Romain BEREZAY (EDHEC 2014) presents SoWell, an app for concierges, to Télématin.

Romain BEREZAY (EDHEC 2014) is joint founder of start-up SoWell, a dedicated app for concierges that simplifies the management of technical incidents and improves the quality of your real estate assets. This solution enables concierges to flag up any incident that might affect the daily lives of your tenants.
SoWell also provides support to concierges for their regular monitoring duties and gives property managers an overview of the quality of on-site facilities.

Can you explain briefly how your business came about?

Like many start-ups, SoWell emerged out of a personal experience. My associate is Donaldo DE SOUSA, and his mum worked as a concierge. She often faced difficulties in flagging up technical incidents that arose in her residence. What’s more, once she had made a phone call or sent a notification email, she had no way of knowing how the incident was handled and resolved. That gave us the idea to create a simple and fun app that would enable concierges to flag up and monitor technical incidents affecting their properties. This gives them a central role in the link with tenants and a tool that is tailored to their daily lives.  

What is your initial assessment of this entrepreneurial adventure?

It's an extremely positive assessment, both for the firm and from a personal perspective. We were able to quickly test a beta version of the app with innovative landlords offering affordable housing who believed in the project. We now work with more than 30,000 accommodation units and are currently in a test phase with more than 120,000 units. This entrepreneurial adventure is enriching and stimulating, although we have faced a range of obstacles. You need a strong capacity to adapt and a lot of work, motivation and perseverance. This means you have to be able to constantly question what you're doing if you want to continue to progress.

Have you ever benefited from the network of EDHEC graduates?

Yes, the network as a force for good allowed us to present and promote our solution to many prospective clients.

What advice do you have for new entrepreneurs?

The original idea has only limited value; the success of the firm depends on how you implement that idea. It is essential to test your value proposal as quickly as possible, even with a limited solution, rather than thinking that the product must be finalised in order to meet customer expectations. Finally, having the right people around you is of the utmost importance, as this is never an adventure you go through alone.

What's next for your company?

We are currently in the commercialisation phase. We hope to collaborate with as many social housing landlords as possible and simplify the lives of thousands of concierges. We are also developing new functions to support them in their everyday missions.

What are your expectations from the community of EDHEC graduates?

Beyond acquiring potential clients, our approach really is a collaborative one and we are looking for partners able to propose solutions that can complement our own.

More information: 

Contact: romain@sowellapp.com

Site: www.sowellapp.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sowellapp/