We’ve all felt like there’s just not enough time in the day to do things we want or need to do. After a hectic day, it’s not always possible to stop at the grocery store, get school supplies for your kids or just grab that latte you desperately wish you had.
Deliver Anything Now wants to do exactly what the name states; deliver absolutely anything you might need. What started as a simple delivery service will soon be a fully interactive app that will allow the user to keep in touch with the driver and their goods every step of the way.
Founded:
May 2013
Alec Winter
Problem being solved:
Deliver Anything Now wants to solve the “not enough time in the day,” problem. “People are always struggling with time,” says Alec. He wants to help them with the constant battle of balancing their schedules and bring down their anxiety levels.
He also wants to address the issue being raised by Amazon, the fact that it is putting local, “Mom and Pop Stores” out of business because they can’t compete with their low prices and fast delivery. He hopes to bring that same service back to those small businesses, and stimulate the local economy, by delivering their goods for them.
Alec finds it exciting that the solution he can offer to these problems can be so easy, flexible and cheap.
Where the idea came from:
The business started simply because Alec just thought some things should be delivered, like Starbucks. He decided to start a business where you could get anything delivered at any time. After some trial and error he decided it would make more sense to establish a delivery service for places that didn’t already have a delivery service. He changed his business model to match his market.
He then took on a partner and got more involved with the Hatch (one of the seven best places to launch in Lansing). Through those resources, he took the time to hone his vision and decided on an app.
Target customer:
College kids
Working adults that are overly busy
Biggest Challenge:
Alec says his biggest challenge so far has been funding. But he is working solve that by applying for the Business Accelerator Fund and attending pitch competitions. He has high hopes for the funding and the competitions. “We have a proven concept we are just trying develop it.”
Surprises in the industry:
Alec was surprised to find just how important customer relationships are and how keeping those relationships positive, no matter how hard it might be, is key.
The future:
The future looks bright for Delivery Anything Now. While they are already generating revenue, Alec is looking to ramp up growth. In the very near future, they are doing a complete rebranding, facilitated by another Lansing startup, Eightfold Marketing. They will get a new logo, a new website and even a new name.
Looking a bit farther, in one year Alec would like to be in ten cities, and in 5 years he would like to be utilizing the latest technologies and using drones. “I think people would love it.”
You can also expect to see their app released in October.
Advice:
Alec advises getting involved with local resources as soon as possible. If he could do things differently, he would have gotten involved with the Hatch much sooner. “I would be a year ahead of where I am now and would have saved money instead of spending it.”
He also urges entrepreneurs to have confidence in their idea and pursue it with passion. “With passion and marketing, you can push any idea forward.”
