Serial founder, entrepreneur and “trouble maker” (his words, not ours) Steve Cody dropped by Techopia Live to talk about the lessons he learned these past few years at the helm of The Better Software Co., and what’s in store for his new startup, Ruckify.
Cody is the founder behind 15 startups in the Ottawa area, including window washing services and rental business Cody Party. Tech is relatively new to the veteran businessman, but he told Techopia Live that some things about business are just universal.
“The longer I’ve been in tech, the longer I’ve learned that it really is no different than traditional business,” he says. It’s still about offering a service people want, catering to the users and making relationships.
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Cody did take valuable lessons about raising money, as The Better Software Co. raised roughly $8 million over two years. He says it’s not about the dollars – it’s about who those dollars are coming from.
“The money is secondary. These are partners. You may think you need the money, or they’re investors, but really at the end of the day, these are partners. You have to really vet who you’re partnering with.”
Now in a more advisory role with Better Software, Cody says he’s free to return a passion he’s been itching to start up for three years: rentals. The idea for Ruckify, an online platform where people can post their unused goods, tools or property for rent, arose in an unlikely way when a tree fell in front of Cody’s house.
Neighbour and fellow tech CEO Bruce Linton came out with a chainsaw to clean up the mess, but the two were left wanting when it was clear a bigger tool was needed for the job. Ruckify, Cody says, would let him know if a neighbour had the right-size chainsaw available to help.
Though it was inspired by a falling tree, Ruckify’s mission is to plant a few more. Cody says there’s a very environmental bend to what he’s trying to accomplish with the new startup, and for each rental transaction done on the platform, the startup will plant a tree.
“Rentals is a lot about the environment. Every time we rent, somebody’s not building something, so we’re saving the planet.”
To hear more about Cody’s lessons learned and what the next few years have in store for the 15-time founder, watch the video above.
