We are thrilled to showcase Bagsort today, and hear from CEO and Co-founder, Jean-Luc Martineau! Bagsort is a company offering convenient luggage storage solutions for travellers across North America. Bagsort assists travellers by allowing them to relax, go sightseeing, and not have to haul their luggage around with them during their trips. Bagsort also benefits local businesses, as it allows them the opportunity to generate additional income using their spare space! Bagsort services are accessible via their mobile-friendly site, and you can make reservations with the click of a button! Jean-Luc is a former TECDE Executive, a recent Telfer graduate, and a driven entrepreneur in the Ottawa community. His work with Ashley Belleau-Dame, Co-founder and COO, serves as a reminder that with commitment, dedication, and desire, anything is possible (even as a student).
1. Can you share a little information on what your journey with entrepreneurship has been like so far, and why you are following this path?
Since a very young age, I’ve always been very business minded. And I would always try to come up with new ways to make money. Whether it was starting a lemonade stand in my neighborhood or trying to convince friends and family to buy my arts and crafts. Early on I understood that in life, if you don’t build your own dream someone else will hire you to build theirs. Too often people give up their aspirations because they feel stuck in their circumstances. The path of entrepreneurship is definitely not an easy path to follow, but it gave me the possibility to:
➔ Take control of my finances by being self-employed
➔ Wake up excited every day to work at what I love to do
➔ Chart my own destiny and reap what I sow
2. When and how did you come up with the idea to launch Bagsort?
While on a trip to Toronto, I found myself having to wait hours in a coffee shop. Why? I couldn’t find anywhere to leave my bags until I could get into my airbnb later that day. And that’s when I realised that finding storage places while traveling is a common problem for many travelers. That’s why along with my good friend Ashley, we have created a platform (Bagsort.com) where travelers can book to safely leave their belongings at a local shop or hotel nearest to them. We provide insurance coverage on every booking. And upon arrival, your luggage is always secured with uniquely coded tamper proof security seals.
3. What are some of your aspirations for Bagsort, both short-term and long-term?
We have very big aspirations for Bagsort. But when COVID-19 happened, we had to completely rethink our approach on how we do everythings and adapt to the current situation. Over the short term, we are working on implementing new procedures to safely handle guest’s belongings to make luggage storage with Bagsort as contactless and sanitary as possible. We are also working on developing many new partnerships and on improving Bagsort's online platform. Later this year, we hope to continue expanding the service in additional U.S. cities. Over the long term, we want Bagsort to become the main player in luggage storage all around the world.
4. During your time at uOttawa, what were some of the activities you were involved with, and how have they benefited you today?
Some students fear that taking part in extracurricular activities can take too much time off their schoolwork, harming their grades; however, extracurricular activities can actually improve your chances at better opportunities by growing your network. And I’m a firm believer that the strength of your network is more valuable than the strength of your grades, especially in the business world. So while pursuing my Bcom. in finance at Telfer, I did as much as possible to further extend my business network. From my first year till my fourth year at uni, I successfully ran a window cleaning franchise and grew my operations to a six-figures in sales per year business. This experience greatly benefited me as through it, I acquired sales and business development experience as well as meeting my future business partner Ashley. In my second year, I joined TECDE executive as VP External. For two years, I was in charge of handling sponsors’ relations and bringing companies on board to sponsor the club’s events. One of my best experiences while at university! And through TECDE, I met so many formidable individuals! Throughout my time at uOttawa, I’ve also been heavily involved with the Telfer Capital Fund (TCF) as a portfolio manager at the fund. I have met some of my closest university’s friends while involved with TCF. Moreover, the financial know-how acquired managing a student run portfolio for the Telfer Capital Fund is still applied to my current venture: Bagsort!
