As a guy who has always been driven by efficiency, Ben Bakhshi kept noticing that healthcare providers were taking big financial hits because people missed appointments. Going on the idea that forgetfulness (not douchebaggery) is the leading cause for missed appointments, Bakhshi set out to provide a service that could help clients and providers alike. Coordinato does just that by offering businesses and organizations a platform for reminding clients when appointments and meetings are coming up.
What’s your company about? What do you do? Who are your customers?
Coordinato is an appointment reminder service. We let small businesses send text messages to their clients to help decrease missed appointments.
What’s the greatest thing about your company? Why is it better than the competition?
We pride ourselves on having the most intuitive user interface and fastest load times.
How’d you come up with the name for your company?
To schedule an appointment remind is very similar to coordinating one. Coordinato means “coordinated” in Italian.
What was your first computer? How old were you when you first got on the world wide web?
My first computer was a Compaq. I was about 7 years old when I got on the world wide web. First we had a 4800 setup with IRC being the coolest web connected software that we had.
What time do you usually start work each day? How many hours a day do you usually work?
I work about 6-8 hours a day. My colleagues and I meet 3 times a week to work together on the software.
When’s the last time you went on vacation and where did you go?
Last time I went on vacation was November 2012, I went to Southern California, Las Vegas, and Atlanta Georgia.
What’s the very first thing you do at work every day?
Read news.yc
When do your best ideas come to you? In bed in the morning? During dinner? On your third beer?
My best ideas come after my 3rd beer.
How many people did you start the company with and how many people work for you now?
Three people started the company, and have stayed.
A lot of people have big ideas. What gave you the confidence to actually go after yours?
I kept reading in the news about healthcare organizations suffering from missed appointments and I knew that I could put together a simple tool to help reduce them.
Remember the early days of starting up? Describe the struggles you went through.
Lot’s of building, testing, and fixing. Once we were live after about 2 months, we started seeing how users used the software and that is when the real work started.
How do you handle frustration? What has been your biggest professional frustration?
My biggest professional frustration is ranking my projects in Google!
What’s your office environment like?
My office environment is just me in my bedroom. I watch TV and play on my ipad to relax.
How do you picture your company in 5 years?
Providing multiple types of small business services through the Coordinato brand.
Who or what inspires YOU?
I am inspired by entrepreneurs who help make peoples lives easier and run more smoothly. My biggest role model today is Elon Musk. As the founder of Space X, Solar City, and Tesla, he has a trifecta of companies that I truly admire.
How’d you fund this venture? Where’d you get the money, man?
All bootstrapped out of pocket. We don’t have any major expenses, except living expenses.
Got any great bootstrapping tips for the lean startups out there?
Test often and once you have a customer, work hard to make them happy, and encourage them to bring their friends along.
What other advice do you have for other entrepreneurs struggling to get started?
Network and make friends. Having talented friends can really come in handy when you need urgent help and can’t afford a $300 an hour consultant.
What would you do if you had a year off and $500,000 to spend (on something other than work)?
I would travel the world while donating money for useful projects to the locals, and read a book a week.
Do you consider yourself a successful entrepreneur?
Yes, I feel successful because I keep pushing until my dreams are realities.
Top 5 websites you couldn’t live without and why?
- News.ycombinator.com – It has the news that interests me
- Biggerpockets.com – An invaluable resource for my real estate business
- Google.com – Information at my fingertips
- Reddit.com – It’s like crack and I should probably stop
- Facebook.com – helps me keep in touch
Top mobile apps you’re in love with?
Waze and Meetup – love to meetup
Three people we should follow on Twitter and why?
three very interesting people
Give us some specific numbers on Coordinato’s growth.
$0 in funding. 50% visitor growth per month. No revenue, yet.
Where can readers find you?
Photo Credits
Coordinato.com | Jeremy Moskovich
