Today we’d like to introduce you to John Foshee and Robert Crump of MyPorter.
John and Rob first connected while attending Vanderbilt University. They went their separate ways after graduation – Rob to NYC to join the private equity group, Investcorp, and John to Chicago where he was a digital consultant for Deloitte Digital.
Both eager to test the entrepreneurial waters, they saw an opportunity to disrupt the $38 billion self-storage industry with an online, on-demand option. They were introduced to MyPorter in Atlanta and shortly after took over the company, quickly growing it 390% since joining in 2016.
Great, 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?
Bootstrapping a company always has its challenges! The first year we did all of the moving ourselves – picking up dressers, refrigerators, etc., while also taking on customer service and sales calls. That was a difficult year, but we learned the business and got in good shape!
Please tell us about MyPorter.
No one likes self-storage. It’s expensive, high effort, with little service provided. You are responsible for hiring movers (or doing it yourself), packing, and when you want something out, going back to the storage unit. MyPorter is an Atlanta-based company reinventing the way consumers and businesses move and store their items. The full-service storage company brings a new level of customer service and online experience to the industry by creating the easiest storage option possible.
It is a more convenient, easier and safer way to store belongings while also eliminating the need for a growing industrial self-storage facility footprint in areas meant for retail and living space. By bringing the entire process of moving and storing belongings online, MyPorter allows customers to schedule item pickup, maintain a visual catalog of stored items, and schedule delivery directly to their home.
Since its inception in 2016, MyPorter has experienced rapid growth, 390%, and recently closed $2.2M in funding to support new market expansion.
MyPorter is ardent that storage facilities are industrial in nature, and therefore should be located in industrial areas. For this reason, the company’s 100,000-square-foot space is located off of Fulton Industrial, outside of the residential and recreational hotspots in Atlanta. This is despite the fact that more and more self-storage facilities are popping up in close proximity to thoughtfully designed residential or recreational communities. Atlanta has even seen legislation passed that prohibits self-storage units within 500 feet of the BeltLine Corridor because they are “incompatible with the objectives, purposes, and intent of said district.”
Contact Info:
- Address: 605 Selig Drive SW, Loading Dock 35, Atlanta, GA, 30336
- Website: www.myporter.com
- Phone: 404.549.5106
- Email: hello@myporter.com
Image Credit:
MyPorter
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