Today we’d like to introduce you to Joshua Afolabi.
Hi Joshua, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Providence, Rhode Island and attended the University of Rhode Island with a major in business and a minor in marketing. I have extensive experience in project management and leading cloud-based solution implementations across large enterprises. In late 2019 I founded 2GGO and in 2022, I partnered with 2GGO COO Henry Enyenihi to bring our vision to life. Henry’s background in logistics and retail equipped us with the knowledge we needed to really bring our idea to life.
We started building 2GGO right before the pandemic hit. Initially, we wanted to help local brick-and-mortar boutiques with delivery for their fashion and apparel products. As we planned a business strategy, we realized the biggest pain point in the retail and beauty sectors was how long customers had to wait for their online orders. At times, customers may have to wait up to 10 days to receive their order. We also had friends who would share stories about late orders and poor delivery services. At that moment, we switched gears and focused on bringing faster delivery to help retailers satisfy their customers who demanded convenience.
After discovering the “pay it forward” spreadsheet created by Bombas CMO Kate Huyyet to propel Black-owned and founded businesses after the murder of George Floyd, Henry and I were able to partner with a software developer to help us build an MVP. This collaboration allowed us to gain traction in Atlanta.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Validation, discovering product market fit and financing have been the most challenging, but rewarding parts of entrepreneurship. All entrepreneurs believe their ideas are great, but that idea is usually only validated when it’s presented to customers and offers a solution to everyday pain points. For a while, the idea seems very foreign and maybe impossible to execute until customers embrace the product.
Raising funds to keep the project afloat and turn it into a company is also another aspect that has been tough. The fundraising process can be strenuous, especially for underrepresented founders, but we are optimistic about 2GGO’s capabilities.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The fashion and beauty industry has an ever-increasing demand for fast, efficient, and convenient delivery services. However, most online retailers struggle to meet this demand due to complex logistics and warehousing challenges. The lack of a centralized warehousing system results in retailers leaning on third-party logistics providers, causing delays and poor service quality. This not only results in poor customer satisfaction but also a loss in revenue for retailers. To solve this issue, 2GGO is here to bridge the gap between fashion and convenience.
The 2GGO platform MVP is a proven fulfillment application for online fashion and beauty retailers looking to service more customers. 2GGO’s business model has three key revenue streams: delivery fees, fulfillment fees and sales commissions. When integrating with 2GGO, retailers receive a storefront in the 2GGO application. Product is then distributed to 2GGO’s warehouse. When customers utilize the application, they can order products from the retailer’s store, where it is packaged and delivered on the same day. By partnering with 2GGO, retailers are available to offer their customers same-day delivery. Customers also benefit from the platform by being able to shop at multiple stores while only paying one delivery fee. The consolidation of carts helps the customer to save money in what would be several different shipping costs from each individual retailer. Currently still in beta mode, the SaaS application will soon enter phase two and begin offering beauty items to customers.
What does success mean to you?
Customer validation and recognition have been incredible for our team to witness. We’ve gotten a few emails from customers inquiring how they can order from 2GGO in their respective cities and that feedback continues to motivate our team. We love being customer-focused and getting positive feedback.
This is one of the most exciting things about being an entrepreneur because then you realize your idea is resonating. Not only are we helping customers get what they want, but we’re also helping retailers increase their accessibility. Creating a solution that changes and addresses consumer behavior is an extreme win for us.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://2-ggo.com/
