Flowers used to be one of the most valuable products in the world, causing entire national economies to flourish and collapse during the tulip craze of the seventeenth century. Ajay Kori didn't co-found UrbanStems in an attempt to mimic that bubble though. The flower delivery startup launched two years ago to take on an often poorly run industry and make sending flowers as easy and straightforward as possible. The company has attracted $8.5 million in investment, employs a former White House chief florist and is growing in a tidy analogy for the company's product.
What moment in your life do you think set you on the path to becoming a startup entrepreneur?
When I was in high school, I created probably the worst site online [Autodream]. It had dancing animations and was kitschy, yet wildly popular for the Web at that time. Millions of people passed around the content. I didn't know what I was doing, but I got more people to help and we were eventually bought out by public company [eFront]. That experience showed me the power startups can have. They can create wealth for everyone.
What defines UrbanStems as a startup versus a more traditional company?
There are a lot of places where something has existed for a long time, and hasn't changed for a long time. It was created a long time ago but only exists as it does because it's always existed. My thought was 'let's actually create what's best for the customer. For us, that's flowers. We try to think of things that create the best experience for the customer, period and not to think about it in terms of the crazy supply chain we've built.
Where does UrbanStems fit into the bigger picture of tech startups?
We're on a quest to create the ultimate gifting experience. I look at it as bringing joy back to those products that are often hard and expensive to get. Look at Dollar Shave Club with razors. That was brilliant. Then there's [other startups] in eyeglasses, mattresses. There's a lot of spaces that still need this kind of disruption. I would disrupt the contact [lens] industry if I had time just because it makes me so mad.
"When you're in the middle of a burpee dying, you're not thinking about the business and all the people swirling around."
How do you stay creative and avoid burnout?
For me, I go to the gym every day at noon. The entire team knows I'm not available from 12 to 1. I do different classes like Soul Cycle, but it's a ritual for me. When you're in the middle of a burpee dying, you're not thinking about the business and all the people swirling around. When you're running a startup up, you're never turned off. I get my best ideas sometimes like other people in bed or the shower, for me, the gym is blocked off time. Ideas flow when I'm getting my butt kicked, when my brain is turned off.
What stands out to you about the D.C. innovation scene?
It's a smaller scene than you see in some places, everyone knows each other. People look at the smallness as a weakness, but it's also a strength. People here are incredibly helpful, incredibly willing to help you. You see a lot more depth than quantity in support from other entrepreneurs, and there's more coming in all the time.
What would you change about the local startup setup?
It would be great to have a bigger consumer ecosystem. More companies that are also focused on better customer experiences would be a help, like Framebridge or Cava.
What was the first crazy moment at UrbanStems?
Our first Valentines Day. I was thinking, 'how are we possibly going to create the best customer experience when it's this complicated?' Then there was the snow storm on top of it. It was a tall mountain to climb because no one had done it yet, but it worked.
