Atlanta-Based Start-Up BoxedUp Discovers New Market and Investors in the Burgeoning Ecommerce Sector

"Atlanta Skyline, Ecommerce Growth"

Atlanta-Based Start-Up BoxedUp Discovers New Market and Investors in the Burgeoning Ecommerce Sector

In a remarkable show of resilience, the Atlanta-based start-up, BoxedUp, known for its B2B equipment rental marketplace, has found a new customer base in the industrial and construction sector, as well as new investors in a thriving ecommerce space.

The Hollywood Writers Strike and its Impact

The company had been making significant progress with a customer base largely comprised of those renting camera kits and gears when the Hollywood Writers Strike hit in 2023. The strike, which lasted for several months and led to a shutdown in film sets nationwide, significantly impacted BoxedUp’s clientele base. According to Donald Boone, the CEO of BoxedUp, the strike held a “make or break” potential for the company.

A large portion of its customer base was inactive during the strike in prominent filming areas like LA and Atlanta, stalling the company’s upwards growth trend. Determined and resilient, BoxedUp stuck its ground, recognizing that its robust B2B ecommerce platform would benefit other sectors grappling with similar challenges linked to equipment rental.

Identifying a New Consumer Base

Faced with a dwindling clientele, Boone initiated cold calls to explore what other types of businesses might be interested in the ecommerce solution his company offers. As a result, BoxedUp started gaining traction with customers in the industrial and construction field, where rental options are essential but have often been overlooked in the ecommerce world.

While online retail giants like Amazon and Shopify cater adequately to the selling needs of users, they lack robust support for businesses seeking to rent products to customers for defined periods. BoxedUp helps plug this gap, giving large rental companies – from those renting out heavy-duty construction items like roll-off dumpsters, flatbed trailers, construction containers, to loading equipment – the ability to integrate ecommerce options into their websites.

A New Seed Round Attracts Investors

Alongside gaining solid footing in the industrial and construction space, BoxedUp has also caught the attention of investors. The start-up announced a successful $2.85 million seed round led by Lavrock Ventures, based in Washington DC. Other investors participating in the round included Slauson & Co, Black Capital, Hearst Ventures, Atlanta-based Collab Capital, and Service Provider Capital.

In September, BoxedUp was staffed by seven full-time employees. The company has since enhanced its team by hiring new sales and engineering positions, helping cope with a rising demand for their services. As one of the few local marketplace start-ups to raise venture capital in the past year, BoxedUp’s ability to identify and cater to unexplored customer bases is a promising indication of the start-up’s potential.

Takeaways for Entrepreneurs

BoxedUp’s successful transition into a new customer base provides valuable lessons for emerging entrepreneurs in the start-up world — highlighting the importance of flexibility and being prepared to reshape their company’s direction in response to shifting market forces.

Author: HERE Atlanta

HERE Atlanta

Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Finalist Holding Series of Town Halls with Parents, Students

Atlanta, Ga. - June 25, 2024

Parents will get another chance to see if the Atlanta Public Schools' superintendent finalist has what it takes to lead the district.

Parents in Atlanta will have an opportunity to meet the Atlanta Public Schools’ sole finalist for superintendent at a town hall Tuesday night. This will be the second in a series of meetings. On Monday, Dr. Bryan Johnson was at Midtown High School speaking with parents, answering questions, and introducing himself. He’ll do the same thing Tuesday night at The New Schools at Carver.

Tuesday’s meeting is one of six town halls where the community can get to know Dr. Johnson and see why he’s been tapped as the top candidate for the job. Dr. Johnson has been selected as the sole finalist as the school system is seeing a drop in enrollment by 2,000 students, according to data from last school year. Johnson is currently the executive vice chancellor and chief strategy officer at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and he was previously the superintendent of the Hamilton School District. In 2020, Johnson was named Tennessee’s Superintendent of the Year for the 2021 school year.

Community Engagement

At Monday night’s town hall, Johnson spoke about why he’s ready for the job. "And so, I’m standing right here right now because I’ve pressed myself to discomfort, right. I’ve pressed myself to challenge to serve children really exceptionally well," said Dr. Bryan Johnson, APS superintendent sole finalist.

On Tuesday, Atlanta News First spoke with some parents about what they would like to see different with new leadership. "Well, I think it needs to be more interaction. I think with that the parents and students need to come together on certain issues and make things be known, instead of just talking about it," said Sonya Stewart, a grandmother to two students in Atlanta Public Schools. "I think they should go into the schools and see what needs to be done, instead of just in the room, in a meeting. I think it would be good if they go in the schools and see what needs to be done. What needs to be changed," she said.

Focus on Education and Safety

Last Tuesday, when the district announced Dr. Johnson as the finalist, he spoke about being out in the community if he is tapped as the leader. "Anytime you come into a new community, you understand that you’re the change. So, I want to listen and understand what the challenges are, and you only get that listening by being on the ground. So, we’ll be on the grounds. We’ll be in schools. We’ll be in the community," Dr. Johnson said.

Stewart also said she would like to see a big focus on quality education. She also wants something to be done to curb violence in schools. "With all of the violence in the schools particularly, and you hear a lot of complaints about the work and how the teachers are teaching. I don’t think that every student is on the same level, so I think it need to be something done about that as well," Stewart said.