TQ recently had the privilege of interviewing fellow Ottawa citizen and entrepreneur Susan Richards, co-founder of Givopoly. Susan discussed what her wonderful startup does, how they came to be and why they are a name to be remembered moving forward.
TQ: In your own words describe Givopoly?
Givopoly is basically Ottawa’s ‘gifts-on-wheels’. We consolidate great gifts from locally owned businesses bringing them to a computer/tablet/smartphone for easy purchase and then we complete with a fast and friendly local delivery, saving shoppers lots of time while supporting our community.
TQ: How did the idea come about and how has the journey from concept to where you are today been?
The idea came from a variety of influences. The concept of a gifting concierge service is something I wished existed for about 10 years now. I have always preferred the customer experience of small businesses. Better quality products. Better customer service. I like simplicity. And my business partner is a whiz at managing data and logistics. So together we felt confident we had a winning formula. So confident in fact that we proudly launched the website on March 28, 2012 when we had very few gifts on the site – perhaps a little before it’s time! But today we have over 60 local businesses involved and nearly 1000 gifts so we’ve come a long way.
TQ: What has been the response from your customers as well as the local businesses and entrepreneurs you partner with?
We have had tremendous feedback from customers and businesses. When we started we were sending dozens of emails out to local businesses to try and explain the concept. Today we receive 1-2 emails each day from local businesses interested in joining Givopoly and we are thrilled. Customers have also been very supportive. We understand it takes a lot of courage to trust a website service with something as important as delivering a gift when you can’t see the product in person, touch it, and the business is still to young to have a strong street credibility. We are so appreciative every time a new customer tries our service, and thrilled when our customer feedback comes back with supportive feedback.
TQ: Personally, what is your favourite feature or service Givopoly offers?
I love that Givopoly helps customers shop local more easily. I think most of us realize that shopping local supports our local economy and enhances our community services, but with a shortage of time customers often default to shopping malls and box store parking lots. I hope Ottawa residents take advantage of this service and keep more money circulating locally (50% of revenues from local stores remains in the community compared to less than 20% for large national/international chain stores).
TQ: What is your role at Givopoly and how big is your team?
Myself and Craig Hung are Co-Founders and Managing Partners. Then we have 60 local business Partners we rely on every day to come through for our customers.
TQ: Is Givopoly your first startup?
Yes. I have spent the last ten years in the CFO role working for a number of great Ottawa organizations, but I think I always knew the day would come when I’d step out of the office, put down the calculator, and chase my own entrepreneurial dreams.
TQ: Do you currently have any expansion or growth plans? Where do you see yourselves in 2 years?
Absolutely! Givopoly has big dreams for local and national expansion. In two years we will have over 200 local Partners, covering every gifting occassion imaginable. And we will have expanded Nationally to at least 10 other Canadian cities.
TQ: What has been the biggest surprise (pleasant or otherwise) since starting Givopoly?
The sheer bliss of watching the vision come to fruition. It’s tougher than I thought to make key decisions. And it’s an emotional rollercoaster some days. But overall this is a dream come true, and the sense of joy watching Givopoly grow into the great business we know it can be is huge.
TQ: Based on your life and work experience, what advice do you have for entrepreneurs both local and otherwise that will help them reach their goals?
Trust your choices confidently… once you have applied a good dose of logic in making them. Entrepreneurs become so passionate about their businesses that sometimes it’s easy for emotions to get in the way of logic when it comes to making key decisions. There are many constraints in starting a business: time, money, resources…. so it’s critical to prioritize in order to move forward within the means available or else you won’t your business to successfully lift off. And once you make a decision, stand by it with confidence. Confidence influences and inspires trust.
TQ: What are your thoughts on the startup scene (community, funding et cetera) in Ottawa and Canada?
That’s a great question, but I am struggling with an answer. We really have only just started to try and discover local resources that can help us reach our goals. We are appreciative of anyone that is willing to let us explain what we are doing – and that makes us very appreciative of this interview. Thank you!
If you would like to find out more about Givopoly try the following avenues:
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