Prior to creating Movebubble I worked in a large residential letting agency, where I witnessed first-hand the industry's reluctance to put the renter first. I became increasingly frustrated by the situation, and the industry's out-dated attitude toward using technology to make it quicker and easier for renters to find and secure a property. I thought to myself, if there isn't already a solution that puts the renter at the heart of the process, why shouldn't I be the person to fill the gap in the market?
Financing
We've had $3.4 million in funding to date from private investors. These include several high profile individuals, such as former Spotify MD Adam Williams, and British entrepreneur Robert Stiff. The confidence they have shown in us has been a huge boost in our drive for success.
Regrets
Many! I think the main lesson I've learnt is ‘think big, deliver smaller, release faster'. If a smaller test works, you can develop that, but don't run before you can walk. That said, it's important to be ambitious and think about the bigger picture to get buy in from your investors, team and customers.
What would you have changed?
Working in a two-sided industry is challenging - in our case, we have to make sure both our renters and agents are happy. So last year we developed a negotiator-facing app, to complement the renter one and complete our end-to-end solution. It was an important step in showing agents we care about their needs, but if I could go back, I would have introduced it sooner.