5. What was the biggest challenge you faced in starting a new venture, and how did you overcome it?
Coming back from my trip in Toronto, Ashley and I met to further discuss the idea that would later become Bagsort. We had everything figured out but we had one major obstacle. We were both non-technical founders and had no expertise or knowledge in software development. And without that knowledge, realizing our vision would be impossible. So we decided to go on the hunt for potential software developers. Initially, we thought we would be able to find an “expert coder” that would be willing to join the team in exchange for a bit of equity in our new business. But we couldn't be more wrong, as we realised the talents needed to develop what we wanted weren’t willing to work just for equity without any monetary compensation. So we bootstrapped using our own capital, and hired two of the best developers to develop the initial platform. Later on, one of the early developers, Frederick Carle, joined our team as CTO.
6. What does a typical day in your life look like?
A typical day for me has definitely changed since self-quarantine started back in March. Previous to COVID-19, a typical day would be staying for a short time in different cities, such as Los Angeles or Vancouver for example, to develop the Bagsort storage network within these cities. Now I work from home all day, so it's definitely less exciting than travelling! I go to bed early, and I get up early. Once I’m up, I like to read the news and have breakfast. While eating, I will set myself three objectives that I want to accomplish for the day. Afterwards, I will do my morning workout. I have so much more energy afterwards and feel much better about myself throughout the day. By 10am, I am ready to really start the day. Normally, most of my morning consists of business meetings and calls. In the afternoon, I might have more meetings (especially on Mondays!) and will work towards accomplishing the three objectives I had set for myself at the beginning of the day. By 5pm, I usually finish working and will start cooking dinner. You need to draw a line when you get tired, otherwise you won’t be as productive. I recently got a little bengal kitten, and he’s full of energy. The rest of my evening will consist of playing with him while watching something on Netflix. I try to get in bed by 11pm, to get as much sleep as possible and be ready for the next day!
7. How do you stay motivated?
If you want to thrive, you need to establish a strong vision that is compelling, something you can connect to and identify with. If it doesn't resonate to your core, staying on goal won't motivate you. Establish the highest possible grandest vision, since you can only achieve what you can see. Every morning when waking up, or when I’m going through hard times, I remind myself of the higher vision I want to achieve. And that motivates me to keep going and not give up. Also, your willingness to split down your goals into shorter-term and smaller tasks will be a significant key to your success. Keep things handy and always keep your eyes on the bigger prize!
8. What activities do you partake in to de-stress?
Cooking is an art for me and helps me de-stress. I’m a foodie and I’m proud of it! Cooking is part of my schedule just as answering calls and replying emails. After an exhausting day of work, doing something I love like cooking makes me very happy. I’m also a huge horror movie fan, and might watch one at the end of the day to change my thoughts!
9. Is there any advice you would give to someone starting their first business venture?
Just get started! Most people fail in business because they never get started. Wannabe entrepreneurs will convince themselves that they don’t have all the information and knowledge to start a business just yet. Or that they are waiting for the perfect time and opportunity to start. Or that they currently do not have enough capital to do so. These are all excuses to not get started. Sometimes you just have to trust your gut instincts and go for it. The worst thing that can happen is failure, which is in itself is a learning opportunity.
10. What traits would you highlight as being essential to an entrepreneurial mindset?
Entrepreneurs completely dedicate themselves to their work. They are not dependent on a “boss” pushing them towards accomplishing their goals or getting their work done. Subsequently, I believe that motivation is a must-have trait that real entrepreneurs have. Hard-working entrepreneurs are tremendously motivated to succeed. Entrepreneurs are also risk-takers. When you start a new business, risk-taking is part of the journey. Yet you should never be scared to take chances and fail. It's important to accomplish your goals and this is understood by many successful entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship is definitely not an easy path, and only the most resilient individuals can persevere through the hard times. As an entrepreneur, you are most likely going to fail at some point. Although it may be too difficult for most people to do so, an entrepreneur has the incredible capacity to get up and give it another go. An entrepreneur benefits from their mistakes, instead of giving up.
We hope that you found this information intriguing and insightful! Make sure to keep up with us on social media for new interviews, events, and all things entrepreneurial! Make sure to check out Bagsort below!