UBER MEETS COLLEGE PRO
App provides on-demand landscaping
Aidan Klingbeil is the founder, CEO and only full-time employee of MowSnowPros, an on-demand landscaping services company that is Uber meets College Pro painting.
Q Give us your elevator pitch. What problem are you solving?
A MowSnowPros is an ondemand landscaping services app that lets users request a one-time lawn mow or snow removal, while also giving students and recently laid-off people the opportunity to work for themselves as landscaping entrepreneur service providers (called a MowSnowPro). Homeowners, realtors and renters finally have the opportunity to get their properties landscaped only when they actually need the work done, rather than paying a monthly contract fee.
Q What’s your core competence, and how do you intend to retain a competitive advantage?
A My combined experience in the landscaping and tech industries provides MowSnowPros with a distinct competitive advantage. I’ve spent nine years in the field doing the actual landscaping work and through this, have been able to determine what customers value most in a yard services company. I’ve applied this knowledge — that customers value a contract-free commitment, quick response time and legendary customer service — to the tech side of the business, and have created a service customers want.
Q How did you come up with the idea for your startup?
A I ran my own landscaping business throughout high school and university and found a lot of early success offering my customers services on a “pay-as-you-go” basis rather than a traditional monthly contract. I took a few years off from this business to work for a small tech startup, which got me thinking about how technology could solve this issue. Eventually, I settled on an Uber meets College Pro solution for the landscaping industry, and determined there wasn’t anything like this serving a Canadian market.
Q What has been the biggest challenge so far? What have you done to solve it?
A The financial challenges that come with quitting your full-time job were more significant than I had planned for. I was forced to make some major lifestyle changes and had to find a parttime job. I ended up working for a more established startup, which provided me with more mentorship opportunities and knowledge that I’ve been able to apply to MowSnowPros.
Q Are there any key individuals outside of your organization that have been of great help to your startup? What has helped you get to where you are right now?
A Friends, family and my girlfriend have provided support throughout this journey and have helped talk me through many of the issues that have arisen. I’ve also gained mentorship through my peers at the part-time job I took. With that said, there is also a lot of outsider skepticism and doubt that comes with quitting your job to start your own business. I’ve found it helpful to channel this uncertainty from others into staying motivated and working harder, rather than letting it create uncertainty in myself.
Q What’s new with your startup that we can share?
A We just officially launched our app! It can be found on Google Play and the Apple App Store by searching MowSnowPros.
Q Personally, do you think it is more difficult to raise capital or find the right talent?
A I believe it’s more difficult to find the right talent. The most reliable way I’ve found to reach potential talent is through networking in Calgary’s startup community. Once you do find someone, make sure to have an established process for interviewing and hiring them. Moving forward with a premature hire can set a startup back much further than taking the time to properly determine if the individual will be a good fit. I’ve noticed it can be especially difficult in this economy, when there are so many applicants and they don’t necessarily care if the position is a good fit for them, as long as they get a job.
Q What has contributed to your success to this point?
A As cliché as it sounds, I think that believing in yourself and doing what you love is a must. When you have no one telling you what work needs to be done and when it needs to be done, the accountability rests solely on your own shoulders. You’re not being forced down this path and as a result, you have to really want it for the right reasons.
Q What made you choose the path of entrepreneurship?
A Ever since I was young, I’ve known that I wanted to run my own business. Having my own landscaping company throughout my teen years further confirmed this desire to work for myself. After gaining a couple years of extremely valuable experience working at a tech startup, I was becoming complacent and increasingly felt the urge to get out on my own again. During my evenings off I started building a website to serve as my minimum viable product for the MowSnowPros idea and once that was up and running I quit my job.
Q What do you need help with?
A As the first version of our app was just released, we are looking for new users and customer feedback. I encourage anyone that is currently in need of lawn services to try the MowSnowPros app and let us know their thoughts.