Goran Krndija and partners have booked a lot of business since they launched Gozova, a mobile app matching Fort Worth consumers who need stuff transported with people who have trucks, in 2016. The business did $17,000 a year in revenue in 2017 and $70,000 in 2018. Thanks to partnerships with groups like Tanglewood Moms, major retailers and, most recently, TCU, Krndija says he expects $500,000 to $1 million in 2019 revenue. "We're not just a delivery company" any longer, Krndija says. "We're a logistics company." The company has done business with what Krndija estimates are 3,000 customers. It has 30 contract drivers Krndija says are driving full time daily.
Big Moment: Gozova, which launched with no partnerships, earned the trust of the influential Tanglewood Moms blog, website and magazine, which got its start in the affluent southwest Fort Worth neighborhood. "Ninety percent of our business is from Tanglewood Moms" referrals," Krndija says. Almost all of Gozova's customers are affluent women, he says.
Growth: Gozova has formed affiliations with a number of major retailers, including Arhaus, Crate and Barrel, Urban Farmhouse Designs, Big Lots, Everything But The House, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams and The Dump. Just this year, Gozova formed an affiliation with TCU. When the company started, Gozova focused on two ZIP codes in the heart of Fort Worth. "Now we're slowly moving into Dallas and Southlake," Krndija says.
Learning From Mistakes: Gozova originally priced its service at $29 per call, plus $2 per mile, $1.50 per minute for loading and unloading, and extra charges for having to climb stairs. "By the time we paid the driver, there was little else for us," Krndija says. Today, the company charges $79 per call, plus $2 per mile and $1.50 per minute for loading and unloading. Charges for calls to some of its marketing partners are higher. When it started, the company sent out one driver and vehicle on calls, promising no help with loading and unloading. Finding customers wanted that help, Gozova today sends out two people - a driver and helper - on each call, offering loading help and even discarding of old items at Fort Worth drop-off centers. Drivers keep 30 percent of the Gozova fee, and the helpers get 20 percent.