We had the good fortune of connecting with Sergio Rodriguez-Valenzuela and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sergio, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
ToDooly is an evolution of my personal experience. I moved to the US when I was 12 years old and began doing manual labor to make money and eventually pay my way through college. In 2017 I graduated debt-free with a degree in Biomedical Physics, financing my tuition by pulling weeds, raking leaves, and doing unskilled tasks for suburban households. I quickly realized the demand for manual labor in the suburbs seemed to be infinite, but also the need for young adults to earn money on their own time was a massive opportunity. ToDooly is the easiest way to hire young adults for help with manual labor, but for young adults, it is the most flexible way to earn money and formative work experience to support future professional development milestones. This is why we are building ToDooly to become the largest professional development pipeline in the United States.

What should our readers know about your business?
ToDooly is unique in that we are building a gig economy marketplace from the perspective of the labor providers. For that reason, we are proud to offer incentives and a unique revenue model that is better aligned with our Doers (labor providers) goals and interests. We offer professional development, networking opportunities, and generous bonuses and compensation to show we are labor-side focused. This simple differentiation has allowed us to acquire market share from people who wouldn’t have considered a gig platform before, or from those who lacked access to these types of opportunities. For that reason, we want the world to know that ToDooly’s mission is first and foremost to create merit-based access to economic mobility for those who don’t have it. Everything else is secondary. As a result, building ToDooly the way we want to has been challenging but also it has been so incredibly rewarding. We have been able to overcome many of our challenges by building something so valuable that our Clients and Doers will not allow us to fail, supporting us through valuable insight, repeat usage, and meaningful advice.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would start the morning off by visiting one of the many Kolache places in the area, particularly those in the Montrose District. I would follow that with lunch at one of my favorite Houston spots, The Pit Room on Richmond Ave. It is a must-go-to spot for guests and a regular indulgence. Additionally, the day in Montrose wouldn’t be complete without a stop at The Burger Joint. My favorite trips are usually half work half play, so a stop at any Slowpokes Coffee location to get some productivity in is always a good idea. For nightlife, Numbers Night Club is a good option if they’re having a disco night, as it is easy to get carried away with the funky beats and dance for hours.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Before launching in Houston, ToDooly counted on the support of the Midwest. We wouldn’t be where we are today if it wasn’t for the amazing early-stage business communities that supported us when we were not much more than an idea. Starting with Techtown Detroit, Bamboo Detroit, Techstars Chicago, and our institutional investors who supported us at the very beginning: Invest Detroit Ventures and Wayne State University just to name a few. It is impossible to mention every person who helped us move the needle forward; that list is vast and ever-growing; consequently, we are grateful and privileged to count on the support of amazing folks from the Doers doing work on our platforms to the large institutional investors leading our financing rounds.

Website: www.todooly.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sergiorod/

Image Credits
All images are property of ToDooly

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