman for
were looking for this gentleman for instance was looking for a vegetarian
instance was looking for a vegetarian
instance was looking for a vegetarian housemate she was willing to exchange
housemate she was willing to exchange
housemate she was willing to exchange pet-sitting services with her future
pet-sitting services with her future
pet-sitting services with her future roommate and this guy on the end was
roommate and this guy on the end was
roommate and this guy on the end was just looking to do his former roommates
just looking to do his former roommates
just looking to do his former roommates a solid and trying to find someone to
a solid and trying to find someone to
a solid and trying to find someone to fill his room it was about at this time
fill his room it was about at this time
fill his room it was about at this time that I realized I was on to something
that I realized I was on to something
that I realized I was on to something and that I had an idea and from what I
and that I had an idea and from what I
and that I had an idea and from what I know about ideas is that if you can
know about ideas is that if you can
know about ideas is that if you can identify the problem the challenge and
identify the problem the challenge and
identify the problem the challenge and possible solutions that you can do
possible solutions that you can do
possible solutions that you can do anything so we did our research we knew
anything so we did our research we knew
anything so we did our research we knew that of a total population size in La of
that of a total population size in La of
that of a total population size in La of about 3.8 million people that 52% of
about 3.8 million people that 52% of
about 3.8 million people that 52% of them rent making that a viable market of
them rent making that a viable market of
them rent making that a viable market of about 1.8 million renters we also knew
about 1.8 million renters we also knew
about 1.8 million renters we also knew through further research that about 39%
through further research that about 39%
through further research that about 39% of that 1.8 million people were under
of that 1.8 million people were under
of that 1.8 million people were under the age of 35 making their this viable
the age of 35 making their this viable
the age of 35 making their this viable rental market of people under the age of
rental market of people under the age of
rental market of people under the age of 35 living in LA and we thought that if
35 living in LA and we thought that if
35 living in LA and we thought that if we could build something and just happen
we could build something and just happen
we could build something and just happen to 1% of that population of people just
to 1% of that population of people just
to 1% of that population of people just 1% that was about 10,000 people and it
1% that was about 10,000 people and it
1% that was about 10,000 people and it seemed doable so we started to identify
seemed doable so we started to identify
seemed doable so we started to identify the problems we knew that there was a
the problems we knew that there was a
the problems we knew that there was a lack of channels to establish a nice
lack of channels to establish a nice
lack of channels to establish a nice communication and Trust on the Internet
communication and Trust on the Internet
communication and Trust on the Internet we also knew that cost of living had
we also knew that cost of living had
we also knew that cost of living had increased so much that it was pricing
increased so much that it was pricing
increased so much that it was pricing people out of the market and more people
people out of the market and more people
people out of the market and more people were forced to find roommates to live
were forced to find roommates to live
were forced to find roommates to live with an order to have a place to live we
with an order to have a place to live we
with an order to have a place to live we also knew that in Los Angeles that
also knew that in Los Angeles that
also knew that in Los Angeles that short-term rental opportunities were in
short-term rental opportunities were in
short-term rental opportunities were in demand because we lived in a more
demand because we lived in a more
demand because we lived in a more transient sasai
transient sasai
transient sasai and also from our research there was
and also from our research there was
and also from our research there was just some sketchy people out there and
just some sketchy people out there and
just some sketchy people out there and almost everyone has a horrible roommate
almost everyone has a horrible roommate
almost everyone has a horrible roommate story unfortunately from here we
story unfortunately from here we
story unfortunately from here we identified the challenge and the
identified the challenge and the
identified the challenge and the challenge was the medium for
challenge was the medium for
challenge was the medium for communication for people to utilize and
communication for people to utilize and
communication for people to utilize and finding roommates
finding roommates
finding roommates we knew that of this viable market of
we knew that of this viable market of
we knew that of this viable market of people in LA about seven hundred and
people in LA about seven hundred and
people in LA about seven hundred and seventy thousand people under the age of
seventy thousand people under the age of
seventy thousand people under the age of 35 that more likely than not they were
