Co-Founder Of Liveonriviera.com: “My Success Is The Success Of The Users.”

Describe liveonriviera.com in 50 words or less.

Liveonriviera.com is a way for both real estate agencies and home service providers to connect with potential clients. And it’s 100% free. We designed liveonriviera.com to avoid commissions and extra fees which clients absolutely want to avoid.

Why did you decide to pursue your own dreams rather than someone else’s?

I feel that I have pursued my objective along with someone else’s. I think it is everyone’s objective to get a service at the right price and get a good job done. When I moved to France a couple of years ago, as a foreigner not speaking the language, I had a very hard time finding any home services requests online. I desperately needed a plumber and the only person I could ask was the real estate agent who found my home. Luckily enough he knew someone and the job was done. Except, what I discovered later on, was that the plumber was overcharging me, just to pay a commission to the agent. I thought this was ridiculous and unfair. If this is happening to me, it’s happening to a lot more people. That’s why I decided to launch the liveonriviera.com platform, which connects people, with no language barrier, and helps them find the services they need without being overcharged.

Describe your typical working day from coming to the office to leaving it.

I love the freedom of an online business. Our flexible work model enables us to work almost from any place with an internet connection. Since our team members live in different countries we have regular video conferences via Skype.

Our typical day is resumed by laptops, making new connections, whether they are the home services provider, real estate agencies or clients, meeting with them and running around to meetings. It’s not very glamorous but it’s our typical day and we love it.

7 years from now: How did your startup change the world?

Seven years from now, I think liveonriviera.com will develop into an absolute essential platform for households and service providers in a global way. In 7 years, thanks to liveonriviera.com people will pay the right prices for the right jobs, and both the client and the service provider will be happy not paying the commission to a third party.

Also, we are constantly adding new languages for our users to cater to several nationalities. Today our site is available in 11 languages and still counting. Our goal is to add one language every three months, very soon we are adding Polish and Hebrew. This is a significant improvement for a platform that started on the French Riviera, the Mediterranean coast, and is on its way to become global.

What were the biggest challenges you faced building your startup?

Users may not understand how our site can be free; they may think it is not possible and what do we gain from such a service? As I mentioned before, the most important objective for us is for our users to feel trust when using liveonriviera.com and there is no catch behind that. It’s just free, no strings attached.

Other challenges I have faced was learning how to maintain my focus on what really matters. As a perfectionist, I get easily caught up in the small details, which is usually very time consuming. Over time I learned to concentrate on things which are essential for every business to succeed. Our main goal is to grow our online presence and bring constant value to our users.

Already pivoted? Did customers use the network like you imagined it in the beginning?

Liveonriviera.com was intended to connect people in a professional way and answering their needs. This is exactly how I imagined it and I am so happy people are realizing how necessary this was. Real estate is not only about selling or renting a household, there is an entire after-sale service that needs to be provided.

In what ways do you measure your success and how do you make sure you don’t lose track?

Success is measured exclusively by the satisfaction and happiness of the users. This is even more true for internet platforms, where the users are numerous and if they are not happy they close the window and move on. My success is the success of the users of my platform, and it is thanks to them that I never lose track.

Bootstrapped or financed: What fuels your startup now and what will in the future?

So far it is financed privately, one new investor is coming in. In the future, it is hard to predict. All we know and want is that it is important for us to maintain our primary goal, which is to provide a 100% free service for the users. Perhaps we can see a Facebook type of platform, financed by advertising and keep the private investments to maintain its evolution.

With ferocious competition and a booming trend to build new companies: How do you make sure you don’t get lost in the shuffle?

To further elaborate this platform is unique. As far as we know, it is the first of its kind in Europe. Most sites of this type have fees attached to them for their users. We do not want to be lost in the shuffle when we maintain a free usage. And moreover the home services connection we supply, we also have your typical real estate connection where potential clients can search for homes worldwide. If we keep providing what we do and anticipating higher demands and new ones, we will be the competition.

What do you look for in team members?

We look for people who are smart, creative, have an international background so that they understand our client’s needs. We want our team members to be innovative, curious and visionaries who anticipate the changes in this fast pacing world we live in. We look for business-minded and passionate people, excited about growing our platform internationally.
Potential applicants can email us directly.

Why would a talent join your team?

I think a talent would want to be on our team, because if they match the characteristics in the description, we will get along great and for a long time. I think they would be happy to join a team where everything is constantly evolving and moving forward. Making work fun is the company motto. We want our team members to put joy into their everyday work.

What was your most memorable moment so far?

This is a tricky question. I think every moment is memorable, from the day I got the idea, to the day it become a reality and to every single day that we make liveonriviera.com live.

The most important moment was deciding to go global and step outside of France. Each time we add a new language it is a memorable moment for us, because we know that we are able to expand into new countries and help each person concerned, whether it is the service provider or the client, to get work done at the best price with no hidden fees.

What advice would you give fellow founders for their startup?

I can only give this piece of advice that I learned over time: to never give up, keep your goals clear and always remember that without prospective clients, users or any other person, you will achieve nothing. Make your customers happy and they will come back to you. The essential marketing tool “Word Of Mouth“ is a crucial part of growing your business. Get your team members to love your company and earn their respect by listening to their suggestions and thoughts.

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