I've been using a new service called YBUY since March of this year. YBUY allows you to try some of the best products around for just $24.95 a month. At the end of the month, you decide whether you want to pay for the item and keep it, or return it. They pay for shipping both ways, which makes it very convenient and almost too good to be true. I had a customer interview/Q&A session with some YBUY folks recently, and found that they really care about their customers. Each customer has a Personal Customer Assistant that will answer any questions you may have, even on the weekends! YBUY is changing the way people buy products online while curating the best products around so you don't have to.

 Below are the products I've tried as of today.

Month 1 (March): FitBit Ultra
Price to purchase new: $99.00

The first month, I wanted to understand how the YBUY process worked, so I ordered the least expensive item they had (in case something went wrong). I actually ordered the Nike Fuel Band for this month, but they did not anticipate such a large demand and didn't have any in stock. I understood, as the Fuel Band was just recently released that month and all startups have growing pains, so I opted for the FitBit instead. The FitBit is basically a very intelligent pedometer, that tracks steps, sleep, and other metrics. The device came via UPS and was brand new, never opened. I used the device for a few weeks but I found myself growing distant from it pretty quickly. It became a chore to charge the device, sync it, and clip it onto myself everyday. 

Month 2 (April): Apple iPad (New Generation)
Price to purchase new: $499.99

The new iPad was announced in March, so I wasn't sure if they were going to have enough in stock to fulfill the demand for it. Fortunately, I saw their announcement of it and stalked their Facebook to see when it would be released on YBUY. I received the iPad brand-new and have been heavily addicted to it since. I've thought about purchasing an iPad before, but I've never had a huge need for one. The new iPad retina display is gorgeous though, and I highly recommend this version but I will be sending it back since it's not the exact version I want. 

Month 3 (May): Breville Barista Express
Price to purchase new: $599.95

I just received my May product yesterday. This item is the most expensive and largest item I've had. I was very skeptical about such a complex device but I definitely wanted to learn more about the process of making espresso. Unfortunately, the product I received was used (which is fine) and a bit dirty (which is not). I spent 30 minutes cleaning the device before I used it the first time. Since it was my first time using a Espresso machine, it took me half a bag of roasted coffee beans before I finally extracted a good espresso shot. The machine comes with a built-in grinder, and milk frother, which has become very handy. I have a good feeling I'll be using this machine daily.



Final Thoughts

Subscription-based companies are all the hype right now, and YBUY is one of the most interesting I've seen. I've enjoyed the service so far, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to try or buy new products every month. 

As many of you know, I co-founded my first startup with my friend Natalie at the end of last year and we have been working on it full-time since then. I've spent many hours writing code that began as something completely different than what it is today, and I have learned so much about starting a company in the process. Skillow, the original idea, started out as a marketplace where you could learn anything from anyone, but eventually transformed into a resource for entrepreneurs. We saw some growth but certainly not the numbers we were looking for. Therefore, we left Skillow to focus on a new idea, a subscription service for pets, known as BestFriendBox. In the past few months, we've shipped boxes of all-natural goodies to pet-owners across 30+ U.S. states, and even to Canada. We've had great feedback from pet-owners and the company continues to grow.

However, opportunity knocks. Just recently, I was asked to become a co-founder of a Houston-based company called Whimseybox, a subscription service for the DIY and craft community. Over 500+ Whimseyboxes were shipped out to happy customers this month alone! Alicia DiRago, the founder and mastermind behind Whimseybox, flew me out to Chicago a few weeks ago to interview for a startup accelerator she applied for called Excelerate Labs (a top 3 ranked program). 

Excelerate selects 10 companies (2-3% acceptance rate) every summer to help them reach the next level. They provide capital ($25,000), mentorship, and legal help, in exchange for a 6% stake in the company. The interview wasn't a walk in the park, with tough questions from Sam Yagan of OkCupid and others, but eventually we heard the news that Whimseybox was accepted into the program! 

To say the least, I've been doing lots of thinking in the past few weeks. I've thought about the best decisions I've ever made in my life to see what they shared in common. I found that every time that I push through the feeling of being scared of taking a risk, really amazing things happen. That said, I'll be leaving BestFriendBox at the end of the month to join Whimseybox as a co-founder / CTO and will be relocating to Chicago next month! I'm very excited to join the Whimseybox team, which is now up to three team members, and I'm looking forward to new challenges this summer. I'm also very happy to hear that we will be working out of the new startup coworking space in the Merchandise Mart Chicago called 1871, which opens next week. There's even an Intelligentsia coffee shop opening soon inside the building!

Wish me luck on my next chapter!

Whimseybox and Alicia were mentioned in this article in the Wall Street Journal today. Below is some press on the Excelerate Labs recent announcement of the new summer class.

Here's a video about Whimseybox that is sure to get you pumped about crafts.