35 that more likely than not they were
35 that more likely than not they were gonna have a mobile device and they were
gonna have a mobile device and they were
gonna have a mobile device and they were gonna know how to use a mobile app so we
gonna know how to use a mobile app so we
gonna know how to use a mobile app so we laid out the framework for a mobile app
laid out the framework for a mobile app
laid out the framework for a mobile app we mocked up what the profile page was
we mocked up what the profile page was
we mocked up what the profile page was gonna look like what our candidate page
gonna look like what our candidate page
gonna look like what our candidate page could look like what an inbox thread
could look like what an inbox thread
could look like what an inbox thread could look like and from there we went
could look like and from there we went
could look like and from there we went on to building a roommate matching
on to building a roommate matching
on to building a roommate matching application technology has completely
application technology has completely
application technology has completely changed the way that we date we thought
changed the way that we date we thought
changed the way that we date we thought why not change the way that we find
why not change the way that we find
why not change the way that we find roommates from here is where we started
roommates from here is where we started
roommates from here is where we started to identify who our target market was in
to identify who our target market was in
to identify who our target market was in order to reach those people we had to
order to reach those people we had to
order to reach those people we had to know who they were what they did what
know who they were what they did what
know who they were what they did what kind of income that they had things that
kind of income that they had things that
kind of income that they had things that they like doing enjoying a good Netflix
they like doing enjoying a good Netflix
they like doing enjoying a good Netflix series
series
series tasting yummy craft coffee beans we had
tasting yummy craft coffee beans we had
tasting yummy craft coffee beans we had to identify who this person was and we
to identify who this person was and we
to identify who this person was and we had a good handle on it so for the last
had a good handle on it so for the last
had a good handle on it so for the last five months we’ve been building this
five months we’ve been building this
five months we’ve been building this thing there are a couple of key
thing there are a couple of key
thing there are a couple of key learnings and takeaways that you can
learnings and takeaways that you can
learnings and takeaways that you can utilize when you’re taking an idea and
utilize when you’re taking an idea and
utilize when you’re taking an idea and you’re turning it into action first is
you’re turning it into action first is
you’re turning it into action first is that I’m telling you now you’ll learn
that I’m telling you now you’ll learn
that I’m telling you now you’ll learn more from what you do wrong rather than
more from what you do wrong rather than
more from what you do wrong rather than what you do right failures are not
what you do right failures are not
what you do right failures are not weaknesses they make you wiser secondly
weaknesses they make you wiser secondly
weaknesses they make you wiser secondly you have to embrace your unique
you have to embrace your unique
you have to embrace your unique identifiers figure out what separates
identifiers figure out what separates
identifiers figure out what separates you from the other people that are doing
you from the other people that are doing
you from the other people that are doing something along the same thing that you
something along the same thing that you
something along the same thing that you are you don’t want to be a me-too brand
are you don’t want to be a me-too brand
are you don’t want to be a me-too brand or a product but you want to do it
or a product but you want to do it
or a product but you want to do it differently
differently
differently and ask for help I know that people are
and ask for help I know that people are
and ask for help I know that people are scared to ask for help because they
scared to ask for help because they
scared to ask for help because they don’t want to seem like they don’t know
don’t want to seem like they don’t know
don’t want to seem like they don’t know what they’re talking about
what they’re talking about
what they’re talking about but asking for help has been one of the
but asking for help has been one of the
but asking for help has been one of the most valuable things that I’ve done in
most valuable things that I’ve done in
most valuable things that I’ve done in my life and lastly you can do anything
my life and lastly you can do anything
my life and lastly you can do anything that you set your mind to if you do it a
that you set your mind to if you do it a
that you set your mind to if you do it a little bit differently than everyone
little bit differently than everyone
little bit differently than everyone else and trust yourself but if you have
else and trust yourself but if you have
else and trust yourself but if you have an idea you can make it come to life
an idea you can make it come to life
an idea you can make it come to life thank you so much
thank you so much
thank you so much [Applause]
”
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