Today’s Notable Young Entrepreneur always knew he wanted to start his own venture, so together with two other co-founders he created on-demand storage service SpaceWays, an innovative approach to storing your stuff in urban centres…
Elevator Pitch: Describe your job in a nutshell.
I run SpaceWays, an on-demand storage service, along with my two co-founders. Here’s how it works: Just go to www.SpaceWays.ca, let us know what you want to store, and SpaceWays’ drivers will deliver storage containers to your doorstep, for free. When you have finished packing the boxes, we will collect and store them in our secure storage facility for $6.90 per month per box. We can also store larger items like bikes, suitcases and skis. When you want your boxes and/or bulky items back, just log in to your SpaceWays account online and let us know and your boxes will be returned within 48 hours.
Why did you start working at your company? What was the inspiration for this career route?
In a former life, I used to be a management consultant – but I always had a vision of launching my own company and making an impact by cultivating an idea that would tackle a real problem. Three years ago I left my job to start my first Internet company and after that knew I wanted to start another venture.
What is the best part of what you do on a day-to-day basis? The most challenging part?
The best part for me personally is working with an amazing group of smart, driven and dedicated people. Our SpaceWays team has grown to 30 people and we’re extremely proud of their spirit and effort. Nothing we do would have been possible without their hard work, ideas, and commitment.
The challenges change on a daily basis – so I guess it’s dealing with the uncertainty associated with working in a young company.
What is one sign that you’ve seen over the years to suggest that your work/life balance is off?
I would not say there’s one sign, since stress has a varied impact on different people. Overall it’s important to not ignore the signals your body is sending and ensure that you eat healthily, are physically active, etc.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Travelling from Chicago to Toronto and getting my skis and skiing equipment delivered via SpaceWays Canada.
What is one major challenge that you’ve had to overcome in your career? How did you overcome it?
Getting used to not always having all the answers. You can only overcome this by accepting that things will not always be as clear as you might like but it helps if you consult with the right people before making a decision and put sufficient thought in. Nevertheless, it’s OK to sometimes be wrong.
What does success look like to you? Does Money = Happiness?
Money certainly does not lead to happiness. For me, it’s about being able to work with great people on challenging projects and build something that has real value.
What is the most memorable milestone in your career?
SpaceWays going live in our first city was certainly quite thrilling. SpaceWays is currently operating in London, Paris, Chicago and now Toronto.
Do you have any advice for other young professionals?
Have a clear vision where you want to go and welcome uncertainty. For a lot of people it’s tough not having a set path for the future, but that’s what entrepreneurship is all about. As an entrepreneur you need to accept that things will not always go the way you planned, while keeping your goal in mind and doing everything you can to achieve it.
Where is your favourite place to wine/dine in your city and why?
I used to live in Los Angeles for a few years and loved Laurel Hardware, a speakeasy where some really fun and interesting people hang out and where they also serve awesome food.
When you’re not working how do you love to spend your “Me” time?
I like to read, spend time with friends and my family, and do sports. I was born in Bavaria, not too far from the Alps – so skiing has always been one of my biggest passions!
Where is your favourite place to travel? Why?
When I was younger I had the chance to spend some time in Tokyo and have been fascinated with Japan ever since. Japanese culture is so different to ours – that makes it extremely exciting and enlightening for me.
If you had to choose a theme song, what would it be?
It’d probably be some rock song from the 80s…
If you weren’t doing what you’re doing, what would you be doing?
Good question – I’d probably still be a consultant, dreaming about starting an exciting company.
Do you support any charities? If so, which one(s) and why is that important to you?
There are many causes I care about and things I try to do. I especially support charities that support women and children that were victims of violence, which sadly is something that is still too common even in our society.
What to you is notable?
Anyone pursuing their dreams and never giving up.
BlackBerry, iPhone, Android, or Other?
My first smartphone was a BlackBerry – not sure I’d ever go back to that though…
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