31/07/2023
Do you want to know how the igogo was founded? 👀
It's a story about series of ups and downs, when you feel yourself on top of the world and feel like you've already become on par with Google, and then you're on the verge of bankruptcy. The story is short cause we're only six months old, but it will be very useful for those who are planning to build their business from nothing. Also for those who just like a good story.
So it all started with Igor... 💡
"In February of 2022, I left Russia with a sudden wish to travel the world. I lived in different places: Dubai, Bali, Turkey, Georgia and etc. But I chose to stay in Azerbaijan, and decided to realize my startup here. Actually, the idea came from my friend Konstantin, a builder. He said that it would be great if there was something that would unite all construction workers into one community and make it easier for them to find a job, it amazed me. I realized that the construction is one of the few fields that still not digitalized, and I saw the huge potential in that. Also, my wife Margarita supported my ideas and formed the vision of product as a UX/UI designer. My years of experience as head of an investment fund gave me even more confidence, cause I already knew how it worked in the IT industry.
A team, an office... 🫶
So I am 100% self-confident, finally began to build my dream team. First of all I called my old friend Dima cause he is a very cool full-stack developer. I tried a LOT to convince him that this was a million dollar idea, cause he would have to move his family to Azerbaijan for it.... And he did it! I was very excited cause people around me started to believe in igogo. Later, I called another friend, Jalal, and invited him to become our backend developer. Then I found a frontend developer Mirali, a designer, Lyaman, and so on. I was very happy to find good people in such a short period of time, even if it wasn't easy.
On December 18, 2022, I decided to introduce my team members to each other. It was the World Cup final, the Argentina-France match, and we were all cheering for Messi together, sitting in a cute little girlie cafe "at Tiffany's", cause other places were already taken. We shook hands and decided started the project – at that exact moment igogo was created. And that's why we celebrate "Company day" every 18th of the month - as a symbol that we're doing things right.
To start realizing the idea, I sold my stake in another startup project and we started buying equipment and looking for an office. Oh God, this is the thing I hate the most... 90% of the offices we looked at were terrible: small rooms with one or two or NO windows, gray and depressing walls, where you not only don't want to work, even live. It took a lot of effort to find the right place. But when we found it, I realized that all my suffering was not in vain - it was perfect.
So, overcoming this thorny path, every day I began to believe in igogo more, cause it is a huge market, we have a super-competent team of professionals, we have written a great business plan and formed an effective financial model, but most important: we are very persistent.
Money was running out... 💸
Yes, everything was working out just fine. I already felt like the main character of some American sitcoms about startups and a better life. For several months in a row we had been building the platform with my personal money, and I waited for that we would find investors, but it never happened. And the further we got, my anxiety got worse - I realized that we were going down. Money was getting less. There was a situation that happened when we were only a week away from closing, and within that week we had to find a solution that wasn't there. It seemed like that it just didn't exist.
Finally, I decided to call my partners around the world, who I had met through my investment fund experience, and ask some of them to invest in my start-up. One of them, Saif, agreed to listen to my idea, but to be honest, I flew to meet him without much hope... imagine my surprise when it all worked out. Yes, he simply believed in igogo and invested. A seemingly universal problem so easily solved!
Happy end?… ☘️
Anyway, we were skating on very thin ice and by sheer chance, just by being lucky, we were able to get out and breathe, if only for a while. You could even call it a godsend, cause there is NOTHING such as a string of luck.
This money was enough to complete the first version of our platform. Many other investors were interested in us and we started to be invited to events as speakers and so on. We don't know what's going to happen next, but we're going to keep this branch going until we achieve all our goals".
This is just the beginning and there are great things to come. Further more, So stay tuned!
And remember, You just have to believe it, and it will happen.
