ROLZO: Combining Cutting-Edge Technology and Hyper-Personal Customer Service in the Digital Age
By: Claire Smith
Tags: Startup Life, Startup, Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneur, Founder Interviews

Interview with Tom Ripert, Founder & CEO of ROLZO

Interview with Tom Ripert, Founder & CEO of ROLZO

Tell us about your business. What do you do?

ROLZO is a travel technology startup providing the leading businesses in Travel, Aviation, Hospitality and Lifestyle Management with access to high-end car rentals and chauffeur services in 300 cities, 500 airports and 60 countries.

What is your startup’s origin story?

Born to lead a new era of luxury mobility, ROLZO imagines a world that is not determined by ownership, but defined by a greater promise: the choice of experience. The founding vision was to provide a reliable and global alternative to cumbersome rental procedures and unprofitable car ownership powered by technology. We aim to make car travel effortless as we provide real-time access to the largest fleet of vehicles and chauffeurs worldwide, in just a few clicks.

Had you been involved in the industry before this startup? What is your background?

Yes, I have been working in the luxury industry for the last 10+ years, having worked for brands like LVHM, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, and Coutts.

What’s unique about your company? What are the key differentiators between you and other players?

The car rental market is very fragmented, with inconsistent service, fees and procedures across the world. Our business model is unique because it allows us to provide the same high standard of service anywhere, while maintaining low operational costs. By working with highly vetted local providers in each country, we support local businesses in such times of uncertainty. Moreover, we lead by example when it comes to discouraging car ownership and promoting green travel — we do not own any cars ourselves and we plan on adding increasingly more electric vehicles to our offer in the near future.

Take us through a day in your life. What does the typical day look like?

A big part of my day is spent nurturing relationships with our existing clients — finding new ways to meet their complex needs — and trying to create new ones with potential clients. We are also constantly optimising our technology based on the feedback we get from our clients, so that area also occupies a significant part of the day.

What has been the most challenging part of growing your company?

Building a product from the ground-up can be very challenging and involves formidable hurdles.

What has been your best marketing channel? What are some channels you are looking to explore next?

As we are a predominantly a B2B company, LinkedIn has been both a social media platform to engage with and attract a relevant following, and target prospective new clients.

What apps do you use that you would recommend to others?

We use and recommend Slack, Trello, and Air Table

Do you have a book, podcast, or Youtube channel you would recommend to other Entrepreneurs?

Human Nature, Zero to One, Blue Ocean Strategy

If you could go back in time to the day you founded your company, what advice would you give yourself?

Always pursue traction in parallel to product development

What’s something you’ve learned from building your business that someone else can learn from?

Make momentum my friend and be prepared for chaos. The journey in front of you will take you to places you’ve never been before and it will challenge you to become better every day.