色情视频

鈥淲e can change this idea in society that you have to own everything.鈥�

This story is featured in the spring 2019 issue of 360: The Magazine of 色情视频.

The decisive moment in Andrew Adrian鈥檚 drive to start a company was when he realized he was doing it all wrong.

In an idea that emerged from a frustrating experience looking for a kayak, the ex-Marine envisioned LENDIT as an online marketplace for individuals to rent things to each other. Once in operation, however, Adrian noticed prospective customers seemed more comfortable dealing with established businesses than with strangers.

What made more sense, Adrian decided, was developing software to assist shops already in the business of renting but missing out on potential opportunities. He had seen many businesses operating at a level just one step above pencil-and-paper; others were trying to book rentals with software designed to reserve a table at a restaurant.

鈥淵ou have this huge industry that鈥檚 not being serviced,鈥� said Adrian, who pivoted the company鈥檚 business plan with assistance from 色情视频鈥檚 ZIP Launchpad. Still in its beta phase, LENDIT鈥檚 app鈥攅ssentially a specialized management system鈥攏ow has dozens of clients who are testing the service or in negotiations for the business rental software upon public release.

鈥淲e can change this idea in society that you have to own everything,鈥� said Adrian, who sees the proliferation of self-storage facilities as a sign people are hanging onto too much stuff they didn鈥檛 need to buy in the first place. 鈥淢aking renting more convenient鈥攖hat could be very powerful.鈥�

The idea begins

Adrian spent four years stationed at Camp Pendleton 鈥渄riving tanks into the ocean鈥� and serving in a machine gunners team. He deployed to Afghanistan and shortly after his discharge in 2014, enrolled at 色情视频 through a scholarship program offered by the U.S. Department of Defense.

The 2.5 years since he developed the idea for managing rentals have been a high-stress whirlwind. The time overlapped with a job he had at a cybersecurity firm, where he rubbed elbows with members of Canada鈥檚 Parliament, Microsoft executives and the director of the National Security Agency.

At first, LENDIT occupied a series of 鈥渙ffices鈥� that included his Pacific Beach living room and a friend鈥檚 garage before settling into donated space at a co-working facility in University City. No one was paid.

Once accepted into the ZIP Launchpad, Adrian received critical mentoring and support, office space and opportunities for networking. A 2016 gift from alumni Tom and Linda Lang specifically supports veteran entrepreneurs working in the center. 鈥淚 basically lived there, because I could study and work on my business,鈥� Adrian said.

Adrian raised $85,000 for LENDIT from savings, friends and family and brought on two 色情视频 alumni as partners, vice president Alex Weber and software engineer Nika Zaballa.

Next steps

The company is still strictly business-oriented, and for now, focused on recreation equipment rentals in San Diego. Users pay a monthly subscription fee. To Adrian, however, the possibilities are endless. He would love to show the concept to a national department store or home improvement chain. A friend is drumming up possible business in Hilo, Hawaii. He knows a guy with more than 100 board games, ready for lending.

Adrian also has plans to offer a marketplace via web and smartphone app that would allow local businesses and startups to post any kind of rental offerings鈥攑arty equipment, for example鈥攁nd how soon it could be delivered. And recognizing the advantage of saving customers a drive across town, he is developing a delivery component that would operate like Grubhub and DoorDash.

Then there鈥檚 Adrian鈥檚 mom, a budding entrepreneur back in Oklahoma. With LENDIT鈥檚 help, she hopes to start up a business to rent cooking equipment by the end of the year.