Table of Contents
- Tell us about your product and what inspired you to start it?
- How long did it take you to acquire your first 50 customers, and what was your growth strategy?
- Which technology stack are you using and what challenges and limitations does it pose?
- What are some of the most essential tools that you use for your business?
- What have been some of the biggest insights you've gained since starting your entrepreneurial journey?
- Your recommended books/podcasts/newsletters etc.:
Irete Hamdani is the founder of askBelynda - a browser plugin helps environmentally-minded consumers find and buy high quality, reliably sustainable products.
Tell us about your product and what inspired you to start it?
It started with my own personal journey to live a more sustainable life. I started looking into the products I was buying and found it hard to know what the right, environmental-friendly product is, without spending time researching.
I’ve been in tech for 25 years and I decided to use my development skills and my growing knowledge of what makes products sustainable, to provide a product to others in the form of askBelynda.
How long did it take you to acquire your first 50 customers, and what was your growth strategy?
It didn't take too long but they were mostly family and friends and weren't the right target audience. askBelynda is a Google Chrome Extension and is more focused on the U.S. in terms of the products in stock here. I am now working with a marketing agency in order to grow the customer base significantly.
Which technology stack are you using and what challenges and limitations does it pose?
The Extension frontend is in Vue.js and the backend leverages lamdba functions and DynamoDB on Amazon Cloud (AWS), Algolia Search Engine, MixPanel Analytics and more. I was a program some 15 years ago, my only challenge now is getting up to speed with all the latest platforms.
What are some of the most essential tools that you use for your business?
Slack for cross team communication, Trello for project management, Bitbucket for source control
What have been some of the biggest insights you've gained since starting your entrepreneurial journey?
There is a whole community of people out there willing to help. I have expanded my network and have gotten to know so many new people that I now consult with and learn from.
Your recommended books/podcasts/newsletters etc.:
Newsletter: Keep Cool
Book: Is It Really Green?: Everyday Eco Dilemmas Answered
